‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC

)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation

Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

Calibration and Measurement Traceability Policy

Document number: PC01 Version number: Ver01

Approved by:

Name: Ilham H. Mustafa

Position: Head of IQAS

Signature:

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 1 of 9

 ‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC
)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation
Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

Issue no. Issue date Summary of modification

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 2 of 9

 ‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC
)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation
Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

1- Objectives:-
Iraqi Accreditation System (IQAS) operates programs to accredit/register testing
laboratories/verification and calibration laboratories. The purpose of this policy
document is to explain the concept of measurement traceability, the methodology
achievement and demonstration. The policy aims also to ensure that these laboratories
comply with requirements regarding traceability of measurement as prescribed in the
relevant laws and regulations, standards and rules, by setting the following IQAS Policy
on Calibration and Measurement Traceability and methods for demonstrating such
traceability.
2- Scope:-
 This policy is intended for all IQAS-accredited and enrolled calibration and
testing/verification laboratories.
 This policy applies to all ISO/IEC 17025 applicants and accredited laboratories.
 This policy document establishes acceptable means of demonstrating the
competence of testing/verification laboratories and calibration providers.
 This policy applies to initial calibration and recalibration of all critical equipment.
 Official language: although the text of this policy may be translated into other
languages as required, the English language version remains the definitive version.

3- Definitions:-
The formal definitions of the following expressions are given in the “International
Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in Metrology”:

Calibration: is defined as the “set of operations which establish, under specified

conditions, the relationship between values of quantities indicated by a
measuring instrument or measuring system, or values represented by a
material measure, or a reference material, and the corresponding
values realized by standards”. In general, “calibration” means
determining and documenting the deviation of the indication of a

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 3 of 9

 ‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC
)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation
Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

measuring instrument (or the stated value of a material measure) from

the conventional “true” value of the measurand.

Internal Calibrations: Calibrations performed by testing laboratories, calibration

laboratories, in order to calibrate their own equipment or
working standards used for test/calibration.

Traceability: The term “traceability” means a process whereby the indication of a

measuring instrument (or a material measure) can be compared, in
one or more stages, with a national or international standard for the
measurand in question. Traceability is the property of a measurement
result whereby it can be related to stated references, usually national
or international standards, through an unbroken chain of
comparisons, each step in the chain having stated uncertainties. The
purpose of requiring traceability is to ensure that measurements are
accurate representations of the specific quantity subject to
measurement, within the uncertainty of the measurement.

NMI (National Metrology Institute): The Institute that develops, maintains, and
provides the national measurement
standards.

An NMI shall participate in the key comparison organized by BIPM (or any other
international comparison, if they are not applicable) wherever possible and maintain
a report showing excellent results when its reference measurement standard is a
primary standard that realizes the International System of Units (SI).

Measurement Standard [VIM3 5.6]: Measurement standard designated for the

calibration of other measurement standards
for quantities of a given kind in a given
organization or at a given location.

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 4 of 9

 ‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC
)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation
Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

Working Measurement Standard [VIM3 5.7]: Measurement standard that is used

routinely to calibrate or verify
measuring instruments or
measurement systems.

RM (Reference Material) [VIM3 5.13]: Material, sufficiently homogeneous and

stable with reference to specified
properties, which has been established to
be fit for its intended use in measurement
or in examination of nominal properties.

CRM (Certified reference material) [VIM3 5.14]: Reference Material,

accompanied by
documentation
issued by an
authoritative body
and providing one or
more specified
property values with
associated
uncertainties and
traceability, using
valid procedures.

Critical equipment: “Critical equipment used by testing and calibration

laboratories is considered by ILAC to be those items of
equipment necessary to perform a test or calibration from the
scope of accreditation AND which have a significant effect
on the uncertainty of measurement of test or calibration
results.”

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 5 of 9

 ‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC
)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation
Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

Recognized Calibration Provider: laboratory that is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited by

an Accreditation Body Signatory to the
ILAC/APLAC Mutual Recognition
Arrangements (MRA) or IAAC Multilateral
Recognition Arrangement (MLA) or a NMI
signatory to the CIPM MRA

Non-Recognized Calibration Provider: all providers other than those identified

above.

4- References:-
- ISO/IEC 17000: Conformity assessment - Vocabulary and general principles.
- ISO/IEC 17025: General requirements for the competence of testing and
calibration laboratories.
- ISO Guide 35 Reference materials: General and statistical principles for
certification.
- ISO/IEC Guide 99:2007 (Corrected version 2010) International vocabulary of
metrology - Basic and general concepts and associated terms.
- International Vocabulary of Metrology – Basic and General Concepts and
Associated Terms VIM, 3rd edition, JCGM 200:2012 (JCGM 200:20008 with
minor corrections) available from the BIPM homepage www.bipm.org or
ISO/IEC Guide 99:2007 available from ISO.
- ILAC-G24:2007 Guidelines for the determination of calibration intervals of
measuring instruments.

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 6 of 9

 ‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC
)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation
Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

6. Policy:-
6.1 Sources of Traceability
IQAS requires that all calibrations of measuring and test equipment, reference
standards, and reference materials be conducted and traceable to the following
ways:
a. A recognized National Metrology Institute (NMI) including designated
institutes. Recognition of the NMI is based on the Institute or designated
institute being a signatory to the CIPM (Comité International des Poids et
Mesures) MRA (Mutual Recognition Arrangement) and supporting the
measurement comparison activities of the CIPM. A listing of these recognized
Institutes can be found at: http://www.bipm.org/en/cipm-
mra/participation/signatories.html;
b. Calibration laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by a mutually
recognized Accreditation Body; by ILAC

c. Calibration laboratory accredited by IQAS to ISO/IEC 17025 and found to

meet the IQAS Policy on Calibration and Measurement Traceability.

d. A laboratory accredited by IQAS to ISO/IEC 17025 and found to meet the

IQAS Policy for their in-house calibrations.

6.2 Internal Calibrations (In-house calibrations)

All in-house calibrations shall be supported by the following minimal set of
elements:

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 7 of 9

 ‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC
)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation
Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

a) The in-house laboratory shall maintain documented procedures for the in-house
calibrations and the in-house calibrations shall be evidenced by a calibration report,
certificate, or sticker, or other suitable method, and calibration records shall be
retained for an appropriate, prescribed time;

b) The in-house laboratory shall maintain training records for calibration personnel
and these records shall demonstrate the technical competence of the personnel
performing the calibrations;

c) The in-house laboratory shall be able to demonstrate traceability to national or

international standards of measurement by procuring calibration services from
accredited calibration labs or a national metrology institute;

d) The in-house laboratory shall have and apply procedures for evaluating
measurement uncertainty. Measurement uncertainty shall be taken into account
when statements of compliance with specifications are made;

e) Reference standards shall be recalibrated at appropriate intervals to ensure that

the reference value is reliable. Policy and procedures for establishing and changing
calibration intervals shall be based on the historical behavior of the reference
standard.

6.3 Additional Requirements:

a. Calibration certificates or reports must hold the logo of its accreditation body
or otherwise makes reference to accredited status (i.e. through use of a

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 8 of 9

 ‫سياسية تقفي اثر القياس‬ COSQC
)‫(سلسلة القياس‬ Laboratory Accreditation
Calibration and Measurement Department
Traceability Policy

statement that the laboratory is accredited by via certificate number) in order

to verify its accreditation status.
All calibration certificates should provide a statement of uncertainty in
addition to the statement of compliance, if appropriate. In case the logo does
not appear on the calibration certificate, then the certificate cannot be
accepted.

b. The traceability statement shall include information about the closest source
of traceability and the NMI providing the traceability to that quantity

c. Where traceability to SI units is not technically possible, traceability can be to

certified reference materials or consensus standards agreed by IQAS or by
labs following IQAS policies.

d. It is emphasized that calibration certificates issued by equipment

manufacturers or agents are not acceptable evidence of external traceability,
unless these are clearly identified as having been issued by an acceptably
accredited calibration laboratory.

Date: 13/11/2014 PC01. Ver01 Page 9 of 9