NABL issues clarification on CAB combined ILAC MRA mark for effective compliance
The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has issued clarification on NABL accredited Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) combined International Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) mark for effective compliance.
Use of NABL symbol is mandatory for the parameters/tests covered under NABL accredited scope on all the test report/certificate, medical test report/certificate, calibration certificate/report, proficiency testing (PT) and reference material (RM) document issued by NABL accredited CAB.
In order to enable global acceptance of its accredited CABs, NABL maintains linkages with international bodies like ILAC and Asia Pacific Accreditation Co-operation (APAC).
The NABL accredited CAB shall use the NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark only after getting written permission from NABL. The permission granted from NABL to accredited CAB for use of NABL Accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark is valid only up to the date of validity mentioned in the accreditation certificate and agreement.
NABL is MRA signatory to ILAC as well as APAC for the accreditation programs – Testing and Calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), Medical (ISO 15189), Proficiency Testing Providers (PTP) (ISO/IEC 17043) and Reference Material Producers (RMP) (ISO 17034).
As per the laid down guidelines, the testing lab shall obtain approval in writing from NABL and agree to the rules for the use of the accredited CAB Combined ILAC MRA Mark.
If any NABL accredited CAB wishes to use the NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark, they shall need to fill in the Appendix ‘A’- Agreement for use of NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark and submit it to NABL.
In case of renewal of accreditation, CAB is required to seek fresh permission for use of NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark in the renewed accreditation cycle even though there may be no break in continuity of accreditation between two accreditation cycles, (for example, a CAB whose accreditation cycle was September 3, 2020- September 2, 2022, got renewed without break in continuity of accreditation from previous cycle to the next. For the new cycle i.e., September 3, 2022- September 2, 2024 CAB is required to seek fresh permission from NABL for use of NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark).
NABL shall only grant permission to use ‘NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark’ to NABL accredited CABs established in economies where the ILAC MRA mark is registered, or where an application for registration has been lodged and registration is pending. It shall not permit the use of NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark to the CAB, if there is any on-going complaint against that particular CAB. The NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark shall be reproduced only as per the copy of the image provided by NABL.
The NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark shall be reproduced only as per the copy of the image provided by NABL. The NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark is for use only in reports/certificates issued by the accredited CAB during the accredited period. It shall not be used in any other way by the accredited CAB. The accredited CAB can issue report/certificate with NABL accredited CAB combined ILAC MRA mark only for the accredited scope. The ILAC MRA mark shall be positioned at the left side of the NABL symbol but shall appear in close proximity to each other.
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