Standards and Guidelines

• ISO/IEC 17025: Laboratories seeking NABL accreditation must comply with ISO/IEC 17025, which is a global standard for testing and calibration laboratories.
• ISO 15189: For medical testing laboratories, compliance with ISO 15189 (medical laboratories) is required.
• ISO 17034: This standard is for the accreditation of reference material producers.
• Other Guidelines: Depending on the specific type of service you provide, there may be other applicable standards, such as ISO 9001 for quality management.

Documentation and Quality Systems

• Quality Manual: A comprehensive manual detailing the policies, procedures, and responsibilities for ensuring the quality and consistency of services.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Detailed guidelines for carrying out services, ensuring that operations meet NABL standards.
• Record Keeping: Proper documentation of test results, calibrations, and processes to ensure traceability and transparency.
• Internal Audits: Regular internal audits to check the effectiveness of the quality management system.
• Management Review: A periodic management review process to ensure continuous improvement and address any nonconformities.

Competence of Personnel

• Training: Your team must be adequately trained in their roles and responsibilities. The competency of technical staff is a crucial requirement.
• Staff Qualifications: All personnel must meet specific educational and experience qualifications, and training records should be maintained.
• Performance Reviews: Regular evaluations to assess the competence and effectiveness of the staff.

Equipment and Calibration

• Calibration and Maintenance: Equipment used must be calibrated and regularly maintained. A system for managing equipment, including calibration and maintenance schedules, is essential.
• Traceability: Ensuring that results and measurements are traceable to international or national standards.

Accreditation Process

• Application: Submit an application to NABL, providing all necessary documentation
• Pre-Assessment: Some service providers may undergo a pre-assessment to evaluate their readiness for accreditation.
• Assessment: NABL will conduct an on-site assessment where assessors evaluate your practices, personnel, facilities, and documentation against the relevant standards.
• Corrective Actions: If any non-conformities are identified, the service provider will need to take corrective actions before full accreditation is granted.

Post-Accreditation Maintenance

• Surveillance Audits: Regular surveillance visits by NABL to ensure continued compliance.
• Continuous Improvement: Emphasis on ongoing improvement in processes, training, and operations to maintain the accreditation status.
• Recertification: Depending on the service area, NABL accreditation is typically valid for 2 years before needing renewal or recertification.

Benefits of NABL Accreditation

• Enhanced Credibility: Accreditation enhances your service’s reputation, demonstrating that your tests and services meet international quality standards.
• Market Expansion: With NABL accreditation, you can offer services to a broader market, both domestically and internationally.
• Customer Trust: It assures customers that your testing and calibration processes are reliable and compliant with international standards.
• Regulatory Compliance: For many industries, NABL accreditation is a requirement for meeting regulatory compliance.

Common Areas of Focus

• Health and Safety: Ensure safe working practices are followed to protect staff, customers, and the environment.
• Environmental Considerations: Adherence to environmental sustainability and safety standards in operations.

NABL Accreditation in India

• Application Process in India: If you're a service provider in India, the process is governed by NABL, which operates under the Quality Council of India (QCI).
• Assessment Criteria: India’s NABL uses specific criteria based on global standards, tailored to the Indian context.