This glossary explains some of the words and terms on the RvA website. For formal definitions we refer to ISO/IEC 17000 and the relevant accreditation standards.
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
A |
|
| Accreditation | An independent confirmation of the expertise, impartiality and independence of a conformity assessment body on the basis of international harmonised standards |
| Accreditation body | The body appointed by the government (based on (EU)765/2008) to issue accreditations in the relevant country |
| Accreditation mark | Logo that accredited bodies can use on certificates and other communications as proof of accreditation |
| Accredited organisation | Body in respect of which the accreditation body has established that it meets the requirements of a specific international harmonised standard |
| Assessment | Establishing by or on behalf of the RvA that the requirements of accreditation are met |
| Accreditation Committee | Independent committee that advises the Executive board of the RvA about accreditation decisions |
C |
|
| Calibration | Establishing whether the value displayed by a measuring device is correct in relation to the international unit of measure |
| Category A non-conformity | A situation where the RvA assessment team considers the requirements for accreditation are not met, and that can lead or have led to incorrect or unreliable results, unjustified claims to accreditation or a specific threat to health or safety of persons or the environment |
| Category B non-conformity | A situation where the RvA assessment team considers the requirements for accreditation are not met, but that does not lead to one of the situations specified under Category A |
| CCKL | Institute for the promotion of quality in laboratory research and for the accreditation of laboratories in the health care sector, which has been part of the RvA since 2008 |
| CCKL Code of Practice | National standard on the basis of which CCKL accreditations are undertaken |
| Certification | Establishing whether products, management systems or persons meet specific requirements |
| Conformity assessment | Establishing whether a product, process, service or person meets specific requirements |
| Corrective measure | Improvement action resulting from a non-conformity established during the assessment |
D |
|
| Discipline | Area in which the RvA accredits: calibration, testing, medical laboratories, proficiency testing organisers, producers of reference materials, inspection, certification and verification |
E |
|
| EA | Coordinating European accreditation body in which the national accreditation bodies are represented |
| European co-operation for Accreditation | Coordinating European accreditation body in which the national accreditation bodies are represented (EA) |
| European Regulation 765/2008 | European Regulation setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of products |
| Explanatory document | Document that describes the RvA policy and/or procedure relating to a specific accreditation discipline |
G |
|
| Greenhouse gas verification body | Body that verifies a manufacturer's stated emissions |
H |
|
| Harmonised standard | International standard on the basis of which accreditations are issued |
I |
|
| IAF | World association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies |
| ILAC | World association for the accreditation of Laboratories and Inspection Bodies |
| Inspection | Assessment of a design, product, process or installation, to establish is it meets the specific or general requirements |
| International Accreditation Forum | World association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies(IAF) |
| International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation | World association for the accreditation of Laboratories and Inspection Bodies (ILAC) |
| ISO 14065 | International standard on the basis of which greenhouse gas verification bodies are accredited |
| ISO 15189 | International standard on the basis of which medical laboratories are accredited |
| ISO Guide 34 | International standard on the basis of which producers of reference materials are accredited |
| ISO/IEC 17011 | International standard on the basis of which accreditation bodies are accredited |
| ISO/IEC 17020 | International standard on the basis of which inspection bodies are accredited |
| ISO/IEC 17021 | International standard on the basis of which management system certification bodies are accredited |
| ISO/IEC 17024 | International standard on the basis of which personal certification bodies are accredited |
| ISO/IEC 17025 | International standard on the basis of which calibration and test laboratories are accredited |
| ISO/IEC 17043 | International standard on the basis of which organisers of proficiency tests are accredited |
| ISO/IEC 17065 | International harmonised standard on the basis of which product certification bodies are accredited |
M |
|
| Management system certification | Establishing whether an organisation's management system meets the requirements |
| Medical laboratory | Laboratory that undertakes medical analyses |
O |
|
| Organiser of proficiency tests | Organisation that supplies an identical sample to different laboratories and compares the results from these laboratories with each other |
| Objection Chairmen Committee | Independent committee engaged by the RvA to handle objections |
P |
|
| Peer review | Four-yearly assessment of accreditation bodies undertaken by assessors from other accreditation bodies on the basis of the ISO/IEC 17011 standard |
| Personal certification | Establishing whether a person is competent |
| Producer of reference materials | Supplier of materials of known composition, which laboratories use for undertaking checks |
| Product certification | Establishing whether products, services or processes meet the requirements |
| Proficiency test | Investigation whereby the test results from different laboratories are compared with each other |
R |
|
| Report | Draft or final report resulting from an assessment that has been carried out |
| Report | Complaint about an accredited organisation |
| Reference material | Material of known composition, which laboratories use for undertaking checks |
| Registration number | Number allocated by the RvA under which an accredited body is registered with the RvA |
S |
|
| Scheme for conformity assessments | Document that describes the subject and the requirements of a specific assessment |
| Scheme acceptance | Establishment by the RvA that a scheme meets the specified requirements |
| Scheme manager | Organisation that manages one or more schemes |
| Suspension | Temporarily withdrawal of a scope of accreditation |
| Scope | Activity/work for which an organisation is or will become accredited |
| Specific accreditation protocol | Document containing a brief description for a specific accreditation discipline and which serves as a practical supplement to the RvA policy rules |
| Stakeholder Advisary Panel | Advisory body of the RvA in which the RvA stakeholders are represented |
| Statement of conformity | Statement that confirms that a product, process, service, system or person meets specific requirements |
T |
|
| Testing | Establishing the properties of products or systems |
U |
|
| User Council | Advisory body with representatives of RvA's clients |
V |
|
| Verification | Independent assessment of data as regards reliability and correctness |
W |
|
| Withdrawal | Accreditation that is stopped voluntarily (by the organisation) or by order (of the RvA) |
Something missing? Please send an e-mail to contact@rva.nl
