Impartiality
Commercial payment cannot determine a result. Interests, relationships and threats to impartiality are identified, recorded and controlled.
Governance and impartiality
The controls have to exist before the report carries weight
A credible laboratory is more than a test method. It is a controlled institution in which competence, independence, evidence and decisions can be examined.
Current status. These controls are being formalised as part of the laboratory establishment process. They are not represented as completed accreditation requirements.
Governance controls under development
Competence
Each activity is performed and reviewed by people authorised for that method and scope, with competence records kept current.
Technical review
The person reviewing the evidence and report is independent from the person who performed the test work.
Confidentiality
Access to software and evidence is limited by role, purpose and agreement, with controlled retention and deletion.
Traceability
Methods, test items, results, decisions and report revisions remain attributable and reproducible.
Complaints and appeals
A documented route allows an applicant or affected party to challenge service, method application or a result.
Documents that will be published
- Legal identity, ownership, directors and accountable laboratory leadership
- Accreditation certificate, exact scope and licence evidence when granted
- Impartiality, conflict-of-interest and funding policies
- Method-control, technical-review and authorised-signatory framework
- Information-security, confidentiality, retention and deletion policy
- Complaints, appeals, corrective-action and report-correction procedures
- Rules governing use of the “Tested by SASFA” mark and verification link
Regulatory engagement is not endorsement
SASFA is engaging relevant regulatory and industry stakeholders while the laboratory is being developed. Participation in a discussion, technical comment or meeting will not be described as recognition. A body’s name and the exact nature of its involvement will be published only where that information is public or permission has been given.
Standards and testing remain separate
SASFA’s intended statutory work is testing against the applicable SANS 1718 requirements, not replacing SABS or inventing a parallel approval standard. Earlier proof-of-concept “SASFA Standards” pages have therefore been retired from the active site structure.