World Accreditation Day 2018 – Working For Global Health And Safety
World Accreditation Day, celebrated on June 9th, is a global focus on delivering a safer world. With both inspection and testing services accredited by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service), Somerset Scientific Services are proud to support this event.
Why Is Accreditation Important?
Accreditation, through national bodies and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), provides a global standard for assessing and controlling risks within businesses, their products and services. Independent evaluation by accredited bodies ensures impartiality, integrity and competence, and supports health and safety processes. The benefits are felt by government, regulators, businesses, employees and the general public.
What Issues Will Accreditation Address?
Globally, workplace accidents or work related diseases contribute to over 2.78 million deaths every year. One in eight deaths worldwide is related to air pollution. Road traffic incidents lead to around 1.25 million deaths globally. Records show 374 million work-related injuries and illnesses annually with enormous human and economic costs. Sub-standard health and safety practices are estimated to cost almost 4% of the global GDP every year.
Who Can Be Accredited?
Accreditation is gained by inspection bodies, testing and calibration laboratories, and certification bodies, known as Conformity Assessment Bodies. As a testing laboratory, Somerset Scientific Services falls within this group. These bodies are independently evaluated to ensure they meet strict national and global standards managed by IAF and ILAC. These bodies can then evaluate products, services, management systems and completed projects to ensure they are safe for use.
Somerset Scientific Service’s Accreditation
Around 125 million people are exposed to asbestos every year across the globe, with thousands dying from asbestos-related lung cancer and diseases. While asbestos hasn’t been used in construction since 2000, there is still a huge amount present in domestic and commercial properties. Somerset Scientific Services are accredited for all stages of inspection and testing of asbestos, including site surveys, sample analysis and 4 stage air clearance. Our laboratories are also accredited for water testing, where we analyse drinking water, pool water, wells, bore holes, and other environmental samples.
Somerset Scientific Service’s Current UKAS Report
In our last UKAS inspection, our team was praised for its “commitment to quality and improvement”. Inspectors commented that our reporting is “clear and unambiguous” and that our staff are “competent and knowledgeable.” Our highly trained staff and rigorous approach to testing, analysis and reporting, underpinned by the quality mark of UKAS accreditation, gives our customers the confidence they need in our services. It also ensures that we are contributing to the overall wellbeing and safety of the residents of Somerset and beyond.
Find Out More
Click here to access research, case studies and supporting information relating to the positive benefits of accreditation in the delivery of health and safety policy.
About UKAS
UKAS is the National Accreditation Body of the United Kingdom. It works in the public interest to assess the technical competence and integrity of organisations offering testing, calibration and certification services. They work with government to help form policy and to increase the number of organisations that achieve accreditation.