Understanding and the implementation of the ISO 17034 Standard among reference material producers (RMP) was the focus of a recent workshop conducted by the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC).
NATA Calibration Sector Manager, Paul McMullen, was invited to present and share his expertise and insights at workshop that covered the general requirements for the competence of reference material producers to ensure participants are well-equipped to meet international accreditation standards.
The capacity building workshop consisted of training for the ISO 17034 standard, with a focus on the use of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17034:2016 general requirements for the competence of reference material producers Standard to accredit RMP.
The workshop also covered relevant International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) requirements and ISO/CASCO (ISO Committee for conformity assessment) clarifications, as well as the ISO 3340X series of Standards and Technical Reports developed by ISO Technical Committee on Reference Materials TC 334.
“Many technical topics were covered, such as collaborators being subcontractors under ISO 17034, why a coverage factor of 2 is not mandatory, and the challenges with formulating scopes of accreditation across the diverse disciplines under RMP,” McMullen said.
The acceptable minimum requirements for Scope of Accreditation of RMP were also taught to participants.
Dr Angelique Botha from the National Metrology Institute of South Africa and Chair of the ISO Technical Committee for Reference Materials, also attended and provided a summary of the ISO 3340X series of standards.
Participants also had an opportunity at the workshops to share their expertise and experience in RMP accreditation.
“This included how they intend to use the ISO 3340X standards as an accreditation tool, and their preferences for formatting scopes of accreditation of RMP,” McMullen said.
Adjusting to change
The APAC workshops are run on a regular basis to provide an introduction to new ISO Standards that support reference materials, and to facilitate alignment amongst the Accreditation Bodies.
“The key value of the workshops is the opportunity to learn and adjust to changes in RMP, and compare and network among peers supporting equivalence across APAC members,” McMullen said.
McMullen was approached to attend the recent workshops by the APAC Capacity Building Committee based on his role as convenor of the APAC RMP Working Group under Technical Committee 1.
To learn more contact NATA on 1 800 621 666 or at corpcomm@nata.com.au
