Introduction to UKAS Accreditation

Fire Scene Development Programme

David Compton

November 2017

What is UKAS Accreditation?

Procedure by which an authoritative body gives formal

recognition that a body or person is competent to carry out

specific tasks

• Independent & impartial assessment by competent national

accreditation body

• Demonstration of technical competence & impartiality

• Delivering confidence to users of forensic services – reduces

risk

UKAS and Forensic Science

• UKAS has been involved in assessing Forensic

Service Providers for over 30 years

• UKAS developed guidance to assist accreditation of

the forensic services to ISO/IEC17025 and 17020 –

now adopted as ILAC G19

• A range of forensic providers are now accredited, from

large multi-site organisations to smaller specialist

laboratories (mainly against ISO/IEC 17025)

Modules in a Forensic

Science Process

UKAS and Forensic Science

• Agreement between UKAS and the Custodian of

the National DNA Database – Lab 32

• Agreement between UKAS / Forensic Regulator

to share information regarding Quality Failures

What accreditation standards are there?

•Laboratories

• ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (relevant to FSP, Police)

• ISO 15189:2012 (Medical Laboratory – clinical pathology)

•Inspection Bodies

• ISO/IEC 17020:2012 (relevant to SoC activities, Casefile Review)

•Certification Bodies

• ISO/IEC 17021:2015 (has been relevant to Fingerprint Bureau’s –

ISO9001 certification)

•Proficiency Testing Bodies

• ISO/IEC 17043:2012 (A number of PT providers in forensic disciplines)

General requirements for the competence of testing and

calibration laboratories

Scope of ISO/IEC 17025:

“…demonstrate that they (laboratories) operate a management

system, are technically competent, and are able to generate

technically valid results”

“specifies the general requirements for the competence to carry out

tests … including sampling”

ISO/IEC 17025:2005

Definition of a ‘Test’?

ISO/IEC 17025 does not only cover analytical measurements but

also:

• Recovery

• Comparison

• Identification

• Presumptive / screening

• Enhancement

• Capture / lift / recording

• Sampling

• Opinions and Interpretations

General requirements for the operation of various types of

bodies performing inspection

Inspection Bodies carry out inspections1 .. with the objective of

providing information about the conformity of the inspected items …

Scope of ISO/IEC 17020:

“…competence of bodies performing inspection”

“.. For the impartiality and consistency of their inspection activities”

1 – Inspections can be simply providing information about the item being inspected.

ISO/IEC 17020:2012

• ISO/IEC 17020 applies to inspection activities

• Historically used to cover inspections relating to product design, products,

material & equipment installations, plant processes & services.

• Inspections can be based on professional judgement

• In Europe (and some other parts of the world) it is being used for Scene of

Crime accreditation – ILAC-G19:08/2014 provides guidance

• Some Accreditation Bodies have also used ISO/IEC 17020 for activities that

are more interpretative, even if these are in the laboratory

• Fire Investigation – has a number of inspection activities and also supporting

tests.

ISO/IEC 17020:2012

• UKAS assess and accredit directly against ISO/IEC 17025 and

ISO/IEC 17020

• Two main areas

• Management Requirements

• Technical requirements

• Used in relation to a variety of ways (flexible in their application)

• ILAC-G19:08/2014 clarifies the application in a forensic context

• FSR Code of Practice and Conduct

• UKAS RG 201 – Scene of Crime guidance

ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and 17020:2012

Quality Management Systems - Requirements

Scope of ISO 9001:

“…specifies requirements for a quality management system”

“…focuses on the effectiveness of the quality management system in

meeting customer requirements”

“…consistently provide product that meets customer and applicable

regulatory requirements”

ISO 9001:2015

• Fundamental difference:

- ISO/IEC 17025/17020 cover several technical competence

requirements that are not covered in ISO 9001

- Certification against ISO 9001 does not in itself demonstrate the

competence of the organisation to produce technically valid data

and results.

ISO/IEC 17025/17020 vs ISO 9001

Accreditation Assessment

Requirements

of accreditation

Impartiality, integrity,

independence

Competence

Appropriate resources and

facilities

Performance demonstrated to

be to required standard

Capable of sustaining the

required level of performance

Organisation is required to:

• Have a documented management system

• Have competent personnel and define the criteria for competence along with

objective evidence of competence

• Appropriate equipment/facilities and resource where appropriate

• Technical procedures covering the activities which are going to be accredited

• Objective evidence that methods are robust and fit for purpose (i.e.

validation)

• Investigate and participate in Inter-Laboratory Comparison or Proficiency

Testing if activities involve testing.

ISO/IEC 17025/17020

Accreditation process

CABCAB

UKAS

CAB

UKAS

CAB

UKAS

Application Pre-assessmentOptional

visit

Pre-assessment

Full on-site assessment

Full assessment / Decision making

and grant of accreditation

Surveillance

Year 1 Year 2

Year 4 Year 3

▪ Enquiries▪ Application/fees▪ Processing of

Application▪ Preparation for

assessment

▪ Organising the visits

▪ Pre-visit document record review

▪ Team config

▪ 1 day on-sitepre-assessment

Surveillance

Surveillance

▪ Opening meeting▪ Interviews with users and

managers▪ Detailed records review▪ Vertical/Horizontal

assessment, witnessing of work

▪ Full reporting▪ Closing meeting and de-

brief

Who conducts the assessment?

• Competence criteria defined for assessors

• Competent Technical Assessor(s) used to cover scope of

activities/services

• Lead Assessor – UKAS Assessment Manager

• All assessors trained and authorised by UKAS

• All assessors monitored and evaluated to ensure competence is

maintained

• Technical Assessor are peers from your community

• UKAS will need to identify a number of TA for this area

Next Steps

• Fire Investigation new area for Accreditation

• Development Project to be Established

• Confirm ISO 17020 appropriate standard

• Determine technical activities within scope

• Establish and confirm robust assessment approach

• Identify and train technical assessors

• Undertake a Pilot programme

• No of participants to be determined (approximately 5)

• Review outcomes of assessment and previous visits

• Grant all participants at the same point.

Next Steps

• Current Activities

• Identifying Technical Activities undertaken at scenes

• Determine what can be accredited

• Determine scope of the pilot – Confirmed in Expression of interest

announcement

• Readiness of organisations / Road map

• Determine effective mechanism for witnessing activities

• Next Activities

• Expression of Interest Announcement

• Meeting of interested parties

• Sign up to Pilot Terms of Reference

Benefits of Accreditation

• a formal structure for organisations to demonstrate their competence to

under take tests or inspect scenes/casefiles

• 3rd party assurance that an organisation is competent and can produce

valid results

• assessment involves peers from the community providing technical

assurance on the quality of the work

• learning and development process

• identify improvements to processes

• is internationally recognised

Useful Links

About Accreditation

• http://www.ukas.com/about/about-accreditation/

Application Process, Case Studies (including approximately costings)

• http://www.ukas.com/services/accreditation-services/apply-for-

accreditation/

• N.b –specific costing for the fire scene development project still to

be determined

Questions?