Contractors should ensure that quality certification bodies hold approved accreditation provided by UKAS. If not, their documentation could be worthless.
Members are advised to be aware that there a number of firms offering certification to the ISO 9000 Quality Management series of standards that have not been inspected or accredited by UKAS. ECA member firms are advised to ensure that any company offering certification of quality management systems holds UKAS accreditation.

Non-accredited certification firms are catching out unsuspecting contractors by using logos very similar to the UKAS crown and tick logo. Although these firms are acting in a misleading manner they are not conducting unlawful business.

Members should note that clients, specifiers and other accredited certification bodies may refuse to recognise their quality management certification if it has not been carried out by a UKAS-accredited company.

UKAS is the only UK organisation that is approved by government to offer this kind of certification. It operates under a memorandum of understanding with the government through the secretary of state for trade and industry.

For confirmation of a certification firm's status go to the UKAS web site at www.ukas.com or call 020 8917 8400.