Accreditation Unit

  About AU

“The third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks”.

By virtue of article (5) of the Standards and Metrology law no. (22) for the year 2000, the Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology is authorized to accredit testing/calibration and medical laboratories and certification bodies in Jordan, and accordingly it has defined the criteria according to which the accreditation, assessment and surveillance of testing/calibration and medical laboratories and certification bodies are conducted. For that purpose Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology has introduced the Accreditation Unit (AU) as the official successor of the Laboratory Accreditation Department (LAD).

LAD has been established in December 1997, as one of the nine technical departments of the institution to operate and administer the Jordanian Laboratory Accreditation System (JLAS). AU has been established in the last quarter of the year 2001. Competent and knowledgeable full-time Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology staff members were appointed therein. They have had the training and experience required for running the accreditation system.

Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology is financially and administratively independent governmental Institution. It is a non- profit impartial organization, AU has administrative and technical independence from other institution departments, it also has a separate financial program within Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology’s annual budget.

AU defined the criteria according to which the accreditation, assessment and surveillance of testing/calibration and medical laboratories and certification bodies is conducted in the "Instructions for Administration of Accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies” No. (2) for the Year 2008 which based on Article (5) of the Law of Standard and Metrology No.(22) for the Year 2000.

AU is committed to cope up with the latest developments in the international accreditation systems and took steps towards achieving the international recognition of JAS, the aim of that is achieving the recognition of the testing/calibration labs' results and the certification bodies' activities which are accredited by it. In this regard AU signed Contract cooperation In Jun 2000 with EA. A pre-peer evaluation by EA was conducted on AU in December 2007.

    AU's Responsibilities:

1.      Accredit testing and calibration laboratories according to ISO/IEC 17025 standard and conduct surveillance thereon.

2.      Accredit Medical laboratories according to ISO/IEC 15189 standard and conduct surveillance thereon.

3.      Accrediting certification bodies of products according to the ISO/IEC Guide 65 and conduct surveillance thereon

4.      Coordinate and organize Proficiency Testing Programs for the accredited and applicant laboratories.

5.      Elaborate and maintain a data base of all accredited Jordanian laboratories and certification bodies according to the scope of testing, calibration, medical and certification activities. The data base includes all the necessary information a bout these accredited bodies (their names, addresses, legal status, number of staff, accreditation scopes…etc.).

6.      Organize an exchange of experience between the assessors of JAS from one hand and the accredited bodies from the other hand.

7.      Establish contacts with relevant Arabic, regional and international accreditation organizations like EA (European cooperation for Accreditation) and ILAC or work on becoming member thereto to follow up developments in this field, and also to coordinate the efforts and exchange experience therewith.

8.      Sign agreements on mutual recognition of accreditation of laboratories with Arabic, regional and international accreditation organizations operating according to ISO/ IEC 17011.

      AU's Main Responsibilities:

   1.    Accredit testing and calibration laboratories according to ISO/ IEC 17025 standard and conduct surveillance thereon.

   2.    Accredit certification bodies for quality management systems, products and environmental management systems and conduct surveillance thereon. 

   3.    Coordinate and organize Proficiency Testing Programs for the accredited and applicant laboratories.

   4.    Elaborate and maintain a data base of all accredited Jordanian laboratories and certification bodies according to the scope of testing, calibration or certification activities. The data base includes all the necessary information a bout these accredited bodies (their names, addresses, legal status, number of staff, accreditation scopes…etc.).

   5.    Organize an exchange of experience between the assessors of JAS from one hand and the accredited bodies from the other hand.

   6.    Establish contacts with relevant Arabic, regional and international accreditation organizations like EA (European cooperation for Accreditation) and ILAC or work on becoming member thereto to follow up developments in this field, and also to coordinate the efforts and exchange experience therewith.

   7.    Sign agreements on mutual recognition of accreditation of laboratories with Arabic, regional and international accreditation organizations operating according to ISO/IEC 17011.

   The Aim of JAS:

Establishing a national accreditation system is essential for Jordan, as a concrete component of the national MSTQ- infrastructure, to improve confidence in testing, calibration and certification services. Furthermore, the improvements of national MSTQ- infrastructure to reach up an international accepted level will lead to one of the declared aims of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which is reducing Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) hence providing local industry and trade with new marketing opportunities inside and outside Jordan.

The aim of the JAS is to establish a national and international recognition of competence of testing & calibration laboratories and certification bodies in Jordan and build confidence in the test reports, calibration certificates and certificates of conformity which will minimize unnecessary re-testing, and consequently will result in saving money and time and producing high quality services. Furthermore, developing a Jordanian accreditation system according to international requirements will qualify Jordan to sign mutual as well as multi-lateral agreements with internationally recognized accreditation organizations in order to achieve its aim.

 
    Related Bodies to AU (AU Organizational  Structure):

1-   Board of Directors.

2-   Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology (Administration Support).

3-   Assessors.