§ 5411a. — Certification and accreditation.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 15USC5411a]
TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 80--FASTENERS
Sec. 5411a. Certification and accreditation
(a) Certification
A person publishing a document setting forth guidance or
requirements for the certification of manufacturing systems as fastener
quality assurance systems by an accredited third party may petition the
Director to approve such document for use as described in section
5402(7)(B)(iii)(I) of this title. The Director shall act upon a petition
within 180 days after its filing, and shall approve such petition if the
document provides equal or greater rigor and reliability as compared to
ISO/IEC Guide 62.
(b) Accreditation
A person publishing a document setting forth guidance or
requirements for the approval of accreditation bodies to accredit third
parties described in subsection (a) of this section may petition the
Director to approve such document for use as described in section
5402(7)(B)(iii)(I) of this title. The Director shall act upon a petition
within 180 days after its filing, and shall approve such petition if the
document provides equal or greater rigor and reliability as compared to
ISO/IEC Guide 61.
(c) Laboratory accreditation
A person publishing a document setting forth guidance or
requirements for the accreditation of laboratories may petition the
Director to approve such document for use as described in section
5402(1)(A) of this title. The Director shall act upon a petition within
180 days after its filing, and shall approve such petition if the
document provides equal or greater rigor and reliability as compared to
ISO/IEC Guide 25.
(d) Approval of accreditation bodies
A person publishing a document setting forth guidance or
requirements for the approval of accreditation bodies to accredit
laboratories may petition the Director to approve such document for use
as described in section 5402(1)(B) of this title. The Director shall act
upon a petition within 180 days after its filing, and shall approve such
petition if the document provides equal or greater rigor and reliability
as compared to ISO/IEC Guide 58. In addition to any other voluntary
laboratory accreditation programs that may be established by private
sector persons, the Director shall establish a National Voluntary
Laboratory Accreditation Program, for the accreditation of laboratories
as described in section 5402(1)(B) of this title, that meets the
requirements of ISO/IEC Guide 58 (or another document approved by the
Director under this subsection), including revisions from time-to-time.
(e) Affirmation
(1) An accreditation body accrediting third parties who certify
manufacturing systems as fastener quality assurance systems as described
in section 5402(7)(B)(iii)(I) of this title shall affirm to the Director
that it meets the requirements of ISO/IEC Guide 61 (or another document
approved by the Director under subsection (b) of this section),
including revisions from time-to-time.
(2) An accreditation body accrediting laboratories as described in
section 5402(1)(B) of this title shall affirm to the Director that it
meets the requirements of ISO/IEC Guide 58 (or another document approved
by the Director under subsection (d) of this section), including
revisions from time-to-time.
(3) An affirmation required under paragraph (1) or (2) shall take
the form of a self-declaration that the accreditation body meets the
requirements of the applicable Guide, signed by an authorized
representative of the accreditation body, without requirement for
accompanying documentation. Any such affirmation shall be considered to
be a continuous affirmation that the accreditation body meets the
requirements of the applicable Guide, unless and until the affirmation
is withdrawn by the accreditation body.
(Pub. L. 101-592, Sec. 10, as added Pub. L. 106-34, Sec. 10, June 8,
1999, 113 Stat. 123.)
Prior Provisions
A prior section 10 of Pub. L. 101-592 was renumbered section 7 and
is classified to section 5409 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 5402 of this title.
