The visit comes within the framework of the directives of the Minister of Public Works and Housing, Eng. Maher Abu Al-Samen, on the necessity of continuing to develop government performance, upgrading the level of services provided by the Ministry, and strengthening the application of best practices and international standards in various fields of work.
The delegation included technical staff from the Quality Assurance Directorate/Accreditation, ISO, and Training Division, who reviewed the technical and administrative procedures followed by the Military Laboratories to obtain the accreditation, as well as the mechanisms for implementing proficiency testing and inter-laboratory comparison programs. They also toured the laboratory departments to learn about the technical capabilities, quality systems, and work mechanisms adopted there.
The Laboratories and Quality Control Department is working to add ISO 17043 in the field of construction testing to its existing system of accreditations, which includes the ISO 17025 technical accreditation and the ISO 9001 quality management system, qualifying it to act as a Proficiency Testing (PT) Provider at both local and international levels.
Obtaining the new accreditation will enhance the technical role of the Ministry's laboratories and raise the level of reliability and efficiency of construction tests, in addition to expanding the scope of services it provides to laboratories holding ISO 17025 technical accreditation both inside and outside the Kingdom.
The Ministry valued the cooperation of the Military Laboratories and the technical and practical expertise they provided to the delegation, emphasizing the importance of exchanging experiences and integration between national institutions in developing the laboratory work system, raising the efficiency of technical services, and enhancing the application of international quality and accreditation standards to serve the national interest.
