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NATA Accredited Soil Testing Laboratory: What does that mean?

March 29, 2020
Industry Insights, Regulations & standards

Our Brisbane Laboratory has achieved national and worldwide accreditation from NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities Australia). It’s something we’re extremely proud of so we thought we’d share a bit about what it actually means.

Who is NATA?

NATA is the National Association of Testing Authorities in Australia. They’re Australia’s peak body responsible for accrediting labs and inspection/calibration services, producing certified reference materials, and providing proficiency testing schemes.

NATA’s role is to ensure that member facilities comply with relevant national and international standards and are competent to provide consistently reliable testing, calibration, measurement efficiency and competitiveness in national and international markets.

NATA includes a board of directors who are advised by appointed specialist technical committees, called Accreditation Advisory Committees (AACs). These committees work with independent technical consultants and assessors who offer technical expertise and run the assessment activities as part of accreditation.

What is NATA accreditation?

NATA accreditation formally recognises that a facility produces reliable technical results, and that users can be confident in the services provided. Accreditation is based on a peer-review process by volunteer experts who regularly assess facilities based on the relevant international standards (ISO 9001 in our case) to award and maintain accreditation. Assessors look at:

  • Staff qualifications
  • Staff training and experience
  • Correct equipment
  • Equipment calibration and maintenance
  • Quality assurance procedures
  • Sampling practices
  • And more

NATA-accredited facilities are highly regarded nationally (and even internationally) and are recommended by the Australian Government wherever possible because they’re more reliable and lower risk.

Read more about NATA accreditation and how to become accredited

What does this mean for clients?

NATA accreditation is important for clients and customers who need to be confident that products and services are low risk, safe, and accurate. For STA’s clients, the accreditation shows that we’re performing our work properly, we’re up to standards, and we’re maintaining the same level of quality and service over time.

When you rely on accurate data for things like soil tests to determine the best foundation design for a building, it means you can be confident we’ve given you the right site classification. And the right classification means choosing the most suitable foundation, safe loading, and a structure that lasts the life of your building.

When you want the peace of mind for your soil testing, you can trust STA for world-class assurance. If you need soil testing and site classification services in Queensland or New South Wales, we can help. Take a look at our soil testing and geotechnical engineering services or give us a call on (07) 3071 7444 (QLD) or (02) 4032 6450 (NSW).

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