The performance of inspection bodies across Guyana, whether service or regulatory, can be greatly enhanced through the implementation of the requirements of the international standard ISO/IEC 17020:2012 Conformity Assessment – Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection.
The scope of this standard is specific to addressing the competence of bodies performing inspection and for the impartiality and consistency of their inspection activities.
The standard, which was drawn up with the objective of promoting confidence in bodies performing inspection, was originally developed by the European Standardisation Organisations and published in March 1995 and later adopted and published the International Organisation for standardisation (ISO).
The developers of the standard were pellucid in explaining the intention of the standard. The document is relevant to inspection bodies that carry out assessments on behalf of private clients, their parent organisations, or authorities, with the objective of providing information about the conformity of inspected items and regulations, standards, specifications, inspection schemes or contracts. Inspection parameters include matters of quantity, quality, safety, fitness of purpose, and continued safety compliance of installations or systems in operation. The general requirements with which these bodies are required to comply in order that their services are accepted by clients and be supervisory authorities are harmonised in this International Standard.
In addition, the standard covers the activities of inspection bodies whose work can include the examination of materials, products, installations, plants, processes, work procedures or services, and the determination of their conformity with requirements and the subsequent reporting of results of these activities to the clients and, when required, to authorities.
The exercise of professional judgement in performing inspection is needed when assessing conformity with general requirements. Hence, the standard stipulates requirements to address impartiality, independence and confidentiality when conducting inspections. In addition, administrative requirements, organisation and management, resource requirements, process requirements, management systems requirements and control of documents and records are also some of the key aspects outlined in the standard.
In determining the extent to which inspections bodies are meeting the standard, significant emphasis is placed on the independence of such bodies. With compliance, inspection bodies can strengthen the confidence of their clients through their ability to carry out inspection work with impartiality.
Recently, Officers of the GNBS, the Food and Drug Analyst Department and the Veterinary Public Health Unit along with seventeen other participants from inspection bodies across CARICOM member states were trained in Guyana on the requirements of the ISO/IEC 17020 standard so as to better improve the inspection services and activities offered by their respective organisations and to provide technical support to others.
Inspection bodies in Guyana can implement the requirements of this international standard and subsequently become accredited to this international standard under the Caribbean Cooperation for Accreditation (CCA) Scheme. This scheme was developed to assist Conformity Assessment Bodies (including inspection bodies) with regional opportunities to access affordable and readily available accreditation and developmental assistance on their road to accreditation. With accreditation, the findings from these inspection bodies will be accepted just about anywhere in the world. In addition, the GNBS has a Consultancy Services Programme where technical assistance and training can be provided to organisations desirous of implementing the standard.
