Case Study

Improving Trust in the Construction Field

Summary

Accreditation supports the structural construction system through the accreditation of construction testing labs and inspection bodies in the mechanical and construction sectors.
Accreditation includes a range of examination, inspection and testing activities within the construction field, to provide authoritative assurance that the accreditation requirements are met. It also provides confidence in the technical competence of inspection bodies and testing laboratories to carry out specific tasks.

Background

Jordan has limited internal financial capacity to implement construction projects. Hard choices need to be made and critical projects with low costs, high benefits, and low health and safety risks should be targeted. Jordan is largely dependent on external funding sources, so the quality of construction materials, components, activities, and safety measures are always paramount in construction projects. Therefore, the regulatory authoritative bodies address these challenges by requiring accreditation as a prerequisite for entering into government tenders for construction contracting and consulting, and provide evidence on the technical competency of testing labs and inspection bodies.

Two authoritative bodies regulate tasks in this way:

• The Jordanian Government Tenders Directorate (GTD). Further information is available at the following link
• Jordanian National Building Council. Further information is available at the following link

Strategy

The Jordan Accreditation and Standardization System – Accreditation Unit (JAS-AU) accredits the following types of conformity assessment bodies in relation to the construction sector:

• Testing labs according to ISO/IEC 17025 – General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Accreditation covers the following areas of construction testing: Soil, Aggregate, Concrete, Building Stone, Steel, Cement Tiles, Bituminous Mixture and Cement.
• Inspection bodies according to ISO/IEC 17020 – Conformity Assessment — Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection. Accreditation covers the following area of inspection: Lifting equipment including cranes and lifts.

Results and impact

The government regulator benefits from ensuring quality and competence in construction projects, which can extend a project’s shelf life, optimize the use of available resources, and reduce errors and re-work. Between 2006 and 2023, the number of accredited laboratories increased from zero to 19 and the number of inspection bodies increased from zero to five.

Contact:
Jordanian Accreditation and Standardization System – Accreditation Unit (JAS-AU)