ACCREDITATION TEST METHODS AND SCOPES

1. ACCREDITATION TEST METHODS AND SCOPES Trace McInturff Telecommunications Certification Body Council (TCBC) February 2008 Workshop February 19 – 21, 2008 Bahia Resort San Diego, CA

2. Accreditation is… • A third-party attestationrelated to a conformity assessment bodyconveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks

3. Accreditation isn’t… • A guarantee on the validity of each and every test result

4. Assessors are… • Fact finders • Technical experts

5. Assessors are not… • Police officers • Accreditation decision makers

6. So, what is an accredited test?

7. ISO/IEC 17011 Requirements • 7.9.4 The accreditation body shall provide an accreditation certificate to the accredited CAB. • 7.9.5 The accreditation certificate shall also identify the following: • the tests or types of tests performed and materials or products tested and the methods used.

8. A2LA General Requirements • The scope of accreditation is normally identified in terms of standard test methods prepared by national, international, and professional standards writing bodies. • If a laboratory desires accreditation only for a superseded version of a standard test method, the date of the version used is identified in its scope of accreditation. • When the date is not identified in the scope of accreditation, laboratories are expected to be competent in the use of the current version within one year of the date of publication of the standard test method.

9. What Goes Into Accrediting a Test Method? • Management System • Document Control – using the latest method • Internal Audit – technical audit of the method • Management Review • Lab up-to-date with technology • Staff up-to-date with technology • Resources to support technology

10. What Goes Into Accrediting a Test Method? • Technical • Competent staff • Laboratory facilitate correct performance of test • Appropriate method • Measurement uncertainty • Control of data

11. What Goes Into Accrediting a Test Method? • Technical (cont’d) • Equipment • Measurement Traceability • Handling of test items • Quality control (PT?) • Reports

12. Matrix

13. Scope of Accreditation • ILAC-G18:2002 The scope of accreditation of a testing laboratory is the formal and precise statement of the activities which the laboratory is accredited for.

14. Scope Example Test TechnologyTest Method(s) Basic Test Method Standards (Emissions): Conducted & Radiated:ANSI C63.4-2003; FCC OST MP-5:1986; EIA/TIA-603:1993; TIA/EIA-603:2001; CISPR 11:1990; EN 55011:1991; CISPR 11:1997 + A1:1999 + A2:2002; CISPR 11:2003 +A1:2004 +A2:2006; EN 55011:1998 + A1:1999 + A2:2002; EN 55011:2007 + A2:2007; CISPR 12:2001 + A1:2005; EN 55012:2002 + A1:2005; CISPR 13:1996 + A1:1998; CISPR 13:2001; CISPR 13:2001 + A1:2003 + A2:2006; EN 55013:2001 + Corrigendum 1; EN 55013:2001 + Corrigendum 1 + A1:2003 + A2:2006; EN 55013:1990 + A12:1994 + A13:1996 + A14:1999; CISPR 14-1:1993 + A1:1996 + A2:1998; EN 55014-1:1993 + A1:1997 + A2:1999; CISPR 14-1:2000 + A1:2001; EN 55014-1:2000 + A1:2001; CISPR 14-1:2000 + A1:2001 + A2:2002; EN 55014-1:2000 + A1:2001+ A2:2002; CISPR 14-1:2005; EN 55014-1:2006; CISPR 22:1993 + A1:1995+A2:1996; EN 55022:1994 + A1:1995 + A2:1997; CISPR 22:1997 + A1:2000+A2:2002; EN 55022:1998 + A1:2000 + A2:2003; CISPR 22:2005 + A1:2005; EN 55022:2006 + C1:2006

15. ISO/IEC 17025 Requirements • 4.4 Review of requests, tenders and contracts • Policies and procedures • the requirements, including the methods to be used, are adequately defined, documented and understood • the appropriate test method is selected and is capable of meeting the customers’ requirements

16. ISO/IEC 17025 Requirements • 5.10.2 Test reports • Each test report shall include at least the following information: e) identification of the method used;

17. Endorsed Reports • While inclusion of the “A2LA Accredited” symbol on reports is not mandatory, only reports bearing the “A2LA Accredited” symbol can benefit from the acceptance established through mutual recognition agreements/arrangements among accreditation bodies.

18. Accredited? • Request copy of their scope of accreditation • Check Accreditation Body website

19. Have an Issue With Non-Accredited Testing Lab? • Complain to the lab and hope for the best

20. Have an Issue With Accredited Testing Lab? • Complain to the lab • ISO/IEC 17025:2005 section 4.8 requires test laboratories to have a complaints process

21. Have an Issue With Accredited Testing Lab? • Complain to the Accreditation Body • ISO/IEC 17011:2004 section 5.9 requires accreditation bodies to have a complaints process

22. Have an Issue With Accredited Testing Lab? • Complain to one of the International Laboratory Accreditation Systems • APLAC (http://www.aplac.org/) • EA (http://www.european-accreditation.org/) • IAAC (http://www.iaac.org.mx/) • ILAC (http://www.ilac.org/)

23. Mutual Recognition Arrangements ILAC IAAC APLAC EA ILAC International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation EA European co-operation for Accreditation APLAC Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation IAAC Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation

24. Mutual Recognition Arrangements

25. This guy did not use an Accredited Testing Lab

26. Questions?

27. Contact Info Trace McInturffA2LA5301 Buckeystown Pike Suite 350Frederick, MD 21704 Direct line: 301 644 3223 Fax: 301 662 2974 tmcinturff@A2LA.org www.A2LA.org