Letter from the President.         

It's hard to believe that the first six months of the year are over and summer is here. This month, the results of the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) evaluation of our Management Systems and Product Certification Agency accreditation programs will be discussed and voted upon at the PAC/APLAC joint annual meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In December 2014 and May 2015 PAC evaluated IAS for continued recognition of our product certification agency accreditation program and expansion of our scope into management systems certification body accreditation. IAS is looking forward to receiving an affirmative vote allowing our entre' into the Multi-lateral Arrangement for Management Systems. Continue reading

IAS issues 800th accreditation.         

The International Accreditation Service (IAS), an internationally recognized accreditation body and member of the ICC Family of Companies, issued its 800th accreditation on June 2. A pioneer in the accreditation profession, IAS actively develops new accreditation programs for organizations seeking to demonstrate the highest level of competence and service in their respective industries. IAS accreditation programs are based on recognized national and international standards that ensure domestic and/or global acceptance.

Message from the ICC CEO: Congratulations on reaching a significant milestone.         

Congratulations to the International Accreditation Service team for issuing its 800th client accreditation — an amazing accomplishment and significant milestone in the history of the ICC Family of Companies. In its 40 years of existence, IAS has remained at the forefront of the accreditation profession with dedication and commitment to providing competent, professional and timely services focused on public safety and client success. IAS accreditation can be used by companies or organizations to improve the quality of their products and services, thereby improving their brand and marketability, as well. Most industries routinely specify that companies maintain accreditation by a recognized accreditation body such as IAS. We look forward to IAS' continued success and reaching the next milestone by issuing its 1,000th accreditation.
          – Dominic Sims, CBO, Chief Executive Officer, International Code Council

PAC recognizes IAS accreditation program.         

IAS has achieved full signatory status to the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA). The PAC MLA recognizes IAS for accrediting Management System Certification Bodies, specifically in the areas of quality management systems and environmental management systems.

Erector program featured at MBCEA annual conference.         

The new IAS Accreditation Criteria for Inspection Practices of Metal Building Assemblers AC478 was a featured presentation at the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA) 46th Annual Conference. Gary T. Smith of Thomas Phoenix International, Mike Reynolds of Systems Contractors and Sandi McCracken of IAS provided insight into the new IAS accreditation program. Smith and Reynolds explained that metal building assemblers now have an inspection standard to which they can aspire, be measured and held accountable.

World Accreditation Day celebrated June 9.         

IAS recognized World Accreditation Day with the accompanying theme — Accreditation: Supporting the Delivery of Health and Social Care. More than 60 countries are participating in the global initiative established by the International Accreditation Forum and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation.

Food safety professionals hear IAS presentation.         

Mohan Sabaratnam (left), IAS Quality Manager, gave a presentation at the Governmental Food and Feed Laboratories accreditation meeting on what testing laboratories can expect during a pre-assessment to ISO/IEC Standard 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. IAS does not mandate pre-assessments for laboratories, but does offer them for laboratories that desire to undergo a gap analysis in preparation for the initial qualifying assessment required during the accreditation process. The presentation was given to federal and state food testing laboratory professionals that are preparing for accreditation to meet requirements under the Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011, the FSMA is the most sweeping reform of our food safety laws in more than 70 years. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus from responding to contamination to preventing it.

IAS participates in OABO annual conference.         

Sandi McCracken, IAS program manager, and Greg West, IAS marketing manager, attended the Ohio Association of Building Officials (OABO) Annual Conference. West presented on the IAS Accreditation Criteria for Inspection Programs for Manufacturers of Metal Building Systems AC472 during the education program.

IAS board meets in B.C., Canada.         

The International Accreditation Service (IAS) Board of Directors spring meeting was held at a venue-based event at invitation from the Building Officials' Association of British Columbia (BOABC), the association's Annual General Meeting and 60th Annual Spring Education Conference. ICC Board Vice President Alex "Cash" Olszowy joined the IAS board meeting and provided information on current and future plans of IAS' parent organization. ICC Board Member Jim Brown, who also serves as ICC board liaison to IAS, was also in attendance. IAS President Chuck Ramani gave a presentation on accreditation at the BOABC conference. His presentation also included information about ICC Global Services and the forthcoming Global Forum scheduled for ICC's Annual Conference in Long Beach this September. IAS board members were also able to visit QAI, an IAS-accredited testing laboratory in Vancouver, to observe large-scale fire and electrical tests. IAS board members and Olszowy were recognized at the BOABC Annual Banquet, which was a memorable gala event.

IAS exhibits at Food Safety Summit.         

IAS exhibited at the 17th annual Food Safety Summit, April 28-30, at the Baltimore Convention Center. IAS provided information for attendees about IAS accreditation programs that support the needs of food regulatory and industry professionals, including testing laboratories, calibration laboratories, inspection agencies, product certification agencies, and management system and personnel certification bodies.

NCSLI event sponsored by IAS.         

IAS was a sponsor and exhibitor at the National Conference of Standards Laboratories International (NCSLI) Los Angeles/Orange County Section Meeting held at Transcat, Inc., and which featured several presentations that focused on uncertainty of measurements. IAS provided information for attendees about several of its programs, including accreditation of calibration laboratories, testing laboratories, and management system and product certification agencies.

Institute of Global Certification meets with IAS.         

IAS and the Institute of Global Certification (IGC) met at the IAS office in Brea, Calif., to discuss future directions. The IGC office based in Seoul, South Korea, is currently an IAS-accredited certification body for management systems. The meeting was attended by IAS senior managers and IGC staff Dr. Gilbert Gong and Steve Kim.

Competence vs qualification personnel certification programs.         

Personnel certification has been and will continue to remain a desirable asset for any modern professional. Achieving certification often represents a significant investment in time, effort and expense. Frequently, candidates have to choose between a "competence-based" or a "qualification-based" type of certification program. In most cases, qualification-based personnel certification is easier and less expensive to achieve. But is it actually worth it? What is the difference between a competence-based versus a qualification-based personnel certification program?

World Metrology Day recognized.         

Commemorating the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875, which provides the basis for a coherent measurement system worldwide, World Metrology Day 2015 was recognized May 20 with the theme Measurements and Light. The topic was chosen to align with the UNESCO International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015, a global initiative designed to highlight the key role light and optical technologies play in our daily lives, and their importance for our future and for the sustainable development of the society we live in. IAS accredits calibration providers to ISO/IEC Standard 17025:2005, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, through a rigorous process that includes direct observation by qualified assessors of the technical expertise of laboratories. IAS is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement for Calibration.

ISO 9001:2015 training provided in May.

Training was provided by IAS on May 11-14 at the IAS office in Brea, Calif., on how to design, develop and audit a Quality Management System against the new ISO 9001:2015 requirements. Dr. George J. Anastasopoulos of IAS (left) led the course, which focused on the ISO 9001:2015 risk-based approach and how to manage risk using ISO 31000 principles and guidelines.

Measurement uncertainty training coming August 3-4.         

IAS is providing training that includes a complete overview of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard requirements concerning Measurement Uncertainty (MU), August 3-4, in Brea, Calif. The training will focus on MU as applied to measuring equipment with calibration examples taken from mechanical engineering, physical testing, mass calibration, etc. The program offers participants an initial step to understanding the accreditation requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 as applicable to MU calculations, with hands-on practical application. Also covered in the program are measurement processes and the concepts of effectively estimating and controlling MU. While the program material is largely derivative of case studies and examples, the statistical component is emphasized through practical examples. The program includes numerous discussions and exercises and requires an understanding of basic mathematical concepts. Laboratory managers; metrology managers; quality managers; process, product, design and test engineers; calibration personnel; test personnel; and those who wish to gain an understanding of calculating MU will find this program beneficial and an invaluable tool to decision making.

Register for IAS NYC SIA accreditation training July 8-9.         

IAS is offering an updated two-day training program that provides an overview of the IAS Accreditation Criteria for Special Inspection Agencies (SIA) AC291, ISO/IEC Standard 17020 and 2014 New York City (NYC) Department of Buildings (DOB) requirements and rules that govern the accreditation of SIA, July 8-9, at the Club Quarters in New York City. The program will offer participants insight into effectively implementing a management system that meets the IAS special inspection requirements and guidance on how to comply with the requirements of NYC DOB. The course will review the steps necessary in the preparation of documents to satisfy AC291. The training session will draw upon IAS staff assessment experiences and insights from field visits and management system reviews. The program includes discussions and exercises and requires an understanding of basic quality concepts. This training program will benefit quality managers, technical supervisors, inspection personnel and code enforcement personnel involved in implementing special inspection agency requirements under the NYC Building Code.

IAS joins AFDO.         

Mohan Sabaratnam, IAS quality manager, has become an Associate Industry member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). Sabaratnam will be representing IAS and providing information about several IAS accreditation programs that help meet requirements in the food industry. AFDO is an international, non-profit organization that is at the forefront of streamlining and simplifying food and drug regulations by either drafting regulatory rules or by commenting on government proposals. By developing a broad base of support for new approaches, AFDO has become a recognized voice in determining the rules and the shape of the regulatory playing field in the future. The consensus that AFDO develops is key to advancing uniform laws, regulations and guidelines that result in more efficient regulation and less confusion among industry in the marketplace. AFDO develops support for its positions by interfacing with high-level regulatory officials, industry representatives, trade associations and consumer organizations. This continues to have a significant impact on regulations at the federal, state and local level.

IAS welcomes Patrick J. McCullen.

Patrick J. McCullen joined the IAS staff recently as an accreditation specialist. McCullen graduated from Sacramento State University with a bachelor's degree in English. Specializing in writing composition and linguistics, McCullen concentrated on scientific/technical writing. He has experience working in the aerospace manufacturing and testing fields, with an emphasis on mass/load and tension/compression tests. He has more than 10 years of experience managing small groups of people for special projects.

Fernandez inducted into honor society.

Kellee Fernandez, IAS assistant accreditation officer, was inducted into the California State University, Fullerton Chapter of the national honor society Alpha Sigma Lambda. In a formal ceremony on May 1, Fernandez was presented with her membership certificate, card and pin, along with the signature burgundy-and-gold cord to wear during graduation. She returned to college last year to complete her bachelor's degree in business. Along with her activity as a full-time honor student, Fernandez is committed full time to her work at IAS and is a dedicated mother to her two-year-old twins, Ophelia and Matilda, and wife to husband Guy. As a national honor society, Alpha Sigma Lambda selects its members for induction from the highest 20 percent of qualifying students. Fernandez says she is humbled to be counted among the hardworking academic scholars who make up the society's membership. She is slated to graduate in December of this year.

New and updated IAS accreditations.         

A complete list of companies and organizations that became accredited or renewed their accreditation with IAS between March 1, 2015, and May 31, 2015, is now available.

Look for the IAS accreditation mark.

When you see the IAS Accreditation mark associated with a company or organization, you know IAS has evaluated it for competence and quality.

Seeking contract technical assessors and experts.         

IAS is seeking contract technical assessors and experts with experience in assessing the management and technical processes of laboratories, inspection agencies, building departments and product certification agencies.

Let us know what you are thinking.

Share your comments about accreditation with IAS using our new online feedback form. See the Feedback link on the Contact Us page of the IAS website.

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