This international standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 establishes general re-quirements for competence in performing tests.

The laboratory accreditation project started in 2014 and has been based on adapting Quality Management System to standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 specific for testing laboratories, so that, Quality Management System will fulfil requirements of standard ISO 9001, but also it includes requirements for technical competence that are not covered by ISO 9001 (test procedures, staff qualification, result registers, equip-ment control, results quality assurance, etc.).

Before getting the accreditation, more than 30 registers have been written in order to fulfil all requirements of standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025, we had to introduce these registers in laboratory daily work, besides two internal audits were performed before ENAC’s audit, interlaboratory comparisons with well known accredited laboratories (L.C.O.E., EGU, VEIKI…) and laboratory staff training were performed also.

ENAC’s audit lasted two days, being auditor team composed by three auditors: two of them for technical part and the other one for management part. All registers were checked as well as type and sample tests according standard IEC 60383-1:1993 were performed. During test performing it had been checked that them were performed according procedures, equipment used and their calibration re-ports were checked, result registers were checked and staff technical competence was analysed.

Once the accreditation has been got, ENAC will perform annually audits to Insulators Laboratory to assure that it keeps fulfilling all requirements of International Standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025, that means, actualization of registers, procedures, staff qualification, internal controls results, interlaboratory comparisons, etc. Therefore, it can be said that accreditation maintenance will be got through laboratory daily work.

What does imply having Insulators Laboratory accredited?

Accreditation guarantees a Quality Management System that assures:

• Testing and analysis by qualified staff. Laboratory staff must fulfill some minimum established qualification and testing experience requirements. In addition, laboratory staff will be periodically evaluated in order to verify they fulfill all requirements.
• Control of measuring and testing equipment involved. All equipment are included in a list to follow up periodical cali-brations and acceptance criteria established by laboratory to assure equipment conformity.
• Test procedures according well known standards. A total of 30 registers have been written, of which 14 are procedures and 10 of them are test procedures.
• Tests results comparisons and analysis at international level with goal of assure conformity of results given. Quality results assurance is essential, this is the reason why interlaboratory comparisons are performed as well as internal quality control of results through performing same tests by different workers and same samples.

What advantages offer to SGD La Granja an accredited test report?

• Guarantee results reliability.
• Enable results comparison.
• Support taking decisions.
• Help favorably with law suit..
• Distinguish from competence.
• Open new markets.

ENAC is recognized in more than 70 countries for being ENAC signer of the MRAs established at international level between accredi-tation organisms worldwide.