Accreditation for Inspection Agencies

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Accreditation for inspection bodies refers to the process of evaluating and certifying that an organization is competent to perform inspections of products, systems, or services. Inspection bodies are organizations that specialize in conducting inspections in order to assess the quality, safety, or compliance of the products, systems, or services being inspected.

To obtain accreditation as an inspection body, an organization must typically demonstrate that it has the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to conduct inspections in a competent and reliable manner. It may also be required to have a quality management system in place that meets the requirements of the relevant accreditation standards.

There are several different types of accreditation standards that may be applicable to inspection bodies, depending on the specific types of products, systems, or services being inspected and the country or region in which the organization operates. For example, ISO/IEC 17020 is an international standard for the competence of inspection bodies, which sets out requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistency of inspection bodies. Other standards, such as ISO/IEC 17025 (for testing and calibration laboratories) or ISO/IEC 17065 (for certification bodies), may also be applicable.

Obtaining accreditation as an inspection body can be beneficial for several reasons. It can help to demonstrate the organization's competence and credibility to regulatory bodies, customers, and other stakeholders, and may be required in order to qualify for certain contracts or business opportunities. Accreditation can also help to improve the quality and reliability of the inspections being conducted, and may lead to increased customer satisfaction and trust in the organization's brand.

Accreditation recognises competence against national and international standards which allows inspections reports to be more acceptable for overseas and domestic markets. Inspection bodies can be accredited once and accepted anywhere to improve their competitiveness.

United States Accreditation Inc. accredits inspection agencies to ISO/IEC Standard 17020. This accreditation process involves an assessment of the agencies competence for performing inspections and the consistency of their inspection activities.

Inspection services play an important role in providing assurance of the operational safety of many items which are used in everyday life. Accreditation demonstrates the technical competence of organisations to perform inspections of products, services, processes, installations and design.

United States Accreditation Inc. accredits agencies that perform inspections of materials, products, installations, processes or services.

Examples of inspection can include these activities;

• Care Home Inspection
• Nuclear New Build Inspection
• Fire Protection Systems
• Crime Scene Examination
• Railway Competence
• Plant Health
• Environmental Technology Verification
• Engineering Inspection (including Pressure Systems, lifting equipment/Hoists, electrical installations, power presses, local exhaust ventilation, cargo / pre-shipment inspection, manufacture of boilers / pressure vessels, welding inspections, oil and gas metering)
• Building and Construction Products
• Food Inspection (food safety, food hygiene, manufacturing and processed practices, cargo inspection, animal welfare, labelling)
• Asbestos Surveys
• Legionella Risk Assessments
• Health and Social Care

Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020, Conformity assessment - Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection, is gaining momentum in industries around the globe. The broad definition of inspection in the standard allows great flexibility in application from systems to services and raw material to finished products.

ISO/IEC 17020 incorporates same level of requirements for the organizational quality management system as ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17000 series standards such as ISO/IEC 17021-1, Conformity assessment - Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems, and ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment - Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services. ISO/IEC 17020, however, puts greater emphasis on organizational ability to manage impartiality and conflicts of interest as well as the technical competence of people, inspection processes, and equipment.

Accredited inspection provides assurance of technically competent service and consistently reliable results, reducing costs and lowering risks. It is key in demonstrating that products, equipment, structures, and systems meet required specifications. Governments and industries around the world are increasingly requiring use of accredited inspection services.

Advantages of United States Accreditation Inc. Accreditation for Inspection Agencies

• United States Accreditation Inc. harmonious with ISO/IEC Standard 17020.
• United States Accreditation Inc. offers a personal service to meet the needs of inspection bodies.
• United States Accreditation Inc. Accreditation improves the recognition and acceptance of audit reports across national and national borders.
• United States Accreditation Inc. accreditation reduces the need for review in the economy and helps lower costs for exporters.

Our accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 allows an organization to demonstrate integrity, reliability, and technical competence as well as compliance internationally recognized good practices.