Conformity assessment & accreditation

STRD contributes to the development of the ISO 9000 series of quality management system standards through BSI. This series of standards was radically revised in 2000 and the three previous standards against which organisations’ quality management systems could be assessed have been superseded by a single standard - ISO 9001:2000.

There are many sources of information on this standard but an excellent introduction is available as a workbook, 'Quality Systems in the Small and Medium Sized Enterprise (SME): A guide to the adoption of the ISO 9001:2000 standard' that has been developed by the Association of British Certification Bodies (ABCB), the Institute of Quality Assurance (IQA) and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Further information on ISO 9001:2000 can be found on the ISO website and it also forms an important element of DTI’s initiatives to promote best practice in business.

The conformity assessment procedures in most New Approach Directives include three Modules (D, E and H) that enable a manufacturer to meet the requirements on the basis of an approved quality management system. ISO 9001:2000 is now the harmonised standard for these three modules and as such will provide an element of presumption of conformity to the requirements in the Directive. Some further explanation of the application of the standard for these modules has been provided here.

STRD also contributes to the development of the EN 45000 series for the assessment and accreditation of laboratories and certification and inspection bodies and to support the assessment of notified bodies under New Approach directives. Standards in this series are being progressively updated internationally and the revised versions are being renumbered in the EN ISO/IEC 17000 series.
 

STRD sponsors UKAS. Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DTI, UKAS is recognised as the sole body for the accreditation of certification, testing and inspection bodies to the EN 45000 and ISO 17000 series of standards. These bodies in turn certify, test and inspect companies' systems and products. UKAS also accredits laboratories involved in the calibration of measuring equipment. UKAS is licensed by DTI to use and confer the national accreditation marks which symbolise Government recognition of the accreditation process. Information on UKAS and accredited organisations is available from the UKAS website. UKAS accredited certification bodies and companies registered by UKAS accredited certification bodies are listed in the United Kingdom Register of Quality Assessed Companies published by the Stationery Office.

UKAS accreditation provides an assurance of the competence, impartiality and integrity of conformity assessment bodies. UKAS accredited certification, testing, calibration and inspection reduces the need for suppliers to be assessed by each of their customers. UKAS' involvement in international groups provides for mutual recognition which further reduces the need for multiple assessment of suppliers and as a consequence helps to reduce barriers to trade. DTI therefore recommends the use of UKAS accredited conformity assessment services wherever this is an option.

UKAS also assesses potential Notified Bodies on behalf of STRD and other Government Departments according to principles established by STRD.

A UKAS driven Accreditation Awareness Campaign was launched by Lord Sainsbury in 2000. A series of initiatives have been designed to help raise awareness of the benefits of UKAS accreditation for business, especially SMEs and other parts of Government.  This campaign is continuing under DTI support and further information can be found on the UKAS website.

In 2004, as part of its sponsorship activities, DTI commissioned the consultants Hedra plc to provide an independent assessment of UKAS' efficiency and quality of service provision. A Summary of the Efficiency Review findings is available as ukaser.pdf (250 kB)
 

Fax 020 7215 1529.

Accreditation - Lois Hicks
Telephone 020 7215 2828

Conformity Assessment - Peter Rutter
Telephone 020 7215 1444