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P104 Policy For Unc Field Calibrations

The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) has established a policy for measurement uncertainty claims on scopes of accreditation for laboratories performing field calibrations. The policy requires laboratories to include a disclaimer noting that uncertainties in field calibrations can be larger than values listed in their scope. It also mandates that laboratories clearly specify which parameters can be calibrated in the field, consider realistic field environments when estimating uncertainties, and comply with checklist requirements for field testing.

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64 views

P104 Policy For Unc Field Calibrations

The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) has established a policy for measurement uncertainty claims on scopes of accreditation for laboratories performing field calibrations. The policy requires laboratories to include a disclaimer noting that uncertainties in field calibrations can be larger than values listed in their scope. It also mandates that laboratories clearly specify which parameters can be calibrated in the field, consider realistic field environments when estimating uncertainties, and comply with checklist requirements for field testing.

Uploaded by

Rafael Garzón
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation

Document Revised:
P104 – Policy for Claims of Measurement
February 4, 2016
Uncertainties for Field Calibrations on Scopes of
Page 1 of 2
Accreditation1

It is important that the scopes of accredited laboratories that perform calibrations on


customers' sites do not contain potentially misleading values for field capabilities. The
following points shall be observed:

1) A2LA staff shall ensure that the following disclaimer is included on all scopes of
accreditation that include calibrations performed in the field.

DISCLAIMER

The uncertainties achievable on a customer's site can be expected to be larger than the
Calibration and Measurement Capability (CMC) that the accredited laboratory has been
assigned as the CMC on the A2LA Scope. Allowance must be made for aspects such as the
environment at the place of calibration and for other possible adverse effects such as those
caused by transportation of the calibration equipment. The usual allowance for the
uncertainty introduced by the item being calibrated, (e.g. resolution) must also be
considered and this, on its own, could result in the calibration uncertainty being larger
than the CMC.

2) A2LA assessors shall ensure that:

2.1) The scope of an accredited laboratory shall clearly indicate which parameters
are offered (or not offered) in the field. The assessor shall ask to see the field uncertainty
budgets to determine that they meet A2LA R205 - Specific Requirements: Calibration
Laboratory Accreditation Program section 6.7 and shall check that the components of
uncertainty due to the environment are reasonable.

NOTE: It is often easier for the laboratory to specify environment tolerances outside
which no work will be done. The assessor should check these tolerances to see that they
are reasonable and consistent with equipment specifications.

2.2) In estimating the field uncertainties, the laboratory shall consider what is the
best environment that can be expected at a customer's site.

2.3) The laboratory that performs calibrations on a customer's site shall make a full
list of all the equipment that is transported. For each parameter, the laboratory shall
define the Calibration and Measurement Capability (CMC) that it can achieve with that
transported equipment.

2.4) The laboratory shall comply with the requirements of R104 – General
Requirements: Accreditation of Field Testing and Field Calibration Laboratories
Assessor Checklist, especially with respect to the before/after checks. For the more stable
items that do not need before/after checks, extra care shall be taken with in-service
checks and more frequent visual inspections.

L:\Requirements\P104 – Policy for Claims of Measurement Uncertainties for Field Calibrations on Scopes of Accreditation
The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation

Document Revised:
P104 – Policy for Claims of Measurement
February 4, 2016
Uncertainties for Field Calibrations on Scopes of
Page 2 of 2
Accreditation1

_________________________________

1The information contained in this policy document has been included in the revised
document entitled R104 – General Requirements: Accreditation of Field Testing and
Field Calibration Laboratories.

 2016 by A2LA

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by
any means without the prior written permission of A2LA.

APPENDIX A - Document Revision History

Date Description
02/04/2016 • Removed 2.1 second sentence “In cases where the best field and
the best in-laboratory uncertainties are different, both
uncertainties shall be given on the scope.”
• Added “to determine that they meet A2LA R205 - Specific
Requirements: Calibration Laboratory Accreditation Program
section 6.7” to section 2.1, second sentence.
• Updated new A2LA logo and changed font to Century
Schoolbook

L:\Requirements\P104 – Policy for Claims of Measurement Uncertainties for Field Calibrations on Scopes of Accreditation

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