American Association for Laboratory Accreditation

The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) is a non-profit, non-governmental, public service organization that covers the formal recognition of competent testing and calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers, and reference material manufacturers. 

A2LA provides services in accreditation of laboratories based on internationally accepted standards such as that of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and aids in laboratory related training. The traceability of measurements and calibrations to national standards, validity and appropriateness of test methods, quality of testing environment and sampling, technical competence of staff, maintenance of test equipment, increased customer satisfaction, employee morale and training, and improvement of  processes are some of the domains covered under A2LA.

Standards have been devised to provide guidance for laboratories as they engage in the testing and research of various products. In order to ensure safety and better quality testing, ASTM International has developed a number of standards critical to product production, maintenance, and performance evaluation. These standards abide by the global requirements and are aligned with the guidelines of American National Standards Institute.

Standards followed consist of general, structural, resource, process, and management system requirements that are specific to the operation and effectiveness of the laboratory’s quality management system. Environmental, food and feed testing, telecom and electronics, calibration, aerospace, and many other industry specific programs are accredited under these standards. 

All these standards are practiced in various industries to ensure efficient production and maintenance of equipment and systems. These standards help focus on the minute details and opt for effective ways to test materials and manufacture reliable equipment.