{"id":919,"date":"2018-01-26T17:13:43","date_gmt":"2018-01-26T17:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.proftesting.com\/blog\/?p=919"},"modified":"2018-01-26T17:13:43","modified_gmt":"2018-01-26T17:13:43","slug":"standard-for-accreditation-bodies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.proftesting.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/26\/standard-for-accreditation-bodies\/","title":{"rendered":"ISO\/IEC 17011 – A Standard for Accreditation Bodies"},"content":{"rendered":"

The International Organization for Standardization<\/strong><\/a> (ISO) published an updated version of ISO\/IEC 17011: Conformity assessment \u2013 Requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment<\/em> bodies in December of 2017.\u00a0 This standard, as its name states, is a standard that specifies how accreditation bodies (such as the American National Standards Institute<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 ANSI) operate when accrediting certification bodies (also known as conformity assessment bodies).\u00a0 You might remember this standard from previous blog posts such as ISO, ANSI, IAF \u2013 Standards Soup. Making Sense out of a Bunch of Acronyms<\/em><\/strong><\/a> and Who Accredits the Accreditor?<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 ISO\/IEC 17011 specifies the<\/p>\n

requirements for the competence, consistent operation and impartiality of accreditation bodies assessing and accrediting conformity assessment bodies.<\/p>\n

NOTE: In the context of this document, activities covered by accreditation<\/strong><\/a> include, but are not limited to, testing, calibration, inspection, certification<\/strong><\/a> of management systems, persons, products and services, provision of proficiency testing, production of reference materials, validation and verification. (ISO\/IEC 17011, Clause 1. Scope).<\/p>\n

The development of standards is a lengthy process involving a number of experts from all over the world who volunteer their time at ISO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland several times a year and draft standards language.\u00a0 ISO Conformity Assessment Committee (CASCO) Working Group 42 was the working group that revised ISO\/IEC 17011.\u00a0 There were over 75 participants from a number of countries who participated.\u00a0 WG 42 was chaired (Convened in ISO-Speak) by me, Dr. Cynthia Woodley<\/b><\/a>\u00a0who was nominated by ANSI and Mr. Alister Dalrymple from the French Accreditation Body (AFNOR).<\/p>\n

The standard was revised by the ISO CASCO WG42 over a period of three years and the following graphic depicts the standard development process.<\/p>\n

\"Development<\/p>\n

The key issues associated with the revision include:<\/p>\n