XN000022-1986-11-03 — Page 6

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1986

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MORE LABORATORIES SEEKING HOKLAS ACCREDITATION

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THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF THE HONG KONG LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEME (HOKLAS) TO CATER FOR LABORATORIES TESTING BUILDING MATERIALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WOULD RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF LABORATORIES SEEKING FORMAL ACCREDITATION.

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR E.J. EVANS, SAID THIS TODAY (MONDAY) AT THE INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION CONFERENCE (ILAC) 1986 IN ISRAEL.

HE SAID HOKLAS STAFF HAD ALREADY INSPECTED AND ADVISED 16 OF THE LEADING CONCRETE-TESTING LABORATORIES IN HONG KONG, A NUMBER OF WHICH MIGHT BE IN A POSITION TO BE FORMALLY ASSESSED FOR ACCREDITATION IN 1987.

HE NOTED THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HOKLAS HAD PROCEEDED ACCORDING TO A PLANNED PROGRAMME AND IN A SYSTEMATIC MANNER OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.

+ON THE BASIS OF THE ADVICE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TESTING AUTHORITIES OF AUSTRALIA (NATA) AND HAVING REGARD TO INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION PRACTICE AS ESTABLISHED BY ILAC, BASIC DOCUMENTATION PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON ACCREDITATION MATTERS HAS BEEN PUBLISHED AND WIDELY CIRCULATED, ASSESSORS HAVE REEN SELECTED AND TRAINED, INTRODUCTORY SEMINARS HAVE BEEN HELD AND APPROPRIATE PUBLICITY ISSUED.

+A LABORATORY ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME IS IN OPERATION AND SEVERAL LABORATORIES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ACCREDITED.+

HE EXPLAINED THAT LABORATORY ASSESSMENTS WERE CONDUCTED BY INDEPENDENT ASSESSORS DRAWN FROM A CADRE OF LOCAL TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS WITH EXPERTISE IN THE PARTICULAR FIELDS OF TESTING.

+ THEY ARE RECRUITED FROM ALL SECTORS OF INDUSTRY AND EMPLOYED ON A PART-TIME BASIS.

+ IN JUNE 1986, A GROUP OF COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES SEEKING HOKLAS ACCREDITATION IN ONE OR MORE OF THE COMMODITY GROUPS, TEXTILES, TOYS AND FOOD TESTING, WERE ASSESSED AND IN AUGUST 1986 A FURTHER GROUP SEEKING ACCREDITATION FOR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS TESTING AND CALIBRATION SERVICES WERE VISITED.

+ IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THEY WILL BE OFFERED ACCREDITATION

IN THE NEAR FUTURE, HE SAID.

MR EVANS POINTED OUT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT STANDARDS AND CALIBRATION LABORATORY HAD PROVIDED ESSENTIAL SUPPORT FOR HOKLAS IN RESPECT OF HIGH QUALITY CALIBRATION SERVICES AND IN THE EVALUATION AND ACCREDITATION OF COMMERCIAL CALIBRATION FACILITIES.

/+THE LABORATORY