Reviews of National Approvals for Drinking Water
Construction Products (Phase 1). Audit of Organisations Appointed to
Certify Activities of Lining Contractors
DWI0830
April 2003
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- This report documents the findings of an audit of the
performance of the two currently designated Assessment Organisations
for lining contractors, in relation to the specification of
requirements for Assessors as issued by the Drinking Water Inspectorate
(DWI) [i]
- Both Assessment Organisations co-operated fully with the audit
and provided suitable office facilities, information and records as
requested.
- Both Assessment Organisations were observed to be generally
suitable as appointed Assessors in respect of the Specification of
Requirements for Assessors [i]
- Although the purpose of the audit was not to assess the
technical competence of the Assessment Organisations, it was evident
that the principal Assessor in each Organisation demonstrated a
comprehensive understanding of the content and application of the
relevant Code of Practice [ii and iii]
- There is little or no involvement by staff other than the
principal Assessor in each Assessment Organisation; this is as a
consequence of the relatively small number of assessments that are
required in each calendar year.
- There were differences in emphasis between the two Assessment
Organisations when assessing contractors for the purpose of
accreditation. This difference may be as a result of the current
differences between the two Codes of Practice [ii and iii] in respect
of training qualifications required by the contractor's staff who are
involved in the accreditation trial.
- Although both Assessment Organisations have produced and
implemented procedures and instructions for the assessment and
accreditation process, these procedures and instructions would benefit
from a review of their comprehensiveness and application. Errors and
omissions were found in the administration of the overall process
within both Assessment Organisations.
- It was discovered that a lining contractor has been erroneously
listed in Appendix 4 of the DWI Approvals Database for December 2002,
having not received full third party accreditation.
Copies of this report may be available as an Acrobat pdf download under the 'Find Completed Research' heading on the DWI website.