By using an accredited laboratory quarry operators and aggregate suppliers can give their clients more confidence in them, reduce some significant costs and protect themselves in the event of disputes and lawsuits.

What Is Laboratory Accreditation?

From extraction to delivery, aggregate suppliers and quarry operators deal with a number of quality control standards. These standards often specify that an "approved laboratory" must be used to confirm the performance and durability of material. But what does this mean? 

To become approved a laboratory needs to demonstrate to the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) that they comply with the general requirements for the competence of testing laboratories, known as ISO/IEC 17025.

SANAS determines the technical competence of a laboratory by looking at factors such as:

• The qualifications, training and experience of the staff
• The right equipment - properly calibrated and maintained
• Adequate quality assurance procedures
• Proper sampling practices
• Appropriate testing procedures
• Valid test methods
• Traceability of measurements to national standards
• Accurate recording and reporting procedures
• Suitable testing facilities

Following the review of a formal application and a subsequent auditing of the facility, the laboratory is either failed, conditionally approved or unconditionally approved.

The laboratory will be re-audited after 6, 18 months and 36 months. If all audits are successful, the accreditation will last for five years. 

Why Use An Accredited Laboratory?

Generate more business

How do you prove to potential clients that your material and services are high quality? By using a laboratory that has been evaluated by a third party.

Clients rely on independent evidence when considering your company. Showing that your work and materials have been tested by an independent laboratory of the highest international standard is a powerful way to differentiate yourself from the competition. 

Any independent evidence of quality or good value is a great way to give your clients more confidence in you and generate more business.

Reduce costs

Material testing and site investigations are expensive and time-consuming enough. Regular retesting can bring your projects to an expensive halt, inflate your costs, frustrate clients and ruin your chances for referrals or repeat business.

Using a laboratory that's accredited by an independent third-party mininises the risk of retesting, reducing the strain on your budgets, deadlines and your relationships with clients.

The costs of retesting go much further than the test itself. Regular retesting impacts service, your client relationships and your potential for more business.

Protect yourself

Threatening public safety or major financial loss to a client: these major issues threaten the survival of any quarry operator or aggregate supplier company. Smaller disputes with suppliers, contractors, competitors and others also can represent serious financial and legal risks.

For ethical companies, the ideal protection from these risks is providing results you and your clients can trust. The best way to do this is using an accredited laboratory, shown to be technically competent to the highest international standard by independent third parties.

In the event of an event or dispute, results from an accredited laboratory carry far more weight. This reduces your liability immensely and protects you if the worst were to happen.

In essence, using an accredited laboratory gives you confidence that your work and your company are safe from the most severe legal and financial risks.

Find Out More About Laboratory Accreditation

To find out more about laboratory accreditation and SANAS, visit the SANAS website at www.sanas.co.za. The site contains all of the relevant documentation and a list of accredited testing and calibration laboratories.

Roadlab operates SANAS accredited testing laboratories across Gauteng, KZN, the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and the Free State, all capable of performing material testing (soil, asphalt, concrete, aggregate and chemical), roadwork investigations and a range of geotechnical services.

Unlike other laboratories, our Head Office makes specialist soil, asphalt, concrete and aggregate project managers available to clients.

Reach out to us below to find out what we can do for you.