Accreditation is the formal recognition given to an organization by an authoritative body, such as A2LA or the Saudi Accreditation Center (SAAC). This process confirms that a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) meets specified requirements and is competent to perform specific tasks. CABs include testing, calibration, medical laboratories, and inspection and certification bodies.
Key aspects of accreditation include:
Policy and Procedure Development: Creating and reviewing policies, procedures, and quality manuals with staff assistance.
Proficiency Testing (PT): Gathering data for major testing sub-disciplines and various methods and participating in PT events to demonstrate competence.
Measurement Uncertainty: Developing procedures, identifying contributing factors, and training personnel to perform calculations.
Quality Documentation: Maintaining a quality manual, technical SOPs, and WIs, and completing ISO 17025 assessor checklists.
Equipment and Staff: Keeping an updated equipment list and technical staff matrix.
PT Enrollment and Results: Enroll in PT programs and submit results to the accreditation body within 30 days, with corrective actions for any outlying results.
Accreditation benefits laboratories by increasing customer confidence, ensuring accurate and reproducible data, and fostering continual improvement. It also helps identify and resolve issues with methods, personnel, and equipment, improving customer satisfaction and meeting specialized quality requirements.
Gulf Downstream Association
House 976, Road 4524, Block 945
Awali, Kingdom of Bahrain
