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| TTBS > Services > Lab Accreditation > Events | |
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Lab Accreditation Events In an era of increasingly rapid change, markets are only able to function properly if purchasers have confidence that standards are being met. Trust is placed with suppliers in a variety of ways: past experience, recommendation, brand preference and so on. The greater the familiarity the more confident the purchasing decision. In today's complex competitive market, it isn't always possible to buy from 'known' sources, particularly when procuring on a global scale. Reassurance is needed to maintain a level of trust and trading confidence. Independent evaluation is the principle source of this reassurance and such trust is underpinned by accreditation. ‘Trust’ is the theme of International Accreditation Day to be celebrated for the first time on June 9th 2008. At the national level, accreditation builds trust in the accredited conformity assessment services and in the corresponding results. Internationally, the multi-lateral agreements established by ILAC and IAF confirm and enhance such trust and eliminate “multiple assessments”, namely the need for products and services, to be re-evaluated in every country that a supplier operates. A joint ILAC and IAF International Accreditation Day is a fitting occasion to mark the fact that both organisations have become better known and have established strong co-operations with international organisations such as ISO, IEC, UNIDO, BIPM and WADA. The multilateral agreements now operate throughout many economies, and a structure has been put into place to support the development of accreditation and related conformity assessment infrastructure in developing economies. Since 2003, the number of newly established Accreditation Bodies has grown by almost 40%. Nationally, there is greater recognition of accreditation, in particular from Regulators, who are adopting accreditation as a mechanism to deliver a multi-discipline solution that can support or act as an alternative to Legislation. As we move into the future, the work of ILAC and IAF will focus on seeking greater recognition in industry, as a means of facilitating global trade, continuing the development of accreditation frameworks in the developing economies, and simplifying the working processes of ILAC and IAF with a view to strengthening the multilateral mutual international recognition through their respective Arrangement and MLA. Prepared by Daniel Pierre, the Chair of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and Thomas Facklam, the chair of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
June 9th 2008 has been designated as the first International Accreditation Day by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). Accreditation – as independent and authoritative attestation of the competence, impartiality and integrity of conformity assessment bodies (CABs) and in turn the value and credibility of the corresponding attestations of conformity – underpins trust in the global market. The value of accreditation has been widely recognised and adopted by economies and societies worldwide. Trust, the theme for this year’s International Accreditation Day, has been chosen to highlight the way in which accreditation rules and procedures are harmonized at a worldwide level to underpin free global trade of products and services conforming to customer’s requirements and to legal requirements regarding health and safety and protection of public interests in general. Accreditation touches, in some way, every level of our lives. When something is supplied, whether it is drinking water or complex IT systems, trust is placed in the supplier. The competence of the supplier can be evaluated through the use of third-party assessment. But it is through accreditation of third-party evaluators that society can have confidence that when something is measured, calibrated, inspected, tested or certified the job has been done competently. The ability to distinguish between a proven, competent evaluator ensures that the selection of a laboratory or certification body is an informed and trusted choice and not a gamble. In competitive and open markets, both government and business rely on trust to ensure a fair exchange of safe goods and services. The essential aspect of accreditation is that it underpins this confidence because it is a valid means of verifying claims about quality, performance, and reliability. With the globalization not only of trade, but of many other issues such as climate change and environmental protection, security and health, trust must be achieved on a global scale. The use of internationally-recognised standards as the reference criteria for accreditation and the development of the ILAC and IAF Multilateral agreements are therefore key to building trust across borders and promoting best practices in conformity assessment worldwide.
The Manager, Giselle Guevara Trinidad and Tobago Lboratory Accrediation Service (TTLABS) E-mail: lab.accreditation@ttbs.org.tt Tel: 662-8827 Ext 171,140
Imagine you are importing toys from another country. The toys have been tested in that country by a laboratory which says it meets international safety standards. But how do you convince your authorities that the tests –and results – are genuine? That dilemma was a major impediment to international trade 30 years ago, but today, thanks to a handful of pioneers, things have changed for the better. The ability of authorities to trust technical standards and procedures from different countries reaches an important milestone this year - with the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) celebrating 30 years of helping the world's economies overcome technical barriers to trade. ILAC’s evolution was prompted by the Tokyo round of international trade negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The outcome was the GATT Standards Code, an agreement between a number of the member states encouraging recognition of the equivalence of different standards, and the variety of testing and accreditation regimes. Fifty eight signatories, representing 46 economies have now signed the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement, enhancing the acceptance of products and services across national borders,” Mr Pierre said. Further information about ILAC is available from the website at http://www.ilac.org/aboutilac.html Media inquiries:
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ILAC is the international cooperation of laboratory and inspection accreditation bodies which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary. One of the primary aims of ILAC is the removal of technical barriers to trade.
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