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Accreditation

Beamex / Dictionary / Accreditation

Scope of accreditation

For an accredited calibration or testing laboratory, the scope is a documented list of calibration or testing fields, parameters, specific measurements, or calibrations and their best measurement, uncertainty.

Level of confidence

Defines an interval about the measurement result that encompasses a large fraction p of the probability distribution characterized by that result and its combined standard uncertainty, and p is the coverage probability or level of confidence of the interval

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

An international nongovernmental organization chartered by the United Nations in 1947, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Equivalence

Acceptance of the competence of other national metrology institutes (NMI), accreditation bodies, and/or accredited organizations in other countries as being essentially equal to the NMI, accreditation body, and/or accredited organizations within the host country. 

Deficiency

Nonfulfillment of conditions and/or criteria for accreditation, sometimes referred to as a nonconformance.

Competence

For a laboratory, the demonstrated ability to perform the tests or calibrations within the accreditation scope and to meet other criteria established by the accreditation body.

Accreditation criteria

Set of requirements used by an accrediting body that a laboratory must meet in order to be accredited

Accreditation certificate

Document issued by an accreditation body to a laboratory that has met the conditions and criteria for accreditation

Accreditation body

An organization that conducts laboratory accreditation evaluations in conformance to ISO Guide 58

Accreditation (of a laboratory)

Formal recognition by an accreditation body that a calibration or testing laboratory is able to competently perform the calibrations or tests listed in the accreditation scope document