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The authority of the Israel Laboratory Accreditation
Authority derives from a law
passed by the Knesset. The Minister of Industry and Trade is responsible for
enforcing this law.
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The Authority tests and accredits laboratories.
Accreditation serves as a measure
of the laboratory's technical capability to perform tests, measurements and
calibrations. Accreditation by the Authority provides official recognition of
the
professional capabilities of the laboratory.
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Laboratories can obtain accreditation for all the tests
and calibrations they are able
to perform or any portion of them, according to their choice. A laboratory
requesting accreditation presents the Authority with details of itself and
specifies
which tests or calibrations it wishes to include in the accreditation. The
accreditation
process includes a thorough examination of all aspects of the laboratory
which are
liable to influence the accuracy of test results. These elements include,
among
others, personnel, professional training, professional inspection, quality
assurance,
equipment, documentation and reporting of results as well as the laboratory's
environmental conditions.
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The accreditation process includes examining the
laboratory's documented quality
assurance system and its professional procedures. The ability of the staff to
carry out the tests or measurements is also examined. Once the capability of
the
laboratory is demonstrated according to international standards,
accreditation is
granted.
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Accredited laboratories must be inspected once every three
years. During the
three-year interval, the laboratory is under the Authority's supervision. In
this
manner, the Authority ensures that the laboratory continues to meet the
accreditation
requirements. The Authority's supervision is based on scheduled and
unscheduled
inspections, the results of tests or calibrations carried out for the
Authority and
the statistical analysis of results received by the laboratory. The Authority
constitutes an objective body to which customers can turn if they have
complaints
regarding the laboratory's operations.
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The Authority serves as the exclusive representative of
the state in the mutual
recognition of accreditation authorities in other countries or international
organizations. In this manner, the Authority constitutes a tool for the
government to
encourage Israel's foreign trade.
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For further information:
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Israel Laboratory Accreditation Authority,
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Habonim St. 2
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Bet Habonim
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Ramat-Gan 52522
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