Validity of Accreditation
Validity of Accreditation
Accreditation is the formal recognition that an organization is competent to carry out specified tasks. Accreditation is granted by an accreditation body (AB), which is an independent organization that assesses the competence of conformity assessment bodies (CABs).
CABs are organizations that assess the conformity of products, services, processes, and systems to relevant standards and requirements. CABs are accredited by national or regional accreditation bodies, which ensures that they meet high standards of competence, impartiality, and consistency.
The validity of accreditation is the period of time during which an organization is accredited to a specific conformity assessment standard. The validity of accreditation is typically one to three years.
During the validity of accreditation, CABs are required to maintain their competence to the relevant conformity assessment standard. This is done through regular surveillance assessments by the AB.
If a CAB fails to maintain its competence, the AB may suspend or withdraw accreditation.
Validity of USAB Accreditation
The United States Accreditation Board (USAB) is affiliated with the Worldwide Accreditation Board (WAB). This affiliation gives USAB accredited organizations access to the WAB Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). The WAB MRA allows USAB accredited organizations to be automatically recognized by other WAB signatories, which can help them to access new markets and customers around the world.
The WAB MRA is a valuable tool for USAB accredited organizations, as it allows them to access new markets and customers around the world without having to be accredited by multiple accreditation bodies.
USAB's Affiliation with WAB
USAB accredited CABs are required to maintain their accreditation by undergoing regular surveillance assessments. Surveillance assessments are typically conducted on an annual basis and involve a review of the CAB’s management system, quality management system, and technical competence.
If a CAB fails to meet the requirements of the surveillance assessment, USAB may take corrective action, such as issuing a corrective action plan or suspending accreditation.
USAB accredited CABs are also required to undergo a re-assessment every three years. The re-assessment is a more comprehensive assessment than the surveillance assessment and covers all aspects of the CAB’s operations.
If a CAB fails to meet the requirements of the re-assessment, USAB may withdraw accreditation.
Checking the Validity of USAB Accreditation
The validity of USAB accreditation can be checked on the USAB website. The USAB website provides a list of all accredited CABs, including the date on which the accreditation was granted and the date on which the accreditation expires.
Organizations can also contact USAB directly to check the validity of a CAB’s accreditation.
The validity of USAB accreditation can be checked on the USAB website. The USAB website provides a list of all accredited CABs, including the date on which the accreditation was granted and the date on which the accreditation expires.
Organizations can also contact USAB directly to check the validity of a CAB’s accreditation.