Accreditation Procedures

BD-091007-05
GAC

6.4 Sampling of activities by

assessment teams and multi-
site accreditations

Sampling of activities by assessment teams and multi-site accreditations shall be conducted according to the
following rules:

a) Sampling of conformity assessment activities

Where an organisation applies for or holds accreditation in more than one of testing, or calibration, or
inspection programmes offered by GAC, the organisation will be assessed independently for compliance with
the accreditation criteria. This applies to both initial assessments, and surveillance and reassessment
activities. Generally, such assessments will be carried out by different assessment teams.
Where an organisation applies for or holds accreditation in more than one field of testing (e.g. chemical,
and/or biological, and/or mechanical, etc.) or in more than one field of inspection, the organisation will be
assessed independently for compliance with the accreditation criteria in each field of testing/inspection.
The exact nature of the assessment to be undertaken for each of the fields will be determined by the
respective lead assessor for each field, taking onto account the technologies involved and the required make-
up of the assessment team(s).

b) Sampling of activities within a field of testing/calibration/inspection/radiology service

Ideally, all individual tests, calibrations/measurements, inspection types or other activities to be included in the
scope of accreditation (the Schedule to the Certificate of Accreditation) will be assessed at initial
assessments, extension assessments and routine reassessments. Lead Assessors will, as far as practical,
allocate sufficient resources in terms of time and technical experts to allow this to be done, especially at initial
assessments and extension assessments. However, it is recognised that for some organisations with a large
prospective scope of accreditation, this may not be practical. In these cases, a sample of the individual
activities will be assessed. The sample selected will depend on the nature of the proposed scope of
accreditation (e.g. the similarity or otherwise of the individual activities, etc.) and is chosen at the discretion of
the Lead Assessor and their team of technical experts, in consultation with the GAC technical and quality
manager Manager. Assessment teams should select tests, calibrations, inspection types or other activities
that are the most technically demanding for the applicant/accredited organisation so as to give the greatest
value in establishing the competence of the organisation. Where GAC accreditation programmes do use
sampling (of the full range of accredited activities) routinely as part of their assessment process, mechanisms
should be in place to ensure the same activities are not sampled at each assessment at the expense of other
accredited activities. All activities should be assessed within the 2 years cycle.
The review of each testing, calibration or inspection method needs to be formalised in the AC 6.3 Method
review matrix, At a minimum, all Procedures should be Reviewed; Personnel Interviewed; and = Equipment
Inspected.

Note: Assessment of individual activities may involve a combination of witnessing the conduct of the actual
activity and/or other assessment tools used to establish the competence of the organisation e.g.
professional/technical critique of the procedures, interview with staff, examination of the records of the
conduct of the activity, examination of internal quality control programmes associated with the activity,
examination of proficiency testing or related activities associated with the activity, etc.

c) Sampling of accredited premises

In the majority of cases, GAC will visit and assess each laboratory, office or practice from which accredited
testing, calibration, inspection or examination is undertaken, and includes mobile facilities. This applies to all
types of assessments, including initial assessments, extension assessments and surveillance and
reassessments.

Version: 1 Page 1 of 2
Date: 01 April 2015
Approved by: Saud Rashed Alaskar
Accreditation Procedures

BD-091007-05
GAC

6.4 Sampling of activities by

assessment teams and multi-
site accreditations

In some cases it is acknowledged that some organisations have multiple premises included in their scope of
accreditation and it may not be practical nor of particular value to assess each of the premises every year. In
these cases, the following general principles shall be applied:

(i) Each of the premises will be visited and assessed (and found to be in compliance with the
accreditation criteria) prior to being included in the scope of accreditation. For these initial
assessments, the full scope of activities requested for accreditation conducted at each premise
should be assessed (as if it were a separate accreditation) see (b) above.

(ii) All the major premises from which activities are undertaken and/or from which activities for other
premises are coordinated shall be visited and assessed each surveillance and reassessment. For
reassessments, the full scope of accredited activities conducted at each premise should be assessed
(as if it were a separate accreditation) see (b) above.

(iii) All minor premises shall be visited at least once in the reassessment cycle for the particular
programme. The full scope of accredited activities conducted at each premise should be assessed at
each visit (as if it were a separate accreditation) see (b) above.

The decision of what constitutes major or minor premises will be made at the discretion of the Service
delivery manager depending on the nature of the activities undertaken from each of the premises the
criticality of their technical activities; the ability to assess compliance with accreditation criteria without the
need to visit the premises; etc.

Examples of where sampling of premises may be undertaken are:

Inspection bodies, with several offices in GCC Countries, from which inspectors go to sites to conduct
inspections in the field;
Medical testing laboratories, which may have numerous specimen collection sites within their
catchments (generally it would be expected all medical testing laboratory premises are visited);
Radiology practices, which have both consulting rooms and photoshops.

Version: 1 Page 2 of 2
Date: 01 April 2015
Approved by: Saud Rashed Alaskar