IAS to require technician certification for calibration laboratories, first in North America
The International Accreditation Service (IAS) will require calibration laboratories to have certified technicians as part of accreditation by December 2009. Professional certification will be accepted as evidence of training and knowledge of the facilities’ metrology professionals. IAS accredits calibration laboratories by verifying technical competence and assessing their quality systems.
The new requirement will affect calibration laboratories already accredited by IAS, as well as applicants seeking accreditation. IAS is the first accreditation body in North America to include certification of calibration technicians as part of its evaluation.
“Certification raises the bar on professionalism in the calibration community because it requires a higher, continuous evidence of professional qualifications,” said IAS President Chuck Ramani.
Certifications accepted by IAS include the Certified Calibration Technician certification from the American Society of Quality (ASQ), the PROCERH certification administered by CENAM of Mexico, the Measurement NVQ/SVQ Partnership Programme administered by NPL of the United Kingdom, National Certificate in Industrial Measurement and Control administered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, or an equivalent certification.
IAS accredits calibration laboratories to ISO/IEC standard 17025, an internationally accepted standard for laboratory accreditation. The new requirement for technician certification fulfills the training and education components of the standard for verification of personnel competency.
“The staff of calibration labs will now be able to demonstrate the same level of professionalism that is currently required by those who work for testing laboratories and in code enforcement,” said Ramani.
The International Accreditation Service, a subsidiary of the International Code Council, assesses and accredits competent testing and calibration laboratories, inspection agencies and fabricator inspection programs. In operation since 1975, IAS is one of the oldest accreditation bodies of its type and is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation recognized worldwide. To learn more about IAS and its programs in the fields of testing, inspection and conformity assessment, please visit www.iasonline.org, call 1-866-427-4422, or e-mail [email protected].
The International Accreditation Service (IAS) will require calibration laboratories to have certified technicians as part of accreditation by December 2009. Professional certification will be accepted as evidence of training and knowledge of the facilities’ metrology professionals. IAS accredits calibration laboratories by verifying technical competence and assessing their quality systems.
The new requirement will affect calibration laboratories already accredited by IAS, as well as applicants seeking accreditation. IAS is the first accreditation body in North America to include certification of calibration technicians as part of its evaluation.
“Certification raises the bar on professionalism in the calibration community because it requires a higher, continuous evidence of professional qualifications,” said IAS President Chuck Ramani.
Certifications accepted by IAS include the Certified Calibration Technician certification from the American Society of Quality (ASQ), the PROCERH certification administered by CENAM of Mexico, the Measurement NVQ/SVQ Partnership Programme administered by NPL of the United Kingdom, National Certificate in Industrial Measurement and Control administered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, or an equivalent certification.
IAS accredits calibration laboratories to ISO/IEC standard 17025, an internationally accepted standard for laboratory accreditation. The new requirement for technician certification fulfills the training and education components of the standard for verification of personnel competency.
“The staff of calibration labs will now be able to demonstrate the same level of professionalism that is currently required by those who work for testing laboratories and in code enforcement,” said Ramani.
The International Accreditation Service, a subsidiary of the International Code Council, assesses and accredits competent testing and calibration laboratories, inspection agencies and fabricator inspection programs. In operation since 1975, IAS is one of the oldest accreditation bodies of its type and is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation recognized worldwide. To learn more about IAS and its programs in the fields of testing, inspection and conformity assessment, please visit www.iasonline.org, call 1-866-427-4422, or e-mail [email protected].