SCC accredits Ricardo Certification Ltd. as first Independent Safety Assessor for Railway Systems under new accreditation program
Ricardo Certification Ltd. is the first organization to be accredited to ISO/IEC 17020:2012 under SCC’s new Independent Safety Assessor for Railway Systems Accreditation Program. This global rail consulting agency provides technical expertise, assurance and specialist engineering services to help clients navigate the industry’s operational, commercial and regulatory demands.
Ricardo Certification is delighted to be the first to have achieved this accreditation and we are looking forward to bringing our global expertise as an Independent Assurance provider to the North American rail market,” says Richard Gibney, Certification Director.
To create this recently-launched accreditation program, SCC began work with Metrolinx earlier this year on a first-of-its-kind framework in North America for Independent Safety Assessor for Railway Systems. This framework, developed by CSA, is in line with global best practices in safety and system assurance, and is the basis of SCC’s Independent Safety Assessor for Railway Systems Accreditation Program.
“SCC is proud to have Ricardo Certification Ltd. as our first customer accredited to this brand-new program,” says Elias Rafoul, SCC Vice-President, Accreditation Services Branch. “Accreditation is a valuable tool in the standardization system, and we are proud to play our part by ensuring that conformity assessment bodies meet the highest national and international standards,” he explained.
The program will help verify that the necessary requirements are met when organizations carry out independent safety assessments. It is based on a third-party independent inspection model where Independent Safety Assessors (ISAs), who are accredited by SCC, will undertake assessments of the risk management process. This helps ensure all potential hazards are identified and well managed. Accredited ISAs can play a vital role, not only in ensuring that safety is considered during the designing and building process, but also for ongoing changes of the railway network once it is operating.
Elias Rafoul, SCC Accreditation Services Vice-President and Marko Kroenke, Ricardo Inc. Director Business Development Canada met in Ottawa on November 26, 2021 to mark the start of the Independent Safety Assessor for Railway Systems Accreditation Program.
About SCC
Established in 1970 as a federal Crown corporation, the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is Canada’s voice on standards and accreditation on the national and international stage. SCC works closely with a vast network of partners to promote the development of effective and efficient standards that protect the health, safety and well-being of Canadians while helping businesses prosper. As Canada’s leading accreditation organization, SCC creates market confidence at home and abroad by ensuring that conformity assessment bodies meet the highest national and international standards. SCC advances Canada’s interest on the international scene as a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) by connecting thousands of people to global networks and resources, opening a world of possibilities for Canadians and businesses.
About Ricardo Certification Ltd.
Ricardo Certification Ltd. is part of the Rail Business Unit of Ricardo PLC and is comprised of multiple companies located across different countries who perform independent assurance and testing services to the global rail sector. With its head office located in Derby, UK, Ricardo Certification Ltd. also has offices in Spain, The Netherlands, the Middle East and Denmark. Operating exclusively in the rail industry, Ricardo Certification Ltd. provides Independent Assurance services that cover the whole railway domain (e.g., infrastructure, signalling, rolling stock, energy, etc.).