ACLASS Announces Best Measurement Capability (BMC) Policy Change

In a joint resolution issued by ILAC and the BIPM, the scope statement of Best Measurement Capability (BMC) will be changed to Calibration and Measurement Capability (CMC) over the next two years. This will affect all laboratory customers whose scopes require a statement of a (BMC). How will this impact you? If your BMCs have been properly calculated, there will be no impact other than changing the wording in your documents and on the ACLASS scope of accreditation document.

Laboratory managers and assessors of accredited laboratories are encouraged always to consult the KCDB (http://kcdb.bipm.org) when reviewing the uncertainty statement and budget of a laboratory in order to ensure that the claimed uncertainties are consistent with those of the NMI through which the laboratory claims traceability. This consistency, stated simply, is that your CMC must be greater than that of your National Metrology Institute (NMI).

Consistent with our desire to be the industry leader and to partner with our customers, ACLASS will begin immediately to review our laboratory CMC claims and documentation. If documents have not yet been updated to reflect the new requirement, assessors will be instructed to write an opportunity for improvement serving more as a reminder to you that a change is necessary. ACLASS will also change the wording on scopes of accreditation during the review process which occurs after every assessment activity.

Information for review is available at www.ilac.org/documents/BIPM_ILAC_ CMC_BMC_241007.pdf.

If you have further questions or concerns, please contact Terry Burgess at extension 225 (tburgess@anab-aclass.org) or Bill Hirt at extension 226 (bhirt@anab-aclass.org).

Access Heads Ups

Access all issues of Heads Up

News

Our Other Brands

FQS for accreditation of forensic test labs and agencies.

ANAB for accreditation of management system certification bodies.