CB Accreditaton - CB that was accredited by IAS

[cbehrens]

I just ran into a supplier that had a ISO-9001 certification from a CB that was certified by IAS. IAS is a member of the IAF listed under the United States but their scope doesn't seem to included management systems. I was under the impression that in the US the only authority for management systems was the ANAB. Am I incorrect in this thinking? What am I missing?? Is this a valid certification?

 

[AndyN]

Re: CB Accreditaton

ANAB is only 1 of a number accreditation bodies for management systems in the USA. (www.iaf.nu) As long as they are IAF signatories, that's the most important consideration, really.

 

[Randy]

Re: CB Accreditaton

Yep, what he said

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Re: CB Accreditaton - CB that was certified by IAS

I just ran into a supplier that had a ISO-9001 certification from a CB that was certified by IAS. IAS is a member of the IAF listed under the United States but their scope doesn't seem to included management systems. I was under the impression that in the US the only authority for management systems was the ANAB. Am I incorrect in this thinking? What am I missing?? Is this a valid certification?

The scope of recognition for the 4 US based organizations under the IAF can be perused here. You are correct because, when it comes to Management System Certification, only ANAB is listed.

Sometime ago, there were talks of of Laboratory Accreditation Bodies issuing ISO 9001 certificates to laboratories after a successful ISO 17025 accreditation audit. Is the supplier in question a laboratory?

Added in edit: I went to the IAS website and, indeed, they have numerous accreditation programs. One of them includes accreditation of management system certification bodies. So, they can could give ANAB a run for their money.

Check attached file.

 

[cbehrens]

As I didn't see management systems in IAS's sub-scopes I concluded that they were not qualified to certify any CB's.

 

[Reg Morrison]

Very interesting find. IAS accredits GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS, INC. According to the Scope of Accreditation, this agency can issue IAS accredited certificates for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. However, when you look at the list of certified organizations, at least one certificate was issued against ISO 15378:2011.

You look at the list of organizations certified by the GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS, INC. we have Nuclear installations, Department of Veterans affairs, etc...not too shabby. And all of them can state that they have been certified by a certification body that is accredited by an AB that is listed in the IAF directory, despite the fact that IAS is not recognized by the IAF to accredit management system certification bodies....great loophole....