During 1998 SANAS officially assumed responsibility for all accreditation functions (laboratories and certification bodies) in South Africa and the NLA ceased to operate as an accreditation body.

The NLA board at that time decided that the NLA would continue to exist in the form of a voluntary association of laboratories and the name National Laboratory Association (NLA) was adopted.

The NLA continues to play a vital role in the laboratory community and a number of significant milestones have been reached in the past 3 to 4 years.

NLA Highlights

• formation of CMeTSA, the training arm of the NLA and the co-ordination of metrology and measurement training
  
  
• development of new courses
  
  
• active participation on both local and international bodies
  
  
• successful take-over of the annual workshop activity
  
  
• financial stability
  
  
• expansion of members
  
  
• formation and participation in the education arena via the Unit Standards and Professional recognition
  

The above list is underpinned by the functions and goals of the association, which are as follows:

• to nominate members for SANAS STC's when requested
  
  
• provide recommendations to SANAS on the need for new STC's
  
  
• identify specialists as lecturers for CMeTSA courses
  
  
• develop courses geared towards supporting metrology and test laboratories
  
  
• in conjunction with the MIG run the Excellence Award program
  
  
• manage the intellectual property of the NLA through the transfer of knowledge and encouragement of questions on the NLA web site http://www.nla.org.za and the media
  
  
• organise a register of courses and co-ordinate the presentation of them through CMeTSA
  
  
• help source and provide suitable speakers for metrology and testing workshops
  
  
• represent the local laboratory community nationally (through SANAS, SABS and other bodies) and internationally (through ILAC, Laboratory Committee, Eurolab etc)
  
  
• manage the financial resources available and where possible sponsor bursaries and study grants for testing/metrology students with special attention being given to those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds
  
  
• promote the benefit of an impartial laboratory association to both existing and new members as well as the community at large
  
  
• continue to review the existing constitution and make changes where necessary to accommodate wider representation (e.g. legal metrology)
  
  
• create and support special interest groups
  

“The NLA will address generic issues concerning accreditation, such as interpretation of accreditation requirements, identifying generic national accreditation needs and resolving issues that are not covered by SANAS STCs, with the objective of making representation to SANAS on behalf of the association of laboratories”

Significantly the NLA has in its short time as an association been able to make a substantial contribution to the laboratory community and it is clear that it will play an even more important role in the future, as accreditation spreads its wings.

Currently the NLA is actively pursuing associate membership of Eurolab and has been advised that it is likely to be accepted as such during the course of 2002. Through this relationship, between Eurolab and the NLA, the local laboratory community will be in a position to directly gain access to a much larger community providing a much needed smaller developing community, viewpoint and helping to shape the way forward on various issues.

In addition the NLA will over the next phase of its development, play an even more significant role in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in order to help build a strong measurement capability in the member countries.