Background: IAF MD 17 clause 4.2.3 states that it is necessary to perform in the first five-year period of accreditation a witness audit in each technical sector for each management system. Further it is stated that the witness audit approach can be reduced for further accreditation cycle to one witness audit per sector. The witnessing frequency established in the first period should be reinstated if significant changes occur in the CBs’ auditor qualification process, auditing practices or results and audit personnel. Clause 4.2.4 specifies the witness activities for critical codes and differentiate between those codes within a sector graded as critical and those who are not graded as critical.
Question:
Is it correct that, based on this, a NAB can maintain the accreditation for all IAF ID1 scope sectors, if the NAB has performed within a five years cycle a witness audits for at least the critical codes defined in the relevant sector as long as the CB can present that sufficient resources are available for audits within each IAF ID1 sector in the scope of accreditation?
September 2025
For maintenance of the scope, clause 4.2.3 is to be considered. This clause indicates: “, the AB shall perform at least one witnessing activity in each technical cluster of each MS scheme, to be complemented with other assessment activities to guarantee that each technical cluster is assessed in a period not exceeding ten years”. Answer is YES. Please note that IAF MD17 gives further considerations.