nabl 133

NABL 133

NABL

NATIONAL ACCREDITATION BOARD FOR TESTING AND CALIBRATION LABORATORIES

NABL POLICY for USE OF NABL SYMBOL

BY ACCREDITED LABORATORIES

ISSUE NO : 05 ISSUE DATE: 01.09.2008

AMENDMENT NO : 00 AMENDMENT DATE: --

AMENDMENT SHEET Sl no

Page No.

Clause No.

Date of Amendment

Amendment made

Reasons

Signature QM

Signature Director

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National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

Page No: i

CONTENTS Sl.

Title

Page No.

Amendment Sheet

i

Contents

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Introduction

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1

Requirements

2

2

NABL Symbol Reproduction

3

3

Use of “NABL Symbol” on Test and/or Calibration Reports

4

4

Authorized Signatories approved by NABL

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5

Subcontracted Tests and/or Calibrations

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6

Opinions & Interpretations

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Calibration Labels

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8

Advertising and Publicity

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9

Misuse of “NABL Symbol” or NABL Accreditation Status

7

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

Page No: ii

NABL POLICY FOR USE OF NABL SYMBOL BY ACCREDITED LABORATORIES Introduction Once accredited, a laboratory may wish to make reference to its accreditation status in its test reports and/or calibration certificates. Accreditation normally entitles the accredited laboratories to endorse the relevant documents by using the accreditation body’s logo along with appropriate words, in accordance with NABL policy. Such endorsed documents can enjoy wide acceptance nationally and also internationally through a network of formal mutual recognition agreements amongst accreditation bodies.

NABL accredited laboratories are entitled and encouraged to use NABL Logo along with appropriate words on its test reports and/or calibration certificates. Accredited laboratories may also wish to use NABL Logo or claim accreditation status for promotional purposes, on brochures and business stationery or on proposals or quotations for testing or calibration work or on other items relevant to the laboratory’s accredited activity, subject to the conditions set out in this publication.

While inclusion of the “NABL Logo” with certificate number (hereinafter referred to as “NABL Symbol”) on test or calibration reports is not mandatory, only test or calibration reports bearing this symbol can benefit from the acceptance established through mutual recognition agreements/ arrangements among accreditation bodies, and only those calibration reports bearing this symbol can be confirmed to meet the NABL Traceability Policy. However use of NABL Logo is confined to NABL only.

NABL policy has been developed in line with ILAC P8:2006 ‘ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement: Supplementary Requirements and Guidelines for the Use of Accreditation Symbols and for claims of Accreditation Status by Accredited Laboratories’. This is to encourage laboratories to use NABL Symbol to refer to their accreditation status. This document sets out the conditions for the use of NABL Symbol by laboratories accredited by NABL as meeting the requirements of the appropriate international standards. Where applicable, these conditions shall be met by all NABL accredited laboratories, including those outside India.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

Page No: 1/ 7

NABL accredited laboratories shall not authorize the use of NABL Symbol by their clients, subcontractors or any other third party. It is the ethical responsibility of each NABL accredited laboratory to describe their accredited status in a manner that does not imply accreditation in areas that are outside their actual scope of accreditation or for other testing / calibration facilities not covered under NABL accreditation and to minimize the risk of a client / reader being misled.

All concerned are encouraged to inform NABL if a violation of this policy is discovered by actions of accredited/ applicant laboratories or other parties.

1. Requirements 1.

The laboratory shall have a policy and procedure for controlling the use of “NABL Symbol”.

2.

The “NABL Symbol” shall only be used by NABL accredited laboratories during the period when it holds NABL accreditation.

3.

The “NABL Symbol” shall not be used by a laboratory or its franchisee / subcontractor which is not accredited by NABL.

4.

The “NABL Symbol” shall not be used by applicants for NABL accreditation.

5.

The “NABL Symbol” shall be used by NABL accredited laboratory only under the name, which it holds accreditation.

6.

When promoting or providing proof of accreditation, accredited laboratories shall use the scope(s) of accreditation, as this document details the specific tests or calibrations, which are accredited.

7.

NABL Logo or “NABL Symbol” shall not be placed on the products or items, which a laboratory has tested.

8.

“NABL Symbol” shall not be used in such a way as to imply that NABL accepts responsibility for activities carried out under the scope of accreditation.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

Page No: 2/ 7

2. NABL Symbol Reproduction 1.

NABL Logo is reproduced below and an electronic version of it is also available upon request from NABL Secretariat. NABL accredited laboratories are entitled to use only “NABL Symbol” as shown below: The ‘NABL Logo’

The ‘NABL Symbol’

(to be used by NABL only)

(to be used by NABL accredited laboratories)

Certificate No. : C-0483

2.

Where the NABL name (not to be confused with NABL Logo) is used by accredited laboratories in a narrative reference to accredited status, it shall always be accompanied by the ‘certificate number’, granted by NABL.

3.

“NABL Symbol” shall be legible and displayed only in the appropriate form and size. The laboratory shall ensure that design of NABL Logo is not distorted.

4.

“NABL Symbol” shall be reproduced in any single colour (preferably black or dark blue).

5.

Electronic reproduction of “NABL Symbol” is permitted provided that the requirements of this document are met, integrity of such reports is maintained and distortion of NABL Logo graphics is avoided.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

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3. Use of “NABL Symbol” on Test and/or Calibration Reports 1.

Where the “NABL Symbol” is used to endorse test or calibration reports, it shall always be accompanied by the NABL Certificate Number(s) [T-xxxx or C-xxxx or M-xxxx], placed centrally under the “NABL Symbol”.

2.

“NABL Symbol” may be displayed on all certificates and reports that contain exclusively the results from calibration or tests for which the laboratory has been accredited by NABL.

3.

“NABL Symbol” shall not be used on certificates and reports if none of the results reported are from tests or calibrations for which it has been granted accreditation

by NABL.

4.

Where results of both accredited and non-accredited tests and/or calibrations are included on an endorsed report or certificate, non-accredited results shall be clearly and unambiguously identified. Each non-accredited test and/or calibration shall be identified at a prominent place on each page of the Test and/or Calibration report by an asterisk (*) along with a footnote in bold stating: “The tests and/or calibrations marked with an * are not accredited by NABL”.

5.

There shall be nothing in test reports and/or calibration certificates or in any attachments or other material, which implies or may lead any user of the results or any interested party to believe, that the work is accredited when in fact it is not.

4. Authorised Signatories approved by NABL 1.

“NABL Symbol” may be displayed on all test reports and/or calibration certificates signed by laboratory’s authorised signatories approved by NABL containing results from calibration or tests for which it has been accredited by NABL.

2.

Where the “NABL Symbol” is used to endorse test or calibration reports, the laboratory’s authorised signatories shall sign test reports and/or calibration certificates for the tests / calibrations as approved by NABL.

3.

“NABL Symbol” shall not be used on test reports and/or calibration certificates in absence of NABL approved signatories.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

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5. Subcontracted Tests and/or Calibrations NABL accredited laboratory may include the results of subcontracted tests or calibrations in its endorsed reports or certificates only if: 1.

The accredited laboratory has informed the client in writing of the proposed subcontracting and has obtained prior approval; and

2.

The subcontractor is itself accredited by NABL or its MRA partner for the specific tests or calibrations concerned and the results have been included in the subcontracting laboratory’s endorsed calibration certificate(s) or test report(s) submitted to the accredited laboratory. Non-accredited subcontracted calibrations or tests are to be specified as noted above in this document in sub-clause 4 of clause 3.

3.

The subcontracted calibration or test results shall be clearly and unambiguously identified on the certificate or report.

6. Opinions & Interpretations 1.

Endorsement of statements of opinion shall be allowed only if the accredited laboratory is specifically accredited by NABL to issue such statements.

2.

Any endorsed statement of interpretation of results on an enclosed report or certificate must be based only on those results of tests and/or calibrations for which accreditation is given by NABL.

3.

Where statements of opinions and interpretations are outside the Scope of Accreditation, the laboratory is required to include such disclaimer prominently in the report or certificate “The opinions / interpretations expressed in this report are outside the scope of this laboratory’s NABL accreditation”.

4.

It is preferable, however, to express opinions and interpretations that are outside the Scope of Accreditation on a separate page which is not part of the endorsed certificate or report and that does not carry the “NABL symbol”.

7. Calibration Labels National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

Page No: 5/ 7

1.

Calibration labels containing the “NABL Symbol” may be affixed only to equipment that has been calibrated by NABL accredited calibration laboratory as per their scope of accreditation.

2.

Calibration labels containing the “NABL Symbol” shall include at least the following information: a) The name of accredited calibration laboratory and its NABL Certificate number. b) The instrument identification. c) The date of current calibration d) Cross-reference to the calibration certificate issued with respect to this calibration.

8. Advertising and Publicity 1.

Accredited laboratories may use “NABL Symbol” in publicity and/or advertising materials for promotional purposes, including brochures, business reports & stationary, technical literature, websites or on proposals / quotations for testing or calibration work.

2.

The accreditation claim by accredited laboratory shall be related to or associated only with the testing and/or calibration services for which it is accredited by NABL, and not with any other activities in which the laboratory or its parent organisation is involved.

3.

NABL accreditation is location specific. The accreditation claim shall be related only to the specific laboratory location that is covered under the NABL scope of accreditation, and not with any other non-accredited locations.

4.

In brochures, proposals or quotations, the accredited laboratory shall distinguish tests or calibrations that are covered under NABL Scope of Accreditation from those that are not covered.

5.

Where “NABL Symbol” is printed on letterhead and/or other corporate stationery, such stationery is not used for work proposals or quotes, nor for reporting of test or calibration results exclusively outside the NABL Scope of Accreditation, or for certifying a product or item.

6.

“NABL Symbol” shall not be displayed on business cards.

9. Misuse of “NABL Symbol” or NABL Accreditation Status

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

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1.

In the event of laboratory being put under abeyance or on suspension/ withdrawal/ expiry of accreditation, a laboratory must immediately cease to issue calibration certificates and test reports displaying the "NABL Symbol” and shall cease publishing and/or distribution of documents (including advertisements, websites etc.) containing the “NABL Symbol” or reference to NABL accreditation.

2.

In the event of a laboratory not complying with this document or found misusing “NABL Accreditation”, “NABL Logo” or “NABL Symbol”, action will be taken against the laboratory as per details mentioned in NABL 216 ‘Policies and Procedures for dealing with Adverse and other Decisions’.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories Doc. No: NABL 133 Issue No: 05

NABL Policy for use of NABL Symbol by Accredited Laboratories Issue Date: 01.09.2008 Last Amend No: 00 Amend Date: --

Page No: 7/ 7

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories 3rd Floor, NISCAIR 14, Satsang Vihar Marg New Mehrauli Road New Delhi – 110 067 Tel.: 91-11 26529718 – 20, 26526864 Fax: 91-11 26529716 Website: www.nabl-india.org