What is Laboratory Recognition Scheme (LRS)?
The Bureau of Indian Standards is a National body which was established for formulating Indian Standard to protect the health, safety and quality standard of product. In order to protect the interest and safety of the customers, BIS operates a Product Certification Scheme. Under this scheme, BIS provides a license to the manufacturers who produce the goods as per the requirement of Indian Standard. BIS have eighty laboratories across the country to carry out the testing of product as per the Product Certification Scheme.
The Laboratory Recognition Scheme is regulated under the provisions of BIS Act and rules. It was mainly established to carry out the testing of samples in relation to the use of Standard mark related to any product. The scheme lays down the conditions which are required to be fulfilled by the person for getting recognition under BIS.
Object of LRS
LRS was mainly established with the object of having sufficient number of laboratories in India and abroad to fulfill the requirement of Product Certification Scheme. The sample of the product is brought for testing in these laboratories.
Requirement of LRS
The laboratory who is seeking recognition shall have accreditation to IS/ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO/IEC 17025 in the respective field of testing, such as Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, and Microbiological, as applicable.
Management of LRS
- A Qualified and competent personnel will be required on a full-time basis to manage such lab. As per the relevant Indian Standard, a complete in-house test facility must be established.
- All the equipment required for the testing the product must be strictly followed as per the guidelines of the Indian Standard.
- The laboratory should ensure that adequate facility of electricity, water supply should be available where the product is tested.
- It should be an independent lab which should not have any linkage with any organization or its subsidiary.
- All the receipt and samples drawn for testing must be carried out in a single premise and the lab should have a proper infrastructure facility for storing samples before and after testing in the same premise.
Testing Charges
The testing charges declared by the laboratory for the relevant Indian Standards will be valid for three years. In case of any revision in Indian Standard, the revision in any testing charges shall be considered only after getting the approval of competent authority.