Accreditation is a formal way to establish that an organization responsible for assessing conformity is impartial and competent to perform specified tasks. This lesson explains how accreditation works, who carries it out, where it is used, and how standards support the process.
Accreditation is an independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (CAB), such as a certification body, inspection body, or laboratory. It formally demonstrates that the CAB is impartial and competent to carry out particular conformity assessment tasks.
All flashcards
What is accreditation?
An independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body's impartiality and competence for specified tasks.
What is a conformity assessment body (CAB)?
An organization that assesses conformity through activities such as certification, inspection, or testing.
What do international recognition arrangements help demonstrate?
That participating accreditation bodies have been peer-evaluated as competent, supporting confidence in accredited results across borders.
What does ISO/IEC 17011 specify?
Requirements for accreditation bodies and their accreditation processes.
What is a possible limitation of accreditation systems?
They may contribute to a sheepskin effect or create or reinforce a cartel that restricts competition.
Quiz questions
Which task is an example of conformity assessment performed by a conformity assessment body?Answer: Testing a sample to measure specified characteristics.
What does the scope of an accreditation specify?Answer: The particular assessment tasks for which a body has been evaluated.
What may an accreditation body do when a conformity assessment body meets the applicable requirements?Answer: Grant accreditation for the body's defined scope of work.
What is the purpose of peer evaluation of an accreditation body?Answer: To assess its competence and support its participation in recognition arrangements.
What do international recognition arrangements help support?Answer: Confidence across borders in results from accredited organizations.
Based on the Wikipedia article Accreditation, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.