NABL ACCREDITATION
NABL Accreditaion Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) is an autonomous body under the aegis of Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. NABL has been established with the objective to provide Government, Regulators and Industry with a scheme of NABL accreditation through third-party assessment for formally recognizing the technical competence of laboratories. The accreditation services are provided for testing, calibration and medical laboratories in accordance with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standards.
Why NABL Accreditation want?
The concept of NABL Accreditation was developed to provide a means for third-party certification of the competence of laboratories to perform specific type(s) of testing and calibration.
NABL Accreditation provides formal recognition of competent laboratories, thus providing a ready means for customers to find reliable testing and calibration services in order to meet their demands.
NABL Accreditation enhances customer confidence in accepting testing / calibration reports issued by accredited laboratories.
The globalisation of Indian economy and the liberalisation policies initiated by the Government in reducing trade barriers and providing greater thrust to exports makes it imperative for Accredited Laboratories to be at international level of competence.
THE BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING NABL ACCREDITATION
1. Formal recognition of competence of a laboratory by an Accreditation body in accordance with international criteria has many advantages.
2. Potential increase in business due to enhanced customer confidence and satisfaction.
3. Savings in terms of time and money due to reduction or elimination of the need for re-testing of products.
4. Better control of laboratory operations and feedback to laboratories as to whether they have sound Quality Assurance System.
5. Increase of confidence in Testing / Calibration data and personnel performing work.
6. Customers can search and identify the laboratories accredited by NABL for their specific requirements from the Directory of Accredited Laboratories.
7. Users of accredited laboratories will enjoy greater access for their products, in both domestic and international markets.
NABH ACCREDITATION
National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH)is a constituent board of Quality Council of India, set up to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations. the board is structured to cater to much desired needs of the consumers and to set benchmarks for progress of health industry. The board while being supported by all stakeholders including industry, consumers, government, have full functional autonomy in its operation.
THE BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING NABH ACCREDITATION
A public recognition of the achievement of accreditation standards by a healthcare organisation, demonstrated through an independent external peer assessment of that organisation's level of performance in relation to the standards
Accreditation benefits all stake holders. Patients are the biggest beneficiary. Accreditation results in high quality of care and patient safety. The patients get services by credential medical staff. Rights of patients are respected and protected. Patient satisfaction is regularly evaluated.
The staff in a accredited health care organisation are satisfied lot as it provides for continuous learning, good working environment, leadership and above all ownership of clinical processes.
Accreditation to a health care organisation stimulates continuous improvement. It enables the organisation in demonstrating commitment to quality care. It raises community confidence in the services provided by the health care organisation. It also provides opportunity to healthcare unit to benchmark with the best.
Finally, accreditation provides an objective system of empanelment by insurance and other third parties. Accreditation provides access to reliable and certified information on facilities, infrastructure and level of care.
BUS BODY ACCREDITATION
We are aware that during the last two decades, there has been an exponential growth in the number of automobiles in India. The rate of the growth is manifold in personalized vehicles as compared to public transport vehicles. Unfortunately, number of roads and road space has not increased in tandem with the growth of vehicular population. This situation has posed a serious challenge to Road Safety and Environment. During the last 20 years, efforts are on, under the aegis of Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways to bring in new regulations to enhance safety. To a greater extent, we are successful in enhancing the safety provisions in all categories of automobiles, except Bus Bodies and Truck Bodies built on drive away chassis. We are aware that, Bus Body Building and Truck Body Building is carried out not only by a few well organized sectors but also largely by Small scale industries and even road side garages. There is a need to implement Bus body code and Bus Body Building Accreditation System to ensure building of buses as per the stipulated safety norms. In order to implement Bus Body Builders Accreditation System, there is a need to establish a proper system for the effective implementation.
We are aware that Government of India has already set the deadline for the implementation of the Accreditation System for Bus Body Builders as March 2008 ( i.e one year from notification of its order called as Central Motor Vehicles (Accreditation for bus body builders) order, 2007 and notified in Gazette of India, Notification No. S.O.425(E) dated 23rd March, 2007).
As per the above notification, all the Bus Body Building units will have to obtain accreditation certificate to demonstrate their capabilities to build buses as per the safety norms. Very soon the Bus Body Code, Testing and approval for the body building of buses AIS:052 (available on www.araiindia.com) and Testing and approval for the body building of school buses AIS:063 (available on www.araiindia.com) will also be mandatory on a date to be notified by the Government. This was notified vide Notification No.GSR 589(E) dated 16 Sept, 2005.
In order to create awareness amongst all the stake holders we had organized a 2-day National Workshop on Accreditation System for Bus Body Builders on the 8th and 9th February, 2008. This workshop was sponsored by the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways and was a grand success. It was attended by bus body builders, vehicle manufacturers, representatives of enforcing authorities, testing labs and State Transport Undertakings.