Department of Standards Malaysia

WHAT IS ACB SCHEME?

• Quality Management Systems (QMS);
• Environmental Management Systems (EMS);
• Products Certification (PC);
• Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (OSH);
• Information Security Management Systems (ISMS);
• HACCP based food safety systems (HACCP);
• Forest Management Certification (FMC);
• Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS);
• Certification of Persons (PERSONNEL).
  

 

WHY ACCREDITATION?

Accreditation reduces risk for business and its customers by assuring them that accredited bodies are competent to carry out the work they undertake. Furthermore, accreditation is the means for securing regional and international recognition of certificates issued by STANDARDS MALAYSIA accredited bodies.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Fees are charged according to STANDARDS MALAYSIA published fee schedule.

Current basic fees are as follows : 

1. a) Application fee RM5000
2. b) Annual fee RM5000
3. c) Assessment fee RM1000 per man-day

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA?

1. Includes the Accreditation standards i.e : 

a) MS ISO/IEC 17021:2006, "Conformity Assessment-Requirements For Bodies Providing Audit and Certification of Management Systems";

b) MS ISO/IEC Guide 65:2000, "General Requirements for Bodies Operating Product Certification Systems";

c) ISO/IEC 27006:2007,"Information technology-Security techniques-Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of information security management systems";

d) ISO/TS 22003:2007,"Food safety management systems-Requirements for Bodies Providing Audit and Certification of Food Safety Management Systems";

e) MS ISO/IEC 17024:2003, " Conformity Assessment - General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons".

2. Accreditation Guidelines:

Annex 1 of IAF GD 2:2005, IAF GD 5:2006, IAF GD 24:2004, ACB-OSH, ACB-HACCP, ACB-FMC-Audit Duration, ACB-FMC-Auditor Competency, ACB-FMC-Peer Review & ACB-FMC-Stakeholder Consultation. 

3. ACB Published Policies.

ACCREDITATION PROCESS

• Application
• Stage 1 Documentation Review
• Stage 2 Pre-assessmen, optional
• Stage 3 Compliance assessment, including withness audit
• Recommendation by an impartial Accreditation Review Panel
• Granting of accreditation if successful

VALIDITY PERIOD OF ACCREDITATION CERTIFICATE

Accreditation certificate is valid for three (3) years. Thereafter, it is renewable subject to the terms and conditions of the Scheme.

HOW ACCREDITATION IS MAINTAINED AND SUSTAINED

Confidence is sustained by means of surveillance assessments conducted on the accredited CB every six (6) months. After the first cycle of 3 years, frequency is reduced to once a year. A re-assessment will be carried out towards the end of the third year that is, prior to the expiry of the certificate.

PROCEDURE FOR APPEALS AND COMPLAINT

Appeals and complaints handling procedures have been established for the handling and resolution of any appeal and complaint that may arise from the accreditation process. An impartial and independent. Appeals Panel established by the Malaysian Standards and Accreditation Council (MSAC) and Technical Appeals Panel established by the Director General will handle appeals with regards to accreditation decisions and technical matters respectively

ARE DETAILED PROCEDURES AVAILABLE?

Published documents are available at STANDARDS MALAYSIA office at a nominal fee as indicated in the public list of ACB documents.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

STANDARDS MALAYSIA has gained international recognition through the acceptance into the Pacific Accreditation Coopertation (PAC) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) and acceptance into International Accreditation Forum IAF) as described below. It has also established close linkages with its counterparts throughout the world through the IAF and PAC.

International Recognition for Quality Management System (QMS)

• Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) on 31 December 2005
• International Accreditation Forum (IAF) MLA on 9 February 2006

International Recognition for Product Certification (PC)

Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) on 16 June 2009
International Accreditation Forum (IAF) MLA on 9 July 2009