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S-A-01:2002 - 5.0 Accreditation Process [revised 2005-01-10]

5.0 Accreditation Process

5.1 General

The following sections describe the accreditation process in general terms.

Measurement Canada personnel are available to assist the organization in determining the feasibility of gaining accreditation by supplying all of the relevant documentation and providing an in depth description and explanation of the accreditation processes and program. The application form for Authorization for Service Providers is to be used for all subsequent expansions of scope applications.

5.1.1 Application for Accreditation

• Any organization that is willing to comply with the requirements stipulated in this standard and that meet the eligibility requirements may apply for accreditation. In making such an application, the organization agrees to abide by the policies and procedures established by Measurement Canada.

• Following the application, the organization shall submit copies of the quality system documentation developed to meet the requirements of Criteria for the Accreditation of Organizations to Perform Inspections Pursuant to the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and the Weights and Measures Act (S-A-01:2002) to the specified Measurement Canada Office(s) for evaluation.

• The local Measurement Canada District Office or Lead Auditor will determine how many copies of the quality documents are required. The local District Office(s) is responsible for maintaining the official copy of quality system documentation from accredited organizations. The Innovative Services Directorate is responsible for maintaining the official copy of the quality system documentation submitted by organizations from outside of Canada.

• To be eligible for the accreditation program and to maintain accreditation, organizations interested in performing inspections under the weights and measures act, shall have at least one recognized technician as their employee or undertake the steps required to have one of their technicians recognized. Accredited organizations cannot issue inspection certificates on behalf of Measurement Canada through recognized technicians who are not their employee(s), over whom they have no authority or with whom there is no employer-employee relationship.

• Refer to Appendix 1 for an Application for Authorization for Service Providers form.

a) have documented and implemented a quality management system, acceptable to Measurement Canada;

b) have meter shop personnel available, in the context of an agreed-to schedule;

c) have required documentation (such as certificates) accepted by Measurement Canada, available for use; and

d) have appropriate and sufficient measuring and test equipment and product (devices) available to conduct the witness inspections.

a) adding compliance sampling or changes to an existing compliance sampling method;
b) changes that require the use of additional measuring apparatus or testing equipment;
c) changes to the certification of measuring apparatus or testing equipment such as the addition of test points;
d) change involving a legal entity name change, a new ownership and/or organizational structure changes;
e) changes to the accreditation status such as moving from utility to Meter Service Organization (MSO) status; and
f) addition of device types for which verification procedures do not exist, the addition of functions that are not currently verified, and the addition of test locations.

a) addition of models to the accreditation scope which does not require any changes to the quality management system; and
b) additions of functions to be verified on a meter for which the organization has already been authorized to verify on other meters.

a) editorial changes (e.g. grammatical, spelling, wording) to the quality system documentation;
b) replacement or up-grade of measuring apparatus or test equipment used for the verification of meters within the organization’s existing field of accreditation, provided that these apparatus or equipment have been calibrated and certified by Measurement Canada;
c) deletion of fields of accreditations; and
d) addition of staff involved in the organization’s quality management system or revisions to the titles of positions.

a) an application which states which specific fields of metrological verification will apply at each location shall be submitted by the applicant to Measurement Canada;

b) the applicant shall be responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the quality management system at the additional location(s) meet accreditation program requirements;

c) the applicant shall submit quality management system documentation for each additional location. The documentation shall be approved and authorized by the applicant’s senior management and by the senior management from the additional location prior to Measurement Canada acceptance;

d) the applicant shall demonstrate to Measurement Canada that an acceptable quality management system has been developed and implemented ensuring all requirements from the program elements contained in the accreditation standard are adequately addressed for each additional location;

e) the applicant shall include, in its internal quality audit program, the activities and functions taking place at each additional location;

f) the activities and functions taking place at additional locations will be subject to Measurement Canada accreditation, surveillance and product audits; and

g) the applicant shall ensure nonconformances at the additional locations are adequately addressed. Any necessary enforcement action will be directed to the applicant, as well as the additional location.