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, 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.
IQI provide consulting services to such a kind of CAB for the evaluation of accreditation bodies.
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