Calibration in the UK to ISO 17025..cant find anyone

[pammesue]

Strange things I've found...

We are ISO 9001:2008 certified here in the US. We have pressure testers that we use on our final product. They need calibrated here in the US every 3 months. Not an issue finding an A2LA ISO 17025 lab to do the work here.

We are going to be selling our product to a sister company and they are going to be doing the final pressure testing in the UK. We set them up with our testers and tell them they need to be calibrated. They cant find a soul to do the work that is certified as ISO 17025 (or equivalent). They tell me this has never been a problem which I find hard to believe with ISO being so huge in Europe.

Since we say we have to calibrate, and they are using our product, THEY also need to calibrate since they are selling our product correct?

How come in the UK its so difficult to find this certification?

 

[howste]

Strange things I've found...

We are ISO 9001:2008 certified here in the US. We have pressure testers that we use on our final product. They need calibrated here in the US every 3 months. Not an issue finding an A2LA ISO 17025 lab to do the work here.

We are going to be selling our product to a sister company and they are going to be doing the final pressure testing in the UK. We set them up with our testers and tell them they need to be calibrated. They cant find a soul to do the work that is certified as ISO 17025 (or equivalent). They tell me this has never been a problem which I find hard to believe with ISO being so huge in Europe.

Since we say we have to calibrate, and they are using our product, THEY also need to calibrate since they are selling our product correct?

How come in the UK its so difficult to find this certification?

It seems that there are a lot of ISO 17025 accredited labs in the UK that can calibrate pressure testing equipment.

Are they having trouble finding one that will come onsite?

 

[pammesue]

Oh my goodness. What is wrong with me and my google skills that I didn't find this website! Thank you so much Howste. I will have to see which ones I find from this list I have already contacted, the 10 or so I contacted said no for all sorts of reasons.

Too Far
Our equipment is an older model
Not certified


not sure how to quote, so I copied

howste
Quote:

It seems that there are a lot of ISO 17025 accredited labs in the UK that can calibrate pressure testing equipment.

Are they having trouble finding one that will come onsite?

 

[howste]

No problem. UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) is the national accreditation body recognized by the British government. You may not be aware of them since you live in the US.

 

[howste]

We are ISO 9001:2008 certified here in the US...

Since we say we have to calibrate, and they are using our product, THEY also need to calibrate since they are selling our product correct?

By the way, ISO 9001 does not require that calibration be done by an accredited lab. Is there another requirement being imposed that requires it? If not, you can choose to allow them to use a lab that isn't ISO 17025 accredited.

Having said that, I personally like to use accredited labs, as I know they have independent verification that they meet requirements.

 

[pammesue]

By the way, ISO 9001 does not require that calibration be done by an accredited lab. Is there another requirement being imposed that requires it? If not, you can choose to allow them to use a lab that isn't ISO 17025 accredited.

Having said that, I personally like to use accredited labs, as I know they have independent verification that they meet requirements.

I think it says that it has to be traceable to NIST right? off to look at the standard now.

 

[pammesue]

I think it says that it has to be traceable to NIST right? off to look at the standard now.

to clarify....our processes state that we are to use accredited labs.

 

[howste]

I think it says that it has to be traceable to NIST right? off to look at the standard now.

Essentially yes.

to clarify....our processes state that we are to use accredited labs.

Then there is the requirement - as long as your organization chooses to make it a requirement.

 

[pammesue]

I believe I have found the solution. Our work instructions here in the US will continue to say what we say..

I will make a specific work instruction for the UK that says they will need to be traceable to standards.
sounds good I think.