January 23, 2020
Accreditation offers several benefits to manufacturers interested in getting their products to a wider market. It provides an underlying assurance that testing laboratories are adhering to internationally recognized standards and it enhances public confidence in test results.
For UL’s laboratory near Warsaw, Poland, which is UL’s only European battery testing facility, accreditation demonstrates that the laboratory fulfills international requirements for competence, consistency and impartiality. The Warsaw facility recently received accreditation for compliance to ISO/IEC 17025:2005, general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories by the International Accreditation Service (IAS). IAS is a signatory to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).
The laboratory has also received other noteworthy accreditations, including the International Electrotechnical Commission System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components (IECEE).
“Accreditation is really important on a global scale,” said Jakub Kącki, a senior product service specialist covering safety services for Europe and Latin America. “There are two main globally recognized accreditation arrangements that are recognized by the tech industry and by most of the manufacturers — IECEE and laboratory accreditation provided by signatories to the ILAC MRA. With the accreditation from an ILAC MRA signatory, we now have a laboratory accredited by two major global international accreditation arrangements.”
High tech, volatile products
Established in 2008, the Warsaw laboratory has a history of serving high tech clients with their European made electronic products. Testing consumer electronics, information technology equipment (ITE) and industrial components were the laboratory’s mainstay until it expanded around ten years ago. Products now being tested include medical devices, energy and power equipment, ITE equipment, consumer electronics and batteries.
Battery testing is one of the many services unique to the region as, according to Kącki, there aren’t many labs doing this type of service. He adds that the laboratory is also unique because the laboratory is state of the art in terms of safety.
“We have so many accreditations and so many audits, that we need the quality of the work to be very high; and the knowledge of the people is very high. So, it's not only about testing, but it's also about the knowledge and support we can offer our clients as they prepare for certification.”
Are you interested in how battery service testing demonstrates trust in the global marketplace? Visit our battery safety service page to learn more about how we help simplify the multiple market process.