Product Certification Body

About the Scheme

The Accreditation Scheme for Product Certification Bodies was launched in November 2001 to accredit certification bodies which certify products based on an appropriate ISO product certification system. The certification system ranges from type testing to a more comprehensive system, which includes testing and auditing of the quality system, followed by regular surveillance and testing of the products.

The scheme was extended in April 2009 to cover the certification of ready-mixed concrete in a bid to support the Building and Construction Authority’s initiative to ensure high quality of ready-mixed concrete.

Accreditation Criteria

IDA accredits certification bodies that can demonstrate compliance with the following requirements and scope:

Benefits

Accreditation will:

• Increase confidence:
  Widely recognised by regulators and the industry, IDA accredited certificates instil greater confidence in those who choose to engage the services of IDA accredited certification bodies.
• International recognition:
  As a member of the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) for Product Certification of both the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), certificates issued by IDA accredited product certification bodies are recognised worldwide by MLA members across more than 40 economies.

Process

Upon receiving the application for accreditation, qualified assessors are assigned to assess the system of operations of the certification body and the competence of the auditors. This will be carried out through a document review, assessments at the certification body’s office as well as on-site witnessed assessments of audits – all conducted by the certification body. When the certification body has demonstrated compliance with our requirements, it will be recommended for accreditation. Once approved, IDA will grant a certificate of accreditation. The detailed description of the type of assessment is stipulated in CT 01, Accreditation Process.

The detailed description of the accreditation process can be seen below: