ASTM Committee Approves Standard for accreditation bodies.
Press Release Summary:
ASTM D7495, Specification for Minimum Requirements for Accreditation Bodies That Accredit Agencies Testing and Inspecting Road and Paving Materials, has been developed by Subcommittee D04.95 on Quality Control, Inspection, and Testing Agencies. In addition to definitions of important terms, ASTM D7495 contains guidance on role of personnel at accreditation bodies, accreditation process, proficiency testing requirements, and assessment reports.
Original Press Release:
ASTM Road and Paving Materials Committee Approves Standard for Accreditation Bodies
W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.—As the number of third-party accreditation bodies for road and paving materials in the United States continues to grow, a new ASTM International standard contains a set of requirements for establishing and implementing such programs.
ASTM D7495, Specification for Minimum Requirements for Accreditation Bodies That Accredit Agencies Testing and Inspecting Road and Paving Materials, was developed by Subcommittee D04.95 on Quality Control, Inspection and Testing Agencies, part of ASTM International Committee D04 on Road and Paving Materials.
According to David Savage, director of accreditation, Construction Materials Engineering Council Inc., and chairman of D04.95, the new ASTM standard, along with ANSI/ISO/IEC 17011, General Requirements for Accreditation Bodies Accrediting Conformity Assessment Bodies, provides the minimum requirements for an accreditation body that accredits agencies testing and inspecting road and paving materials.
“Accreditation bodies should conduct thorough reviews of quality management systems, verify the laboratory’s testing equipment to ensure that the equipment conforms to the requirements of applicable ASTM standards and observe each of the test methods during the on-site assessments,” says Savage. “This type of accreditation will ensure customers have confidence in an organization’s ability to deliver desired products and services.”
In addition to definitions of important terms, ASTM D7495 contains detailed guidance on the following:
• Role of personnel at accreditation bodies;
• The accreditation process;
• Proficiency testing requirements, and
• Assessment reports.
Savage says that standards writers and regulatory bodies will be the primary users of the new standard.
All interested parties are invited to participate in the ongoing standards developing activities of D04.95.
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ASTM Committee D04 Next Meeting: June 11-13, 2013, June Committee Week, Indianapolis, Ind.
Technical Contact:
David Savage
CMEC
Apopka, Fla.
Phone: 407-628-3682
davesavage@cmec.org
ASTM Staff Contact:
Daniel Smith,
Phone: 610-832-9727
 dsmith@astm.org
ASTM PR Contact:
Barbara Schindler
Phone: 610-832-9603
bschindl@astm.org
