ISO/IEC 17020 Accreditation from British Accreditation Registrars (BAR-UK)

ISO/IEC 17020 conformity accreditation is for the operation of varied sorts of bodies performing an inspection to create confidence and be accurate in performing their inspection on technical competence and recognition of good management practice. Accreditation to inspection bodies may be conducted with the proper procedure by which an authoritative body provides formal recognition for specific inspection, supported by third-party assessment by gaining ISO/IEC 17020:2012 standard. This international standard was published by the international body implementing standards, the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 17020 Accreditation Part 2 is supervised by IAF MRA (International Accreditation Forum Multilateral Recognition Arrangement) to develop requirements for the operation. ISO/IEC 17020 Accreditation Certification is drafted under the principles and regulations given within the ISO/IEC Directives.

ISO/IEC 17020:2012 is an accreditation not a certification like ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and other system certification, which is granted to the Inspection bodies by an ILAC / APLAC-approved accreditation body for conducting inspection and provide a certificate for the inspection. The development and updating of guidelines and inspecting with accurate procedure activities are engaged through IAF. These types of international arrangements and technical processes and procedures give the acceptance of inspection results between countries to which MRA partners represent achieving global acceptance. Inspection Bodies Accreditation verifies the technical capability of QMS and provides guidelines and processes to achieve in-tune and correct inspection processes for an accurate result that is accepted by the globe internationally.

This accreditation was initially published in the year 1998 then after certain amendments in 2012 was been made. ISO17020:2012 standard has sorted examination bodies conduction inspection into three significant classes based on their inspection. They are as under:

Type – A: Independent of the parties involved conducting Independent Inspection merely engaged in inspection activities.

Type – B: Inspection body conducting inspection services to those organizations of which the inspection body forms a neighborhood that supplies inspection services only to its parent organization. This inspection involves a separate and identifiable part of an organization involved in the design, manufacture, supply, installation, use, or maintenance of the items it inspects, and

Type – C: The inspection body, suggest the review body of obligations and account-abilities to ensure sufficient isolation among investigation and different exercises that will give shields inside the association. It does not form an identifiable but not necessarily a separate part of an organization.

Benefits of ISO 17020 Certification from British Accreditation Registrars (BAR-UK)

Accredited inspection from third-party assessment provides assurance of technically competent service and consistently reliable results that can be accepted all over the world.

ISO/IEC 17020 Certification also helps in reducing costs and lowering risks of the customer conducting various inspections to be approved by the required party/parties. It is key in demonstrating that products, equipment, structures, and systems meet the required specifications of the standard and have passed all the requirements of the standard ISO/IEC 17020. Governments and industries around the world are increasingly requiring the use of accredited inspection services for the assurity of the technical process and procedure conducted in the organization. Other benefits of ISO/IEC 17020 are:

1. Helps in demonstrating competence in the Inspection Process by
   • Hiring qualified personnel and training them for conducting an inspection
   • Use of appropriate methods and procedures
   • Use of appropriate equipment and tools required
   • Safeguards to ensure impartiality and confidentiality among the organization for conducting an inspection
   • Measures for code of conduct and processes for work safety
   • Effective quality assurance procedures
2. Promote compliance to international standard
3. Reduce potential costs to your organization
4. Improved efficiencies and productivity of inspection
5. Improved degree of capability among workman
6. Increased trust in the inspection result
7. More Prominent inspection
8. Provides a guideline for better control of the maintenance of records
9. Provide recommendations on analysis of knowledge
10. Establish confidence of management and customers
11. Better image of inspection bodies
12. Provide top-quality inspection
13. Worldwide recognition and increased credibility
14. A definite edge over competitors

Requirements of ISO 17020 Accreditation

Inspecting bodies need to determine and fulfill certain requirements for the smooth conduct of their inspection and application of the standard to acquire accurate results.

• Analyzing the type of examination, procedure, and tools required to examine inspection.
• Conduct conformity Assessment based on the conformity of the standard ISO/IEC 17020:2012.
• Required qualification and the ability for inspecting any circumstances of the personnel.
• Appointing Management personnel for the management system and technical personnel to analyze the technical requirements.
• Determine the Inspection method for dealing with complaints and appeals.
• Cooperation with other inspection body and team
• Prepare and verify the inspection accurate report.
• Analysis of reports to match the requirements of the standard.
• Provide inspection samples and items of inspection
• Maintain a quality system of an organization

Why do you need to be ISO 17020 Accredited?

To take your products/services in the international market your organization needs to comply with the regional and international conformity of the standards.

• By Micro-level survey for every inspection parameter
• Conducting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for inspection
• Formats to establish the objective evidence
• Witnessing/demonstration of inspection activities to build confidence

ISO/IEC 17020:2012 is based on a detailed study of all activities which add value to your organization by making assured that your goods/services are what they claim to be and do not include any fraudulent. In this globalized world with a thick and long supply chain in business and other activities, it becomes rigid to trace the originality of the goods and provide transparency in the procedure. Achieving ISO 17020 Accreditation Certificate helps your business to be a step ahead of your competitor with the assurance of quality and authenticity for your operations.

The ISO 17020 certificate is issued for 2 years with renewable. The Certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of issue and requires a yearly audit to verify compliance of the standard. Upon completion of 2 years cycle of the certificate validity, there is renewal audit will be conducted without any periodic surveillance assessment.

Steps for ISO 17020 Accreditation

Step 1: Pre-Application

1. a) Review General Accreditation Requirements
2. b) Due Diligence and acceptance of pre-application
3. c) Quotation and guidelines

Step 2: Application

1. a) Payment of accreditation fees
2. b) Input Application Information
3. c) Review Scope Guidelines
4. d) Input Scope
5. e) Endorse authorization
6. f) Submit all required documentation

Step 3: Assessment

Step 4: Reporting on Assessment & Accreditation Decision

Step 5: Post-Accreditation Compliance

British Accreditation Registrars’ Accreditation for Inspection Agencies”

• Demonstrates compliance with ISO/IEC Standard 17020.
• BAR offers prompt, personal service, including rapid scheduling of assessments to meet the needs of inspection agencies.
• Accreditation serves as an internationally recognized “stamp of approval” for industry and regulators.
• Accreditation increases the recognition and acceptance of inspection reports across domestic and national borders.
• Accreditation helps to reduce costs for manufacturers and exporters by reducing or eliminating the need for re-inspecting in another economy.
• Demonstrates compliance with ISO/IEC Standard 17020.
• BAR-UK offers prompt, personal service, including rapid scheduling of assessments to meet the needs of inspection agencies.
• Accreditation serves as an internationally recognized “stamp of approval” for industry and regulators.
• Accreditation increases the recognition and acceptance of inspection reports across domestic and national borders.
• Accreditation helps to reduce costs for manufacturers and exporters by reducing or eliminating the need for re-inspecting in another economy.

Complete the application form relevant to your application – this will include details of what to submit, including key policy and procedure documents and proof of legal status, to ensure swift processing.

Please download and complete the relevant application form(s) to apply for accreditation here.