Testing and calibration
laboratories and inspection bodies having certified management systems, for e.g.,
ISO9001 certification, are not permitted to apply a Certification
Body’s mark to their test/calibration/inspection reports and certificates.
Such reports are deemed to be products in this context.
Accredited Certification
Bodies that certify organisations to ISO9001 and other management system
standards (e.g., ISO14001), have to comply with the international standard
ISO/IEC17021-1. Clause 8.3 “Reference to certification and use of marks” of
this standard establishes the following:
Clause 8.3.1: A
certification body shall have rules governing any management system
certification mark that it authorizes certified clients to use. These rules
shall ensure, among other things, traceability back to the certification body.
There shall be no ambiguity, in the mark of accompanying text, as to what has
been certified and which certification body has granted certification. This mark shall not be used on a
product nor product packaging nor in any other way that may be interpreted as
denoting product conformity”
Clause 8.3.2: A certification body shall not permit its
marks to be applied by certified clients to laboratory test, calibration or
inspection reports or certificates.
As a user of calibration
certificates, it is very important to distinguish between ISO9001 certification
and ISO17025 accreditation of the facility providing the calibration. Only
accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 can guarantee that the calibration facility has
the technical competence to provide specific calibration services.
The list of Maltese
laboratories currently accredited for the provision of calibration services may
be found at:
https://nab.gov.mt/en/Pages/Accredited%20Organisations/Directory-of-Accredited-Calibration-Laboratories.aspx.
It is important to check
that calibration certificates include the accreditation symbol or make a clear
reference to accreditation. Otherwise, such certificate will not be recognised
as being covered by accreditation. All accreditation bodies have their own
accreditation symbol. The NAB-MALTA accreditation symbol is the following:
Should you need any further
information or clarification please send us an email on info@nabmalta.org.mt.