What Is Accreditation?
Accreditation is an official confirmation by an independent national authority — in Poland, the Polish Centre for Accreditation (PCA) — that a laboratory meets the requirements of the international standard PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 in terms of technical competence and quality management system.
This means that the laboratory has been assessed, evaluated, and recognized as competent to perform specific measurements and calibrations within a defined scope.
An accredited laboratory is assigned an accreditation number (e.g., AP 166 for ProEnerga), which can be publicly verified in the PCA database:
Accredited Laboratory – Features and Guarantees
1. PCA Supervision and Control
- Regular annual audits
- Verification of personnel qualifications, procedures, equipment, and measurement methods.
2. Compliance with International Standards
The laboratory operates in accordance with PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018, ensuring measurement traceability and international comparability of results.
3. Measurement Traceability
- All measuring instruments are calibrated at the Central Office of Measures (GUM).
- Measurement results are linked to the International System of Units (SI).
Additional Guarantees:
- Personnel Competence – staff must demonstrate verified qualifications, training, and experience. Each employee is evaluated for compliance with PCA requirements.
- Documentation and Result Traceability – each calibration certificate is fully traceable and includes the accreditation number, scope of calibration, measurement uncertainty, and authorized signatures. Calibration results are formally issued.
- Impartiality and Independence – the laboratory must not operate in the interest of any party. PCA requires documented independence from manufacturers, suppliers, and equipment users.
- Interlaboratory Comparisons and Proficiency Testing – mandatory periodic participation in comparative testing with other laboratories (including GUM) to confirm result consistency and measurement accuracy.
Non-Accredited Laboratory – Limitations and Risks
1. Lack of External Verification
Not supervised by PCA or any other independent authority. There is no confirmation that applied measurement methods comply with standards or that instruments hold valid calibrations.
2. No Guarantee of Traceability
Measurement results may not be traceable to SI units. There is no assurance that instruments were calibrated at GUM or another recognized authority.
3. Lower Level of Credibility
Certificates may not be recognized by supervisory authorities, certification bodies, technical inspectors, or auditors. In the event of a technical dispute, their evidential value may be limited.
Additional Risks:
- Unverified Measurement Uncertainty – absence of calculated or validated measurement uncertainty in accordance with metrological principles. The result may appear correct, but its accuracy is unknown.
- No Obligation for Quality System Improvement – non-accredited laboratories are not required to undergo audits, reviews, or continuous improvement processes. They may use simplified or outdated methods.
- No Formal Supervision of Personnel and Equipment – there is no formal system confirming staff competence. There is no requirement for instrument calibration at GUM laboratories.
Comparison – Accredited vs. Non-Accredited
Accredited Laboratory
- External supervision: Yes – by PCA (Polish Centre for Accreditation)
- Quality standard: ISO/IEC 17025
- Measurement traceability: Guaranteed through calibration at GUM
- Measurement uncertainty: Defined and verified
- Recognition of certificates: National and international
- Personnel competence: Confirmed and periodically assessed
- Audits and inspections: Regular (annual)
- Impartiality: Required and monitored
- Interlaboratory comparisons: Mandatory
- Certificate value: Officially recognized document
Non-Accredited Laboratory
- External supervision: None
- Quality standard: No formal standard applied
- Measurement traceability: No guarantee
- Measurement uncertainty: Usually not calculated
- Recognition of certificates: Limited or none
- Personnel competence: No formal verification
- Audits and inspections: Not required
- Impartiality: Not formally required
- Interlaboratory comparisons: Not required
- Certificate value: Informational document without accreditation status
Why Choose an Accredited Laboratory
- You receive reliable results and full measurement traceability.
- Certificates are accepted by auditors, manufacturers, and public authorities.
- You minimize the risk of measurement errors, complaints, and financial losses.
- In case of technical disputes or inspections – a PCA certificate has evidential value.
- Cooperation with an accredited laboratory is often required in tenders, certifications, and inspections by URE, PSE, DSO operators, or during ISO audits.
Summary
Accredited Laboratory
Guarantees:
- competence, independence, quality, and credibility
- measurement traceability and recognition of results
- compliance with international metrology standards
Non-Accredited Laboratory
May perform measurements, but:
- results have no official quality confirmation
- certificates are not recognized in technical proceedings or audits
- no guarantee of measurement traceability or verified competence
Therefore, if you value reliability, safety, and measurement credibility, choose a PCA-accredited laboratory such as ProEnerga – accreditation number AP 166, confirmed by the Polish Centre for Accreditation and recognized throughout Poland and the European Union.