- IWTO Test Methods & Regulations
The International Wool Textile Organisation has established and
published (in Specification IWTO-0) detailed procedures for the
elaboration, amendment, and/or relegation of its Test Methods. It also
subjects its Regulations to similar review and approval by its
commercial Committees. This ensures that the wording of these texts
has been closely scrutinised, prior to approval by the experts in the
field concerned and, therefore, that there are very good reasons why
the test procedure is laid down in the way it is.
In view of the above specific provisions, adopted by the
International Wool Textile Organisation to provide the required
commercial relevance and scientific accuracy in the elaboration of its
Test Methods and Regulations, and of the importance it attaches to
them being respected, the IWTO Licensing Panel has the prerogative not
to license a laboratory in accordance with the provisions of Function
4, as laid down in Section III(b).
IWTO is prepared at any time to discuss with accreditation bodies
any problems or concerns they may have as they accredit laboratories
to ISO/IEC 17025 for IWTO. Test Methods and Regulations. Indeed, it
positively welcomes such a dialogue, which can only be to the benefit
of the wool textile industry as a whole, and will undertake to raise
such matters with its relevant Committees or its Licensing Panel at
the earliest possible opportunity.
Nonetheless, IWTO cannot accept that there be any derogation of the
written text of its Test Methods and Regulations. Procedures exist for
amendments to be made where necessary, but these can only be made by
IWTO itself through its relevant Technical Groups and Committees,
after the required data has been presented for peer review. It follows
that, if any changes to IWTO Test Methods or Regulations are suggested
to any laboratory by an accreditation body, their application will
purely and simply invalidate any resultant IWTO Certificates.
In this context, IWTO does not subscribe to any parts of ISO/IEC
17025 : that might be interpreted as allowing the accreditation body
latitude in laying down provisions for compliance, which might differ
from those set down by IWTO itself. Only complete IWTO Test Methods
may be accredited and under no circumstances can component parts of an
IWTO Test Method be sub-contracted to another laboratory, even if that
laboratory complies with ISO 17025.
Laboratories which issue IWTO Certificates must be accredited to
ISO /IEC 17025 by national accreditation bodies for those IWTO Test
Methods and Regulations for which they wish to issue Certificates.
Such IWTO Certificates are only valid if the method and procedures
laid down by IWTO are applied in complete accordance with the
published texts. It is the role of the accreditation bodies to ensure
that this is the case, but they cannot allow changes or amendments of
any kind to the above texts or procedures, without invalidating the
Test Certificates concerned.
In the event of the accreditation body having any concerns or
problems in respect of IWTO Test Methods and Regulations, it should
refer these to IWTO, which undertakes to examine the matter at the
earliest opportunity.
- The IWTO Licensing Panel
Composition
The Licensing Panel is composed of Members nominated by National
Committees.
Each National Committee may nominate a maximum of two members.
Functions
1.To regularly review the IWTO licensing procedures and recommend
changes, where appropriate.
2.To determine which (new) Test Methods, having related
Regulations, are to qualify for IWTO licensing and from what date such
licensing may be implemented.
3.To verify that the national accreditation bodies, which have
accredited laboratories to ISO /IEC 17025 or its equivalent are
themselves accredited to ISO/IEC
17011 and have MRAs with sister
bodies, and to check the conformity of their Accreditation
Certificates and supplementary documentation against the IWTO Test
Methods for which licensing is sought.
4.The Licensing Panel has the prerogative not to license a
laboratory, if it considers it has substantive objective evidence that
the laboratory and/or the accrediting body have not completely
satisfied IWTO's licensing requirements and /or the laboratory is not
in full compliance with the Test Methods and Regulations for which it
seeks to be licensed. In such cases, the Licensing Panel shall seek
clarification from the accrediting body as to the correctness of the
information, and provide the laboratory concerned with the opportunity
to answer the allegation, before coming to any final decision. If a
laboratory has been previously licensed by IWTO for the Test Method in
question, it will be given a reasonable time under prevailing
circumstances to make whatever changes may be deemed necessary by the
Licensing Panel, which shall, in all cases, document its reasons for
revoking the licence. The IWTO Licensing Panel may require the
laboratory concerned to refrain from issuing IWTO Certificates pending
implementation of such necessary changes.
5.To give advice to any applicant or accredited laboratories and
accreditation bodies that raise questions on specific IWTO licensing
issues.
6.To instigate action against any non-licensed laboratory that has
issued IWTO Certificates since 1st January 1997, and to advise the
President and the Secretary-General as to the most appropriate course
of action to counter cases of fraud or of misuse of the name of IWTO,
where Certificates bearing its name are concerned. |
