Evaluators Converge Down Under
IAS Vice President Patrick McCullen participated in a joint evaluation of the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA) for the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) and the European Cooperation for Accreditation (EA). The evaluation comprised an international team of evaluators from Canada, Taiwan, India, Finland, Japan and the United States. The evaluation involved the witnessing of 12 NATA lead assessors and 17 technical assessors involved in the accreditation of calibration laboratories, testing laboratories and inspection bodies.

	APLAC evaluators JoAnne DuPont (right) and Patrick McCullen interview Regina Robertson, General Manager, during the APLAC/EA evaluation of the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia.

NATA, one of IAS’ international mutual recognition partners, operates a comprehensive accreditation program and currently accredits approximately 2,000 entities. Providing experienced peer evaluators is just one of IAS’s obligations as an internationally recognized accreditation body by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). Later this year, IAS President Chuck Ramani will lead the APLAC evaluation of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories—India.

Emerging International Opportunities
For many steel fabricators, the international market offers increasingly attractive opportunities for growth. In preparation for this move, many domestic and foreign companies look to demonstrate international recognition of their quality and competence—namely through the International Accreditation Service. For instance, Jiangsu Changsheng Steel Structure Company, Ltd., a structural steel fabricator based in Shanghai, China, recently requested IAS accreditation under the IAS Accreditation Criteria for Fabricator Inspection Programs for Structural Steel AC172, requirements.

Public Weighs in at IAS Committee Hearing

IAS Accreditation Committee and staff in Whittier, California.

The IAS Accreditation Committee meeting, held this month in Los Angeles, California, included accreditation-related subjects on International Building Code Special Inspection Agencies, Building Departments, Field Evaluations of Unlisted Equipment, Product Certification Agencies, Work Force Qualification Programs and Curriculum Development for Work Force Qualification Programs. Of the six accreditation criteria considered by the committee, five were approved with immediate effective dates and one (Field Evaluations) was held over for further refinement based on industry input and committee action.
A list of the topics discussed and copies of the proposed Accreditation Criteria are available online.

Have Questions on AC251?
IAS Building Department Accreditation Program FAQs
The AC251 Accreditation Criteria for Building Departments/Code Enforcement Agencies contains requirements for data to be submitted by building departments. As jurisdictions prepare responses to the criteria, some have asked questions or requested interpretation of various clauses. IAS Project Coordinator Kellee Lostaunau responds to some of these questions.

ICC, IAS Participate at Restoration 2007

ICC Board President Wally Bailey (left) discusses the Building Department Accreditation program at Restoration 2007. Joining him were International Accreditation Service President Chuck Ramani (center) and Government Relations National Organizations Liaison Richard Kuchnicki.

International Code Council Board President Wally Bailey, International Accreditation Service Board member Michael Bouse and IAS President Chuck Ramani presented on the IAS Building Department Accreditation program May 3 at the International City/County Management Association Restoration 2007 conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Council’s Government Relations National Organizations Liaison Richard Kuchnicki moderated the 75-minute seminar. Co-sponsored by the Council, the main objective of the conference was to help government, private-sector and community leaders by providing case studies, resources and networking opportunities.
The presentation by President Ramani and Bouse was well-received with active participation by individuals representing governmental and private-sector entities. Many audience questions dealt with IAS’s building department benchmarking techniques and the benefits of accreditation.

Work Force Qualification Programs Approved
The IAS Accreditation Committee this month approved two new accreditation criteria, setting in motion a means for organizations involved in training of the work force related to building construction to achieve recognition of their competence. IAS accreditation is expected to increase public and private recognition of training agencies that have been independently assessed by one of the nation’s leading accreditation bodies. When used in conjunction with an accredited curriculum development program, work force training agencies will have a complete package to offer to the industry.
The approval by the Committee of the IAS Accreditation Criteria for Training Agencies for Work Force Qualification Programs AC371 and the Accreditation Criteria for Curriculum Development for Work Force Qualification Programs AC372 has been under development for more than two years. The action by the Committee now provides industry with criteria that IAS will use to evaluate and accredit training agencies and the curriculum they use to educate the building construction work force.

Malaysian Official Visits IAS

From left, Roslan Alias, DSM, Malaysia; Sandi McCracken, IAS; Dave Palifini, Testing Engineers; and a plant representative during an onsite visit.

IAS hosted Roslan Alias, Assistant Director, Accreditation Division, Department of Standards Malaysia (DSM), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Government of Malaysia on attachment training. During his visit, Roslan studied the U.S. inspection agency accreditation process, and received training on the infrastructure requirements needed to operate an accreditation program under ISO/IEC Standard 17020 requirements. IAS Director of Accreditations Raj Nathan defined the many processes and policies governing the IAS inspection body accreditation program, and walked Alias through the IAS system. Alias also accompanied IAS Accreditation Officer Sandi McCracken and Dave Palfini of Testing Engineers, Inc., to observe the steel fabrication inspection process in Utah. Alias also accompanied IAS Accreditation Officer Hershal Brewer and an inspector from SGS US Testing Co., to an inspection of wood-based products in Oregon.
At the conclusion of the training, Alias indicated, “Sandi and Hershal were outstanding during the assessment and I learned a lot from both of them. On behalf of the Department of Standards Malaysia, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for IAS’s commitment and hospitality during my two weeks of training. The training went well and gave me experience and skills regarding the inspection program. This experience and knowledge is extremely valuable to our organization.”

How to Reach Us
If you have questions or comments about IAS eNews, please call the International Accreditation Service (IAS) at 1-866-427-4422, send letters to 5360 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA 90601, send an e-mail to info@iasonline.org, or go to www.iasonline.org.

For specific questions about IAS accreditation programs, contact: Testing Laboratories, Inspection Agencies and IBC Special Inspection Agencies Raj Nathan Director of Accreditations Ph: 1-866-427-4422, ext: 3309 Fax: 562-699-8031 Calibration Laboratories Hershal Brewer Accreditation Officer Ph: 1-866-427-4422, ext: 3309 Fax: 562-699-8031 Fabricator Inspection Programs Sandra McCracken Accreditation Officer Ph: 1-866-427-4422, ext: 3309 Fax: 562-699-8031

Building Department Accreditation Gaddis Farmer Senior Accreditation Officer Ph: 562-699-0541, ext: 3448 Fax: 562-699-8031 Building Department Accreditation Kellee Lostaunau Project Coordinator Ph: 562-699-0541, ext: 3448 Fax: 562-699-8031 Product Certification Agencies Bruce DeMaine Program Manager Ph: 1-866-427-4422, ext: 3281 Fax: 562-699-8031

About IAS
The International Accreditation Service (IAS), a subsidiary of the International Code Council, assesses and accredits competent testing and calibration laboratories, building departments, inspection agencies and fabricator inspection programs. In operation since 1975, IAS is one of the oldest accreditation bodies of its type and is a nonprofit, public-benefit corporation recognized worldwide.

IAS is one of three subsidiary organizations of the International Code Council (ICC). For more information on ICC, call 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233) or go to www.iccsafe.org.

To make sure you continue to receive IAS's quarterly newsletter in your inbox (not sent to bulk or junk folders), please add eNewsLetter@iccsafe.org to your address book.

To subscribe to IAS eNews, click here.

ICC and its affiliates and subsidiaries respect your right to privacy. If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here.

©2007 International Code Council, Headquarters; 500 New Jersey Avenue, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20001 USA