Abstract:
|
Laboratory accreditation is independent, authoritative, credible recognition of competence of the laboratory to undertake specific tests. The accreditation assessment process is by peer review, and uses compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 as the basis of the competence assessment. Details of the relevance of such assessments, in a number of industrial sectors, are given In the Asia Pacific region (which includes Canada, the United States and Mexico as an integral part of its geography), a number of accreditation bodies have co-operated to form the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation (APLAC). APLAC developed a regional mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) in 1997, which now has 23 accreditation authorities as signatories, from 16 economies. APLAC signatories include accreditation authorities from Canada, Mexico and the United States. Full details of all signatories to the APLAC MRA are given. The APLAC mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) provides a means to recognise competent laboratories from other economies, where they have been accredited by their local accreditation authority. Accreditation bodies may join this MRA when they themselves have been found competent to accredit laboratories thorough a peer evaluation process using ISO/IEC 17011. Many regulators throughout the Asia Pacific region now rely upon accreditation, and the APLAC MRA, as assurance of rigour and reliability in test reports to meet their mandatory requirements. Details of such recognition, and the consequent reduction in technical barriers to trade, are given with examples. The role of regulators, and their use of accreditation are discussed in some detail.
|