Field Evaluation Bodies Program
In response to requests from IAS-accredited testing laboratories, inspection agencies and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), IAS developed an accreditation program for the field evaluation of unlisted electrical equipment. The program is designed to formalize an accreditation process for agencies conducting evaluations of electrical equipment. The request for these types of evaluations usually comes from a building department, code enforcement official, fire marshal or similar regulatory body. The request for field evaluation is primarily to determine compliance with applicable codes or standards of one-of-a-kind, limited production, used or modified products that are not listed or labeled under a full listing or certification program. The evaluation process may be completed at the point of manufacture, interim points of distribution, in the evaluating organization's facilities, in situ or a combination of the above.
Organizations meeting IAS Field Evaluation Body (FEB) accreditation requirements also meet the requirements of the Recommended Competency Guidelines for Third Party Field Evaluation Bodies, and the Recommended Practice and Procedure for Unlabeled Electrical Equipment Evaluation. These guidelines and recommended practices have been developed by the American Council for Electrical Safety, a Division of the American Council of Independent Laboratories.
Accreditation under the IAS FEB program requires agencies to operate under a quality management system as outlined in the IAS Accreditation Criteria for Field Evaluation of Electrical Equipment (AC354). This criteria contains specific technical, personnel, training and reporting requirements as well.
With the FEB Program, IAS hopes to fill the gap for AHJs and agencies involved in field evaluations of electrical equipment by providing a robust accreditation process on which approval can be based.