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The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has alerted all the stakeholders and testing labs that NABL symbol is not permitted in pages and/or part of a report/certificate where non accredited parameters occur.
“Any other representations other than permitted will be treated as violation of NABL 133 and suitable adverse actions may be initiated,” informed N Venkateswaran, chief executive officer, NABL.
Use of NABL symbol is mandatory for the parameters/tests covered under NABL accredited scope on all the test report/certificate, medical test report/certificate, calibration certificate/report, Proficiency Testing (PT) and Reference Material (RM) document issued by NABL accredited Conformity Assessment Body (CAB).
In order to enable global acceptance of its accredited CABs, NABL maintains linkages with international bodies like International Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation (ILAC) and Asia Pacific Accreditation Co-operation (APAC).
NABL is Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) signatory to ILAC as well as APAC for the accreditation programs – Testing and Calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), Medical (ISO 15189), Proficiency Testing Providers (PTP) (ISO/IEC 17043) and Reference Material Producers (RMP) (ISO 17034).
As per the laid down guidelines, the testing lab shall obtain approval in writing from NABL and agree to the rules for the use of the accredited CAB Combined ILAC MRA Mark. It shall use the NABL accredited CAB Combined ILAC MRA Mark only after getting written permission from NABL. It shall need to fill in the Appendix ‘A’- Agreement for use of NABL accredited CAB Combined ILAC MRA Mark and submit it to NABL.
NABL is an accreditation body, with its accreditation system established in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011. It has been mandated to strengthen the accreditation system accepted across the globe by providing high quality, value driven services, fostering APAC/ILAC MRA, empanelling competent assessors, creating awareness among the stakeholders, initiating new programmes supporting accreditation activities and pursuing organisational excellence.
As per the norms, the ILAC MRA Mark shall be positioned at the left side of the NABL symbol but shall appear in close proximity to each other. NABL shall not permit the use of NABL Accredited CAB Combined ILAC MRA Mark to the CAB, if there is any ongoing complaint against that particular CAB.
NABL provides voluntary accreditation services to testing laboratories in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 ‘General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories’, calibration laboratories in accordance with ISO/ IEC 17025 ‘General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories’, medical testing laboratories in accordance with ISO 15189 ‘Medical laboratories -Requirements for quality and competence’, Proficiency Testing Providers (PTP) in accordance with ISO/IEC 17043 “Conformity assessment — General requirements for proficiency testing” and Reference material producers (RMP) in accordance with ISO 17034 “General requirements for the competence of reference material producers”.
NABL is Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRA) signatory to ILAC as well as APAC for the accreditation of Testing and Calibration Laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025), Medical Testing Laboratories (ISO 15189), Proficiency Testing Providers (PTP) (ISO/IEC 17043) and Reference materials producers (RMP).
Such MRA reduces technical barriers to trade and facilitates acceptance of test/ calibration results between countries which MRA partners represent.
NABL has been established with the objective of providing Government, Industry Associations and Industry in general with a scheme of CAB accreditation which involves third-party assessment of the technical competence of testing including medical and calibration laboratories, proficiency testing providers and reference material producers. Accreditation process details are provided in NABL 100B “Accreditation Process & Procedure.”
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