What is NABL Accreditation and Certification

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) is an autonomous body in India which works under Department of Science and Technology. Government of India. The main purpose of NABL is to develop a sound mechanism for the accreditation of technical competence and quality systems of testing and calibration laboratories.

NABL offers certifications to certain fields like mechanical, chemical, biology, electrical and medical and etc. The accreditation assessment encompasses examination of a laboratory’s technical competence, quality management system and conformity with standard protocols including the ISO/IEC 17025:2017.

The accreditation process ensures that NABL recognises a laboratory to meet certain quality norms and provide reliable and precise testing and calibration services. This accreditation further validates accredited laboratories and this in turn makes the customers, stakeholders and even regulatory authorities to have confidence in the laboratories.

NABL accreditation is received after a rigorous assessment process which consist of documentation assessment and on-site assessment. Other important aspect is the proficiency testing, inter-laboratory comparison and accreditation. The accreditation is also time bound and it is important for laboratories to go through surveillance assessments within the period of accreditation.

NABL Test Accreditation

Accreditation is the act of confirmation by the third party with the conformity assessment body proving to the formal demonstration of its competence to perform specific conformity assessment task. The testing is done by Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) which includes medical/standardisation Laboratory, Proficiency Testing supplier, Certified Reference Material Producer.

The liberalization of trade and industry policies of Government of India has created awareness among domestic trade and providing greater impetus for export. Therefore, testing centres and laboratories have to prove the competency level that meets the international standard. It is a way through which the body is recognized through assessment of third party and in accordance to the international standards of technical competence for certain tests/measurement.

In the same way PT Provider accreditation is a process by which a formal recognition of competence is given to organizations that offer proficiency testing. In light of the third party assessment Reference Material Producers Accreditation is the process that grants recognition of competence in accordance with international standards to produce reference materials. The accreditation applies to the minimum range of activities/programs/ services offered by an organization.

The areas and discipline under which NABL accreditation is offered are very broad. Currently, NABL provides accreditation in the following areas:Currently, NABL provides accreditation in the following areas:

  • Chemical Testing
  • Biological Testing
  • Mechanical Testing
  • Electrical Testing
  • Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) 6. Fluid Flow Calibration
  • Thermal Calibration
  • Mass and Volume Calibration
  • Photometry and Radiometry
  • Acoustic Calibration
  • Medical Testing (Clinical Pathology. Microbiology, Radiology, etc. )

What should be mentioned here is that in order to obtain accreditation, laboratories have to apply for it individually, and the process depends on the given field. The level of accreditation may also differ for every discipline and NABL has laid down certain specific criteria that the laboratories must adhere to.

NABL has divided its criteria into specific criteria which define the requirements, standards and guidelines of each and every field or discipline. These criteria contain specific details of the technical skills, quality assurance and management systems, tools and procedures required in order to be accredited in that specific discipline.

Hence, the laboratories which are looking forward to getting NABL accreditation should go through the specific criteria according to their fields in order to meet the accreditation requirements and procedures. This makes the laboratory to be in a position to provide the necessary services and operations of thelab in the area of testing or calibration. NABL Accreditation and its applicability and the maximum.

  • Testing
  • Calibration
  • Medical
  • Biological