ILAC News 38

International UpdateOIMLOn the basis of the Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) signed betweenILAC (International Laboratory AccreditationCooperation), IAF (InternationalAccreditation Forum) and the OIML, a jointILAC/OIML Working Program was developed.It is revised every year during an annualtripartite meeting.Among the joint actions decided in 2009was the organization of two surveys (onemanaged by ILAC and the other by theOIML, among their respective Members) onaccreditation in the field of legal metrology.Fig 1 Accreditation in testing water meters according to OIML R 49The aim of these surveys was:• to collect information from ILAC membersconcerning the number of accreditationbodies which are actively accreditingorganizations working in the fields oflegal metrology covered by the OIMLDeclarations of Mutual Confidence; and• to collect information from OIMLMembers (Member States andCorresponding Members) concerning:––countries which request accreditationof national type approval bodies,bodies responsible for initial andperiodic verifications;Fig 2 Accreditation in testing load cells according to OIML R 60––the requirements used to evaluate thecompetence of the relevant bodies.Replies to the surveysFrom both sides, unfortunately, very fewreplies were received; consequently it is notpossible to draw any definitive conclusions.However, it has been decided to publish theresults of these two surveys for informationpurposes.Survey conducted by ILACThe questionnaire sent out by ILAC requestedanswers to the following questions:Fig 3 Accreditation in testing non-automatic weighing instruments according to OIML R 76• How many laboratories have youaccredited in the field of:––testing water meters according toOIML R 49;––testing load cells according to OIMLR 60;––testing non-automatic weighinginstruments according to OIML R 76;• If accreditation was delivered, whichrequirements were used?Fifteen ILAC Full Members replied – thesereplies are summarized in Figures 1, 2 and 3.Fig 4 Number of countries which request type approval of certain categories of measuringinstruments and where accreditation is required10 Issue 38 | October 2010