I'm setting up a new, small certification body - I have a couple of questions

[w6553]

we are going to deveop a small certification body, I have some questions. Anyone can help?

1. Should the certification committee consists of internal and external personnel? Any requirements on the minimum nos. of committee members? What kind of external personnel should be?

2. We are going to develop quality manual and operating procedures. What operating procedures should a certification body required?

3. What is the organisation structure of a small certification body? What is the organisation structure of a certification committee? Should the certification committe consists of members have competence cover overall scope areas the certification body operates?

4. What are the functions of the certification committee? How often are the regular committee meetings?

 

[Randy]

Get a copy of IAF Guide 62 for starters, and if you're going to be certifying to an ISO standard why not ask the ISO what they would recommend?

 

[w6553]

Thanks Randy, I have had ISO Guide 62 in hand. I cannot interpret the relevant clauses in the Guide. I'm rather new in this field and just to know more the common practice.

 

[SilverHawk]

How about getting a consultant to help you out? Do you want to concentrate only in Hong Kong or Greater China market?

Yopu really have to have to work extra hard if you are think of China market as the Chinese local accreditation board is tough! There are some additonal requirements which are imposed for CB to operate in China.

 

[Hershal]

I have one question and one bit of advice.

Question: What will the body certify? that will determine the Standard(s) needed.

Advice: Contact HKAS and get their accreditation requirements.

Hershal

 

[w6553]

How about getting a consultant to help you out? Do you want to concentrate only in Hong Kong or Greater China market?

Yopu really have to have to work extra hard if you are think of China market as the Chinese local accreditation board is tough! There are some additonal requirements which are imposed for CB to operate in China.

We want to concentrate in Hong Kon initially, and later on may consider China.

What are the additional requirements of China accreditation board? Do you think there are corruption?

 

[w6553]

I have one question and one bit of advice.

Question: What will the body certify? that will determine the Standard(s) needed.

Advice: Contact HKAS and get their accreditation requirements.

Hershal

Hershall, we will certify ISO9001. Thanks your advice. Do you know whether there is a competitive market in certifying ISO9001? How about in Hong Kong, China, Malaysia?

 

[SilverHawk]

As you know if you want to ear-mark the construction companies, you have to get the "approval" from HK Construction Board or something where this Board requested that those Construction Companies have to get certification....

If HK market big enough for another CB? No, there are several CRBs in HK and yet they also go intoi China market. How corrupted??? A big question mark.! Is ICAC not doing his job?

Equally I heard that China is "cleaning" up the act. The CRBs operating in China has to seek a local partner...

 

[Hershal]

I am not sure about the market competitiveness regarding China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Once you decide to penetrate China however, you should not need to become accredited by CNLA (China) or TAF (Taiwan). They are both signatories to APLAC, as is HKAS, so accreditation from HKAS will be recognized. The same is true for DSN (Malaysia). The best start for understanding the market number of accredited CBs is to go to https://www.aplac.org and then use the links to go to the accrediting body's page that interests you, and see how many CBs they accredit. Many of the accrediting bodies are government organizations and have a lock on that specific economy (country), so they do all the accreditations.

Hope this helps.

Hershal

 

[Ric]

Where there are references to ISO/IEC Guide 62:1996, it would serve you well to also obtain a copy of the Draft ISO/IEC Guide 17021 which will replace Guide 62. There are notable changes involved.