§5411a Certification and accreditation

Summary

People who write guidance or rules for certifying fastener manufacturing systems, for approving the accreditors of those certifiers, or for accrediting testing labs can ask the Director to approve their document for the uses the law allows. The Director must decide within 180 days. The Director must approve the document if it is at least as strict and reliable as the matching international guide: ISO/IEC Guide 62 for certifying manufacturing systems, Guide 61 for accrediting accreditation bodies for those certifiers, Guide 25 for accrediting laboratories, and Guide 58 for accrediting bodies that accredit labs. The Director must also set up a National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program that meets Guide 58 (or an approved alternative), including later updates. Accreditation bodies must tell the Director they meet Guide 61 (for accrediting certifiers) or Guide 58 (for accrediting labs). That statement is a signed self-declaration by an authorized representative. No extra paperwork is required, and the declaration stays in effect until the body withdraws it.