Overseas Assessments

1 April 2009

The government of Chile is currently reviewing its quality infrastructure to ensure that the system can offer support to the changing needs of industry and for quality of life improvements.

Chosen largely on the basis of his experience as past chairperson of APMP, Keith Jones of MSL was invited to be a member of the review team. The response to the review has not yet been decided but the approach to maintaining National Measurement Standards in Chile is interesting.

The significant difference in approach is Chile’s reliance on a large number (eight and likely to grow) of laboratories formally designated to take responsibility for specific national measurement standards. A number of these laboratories are run by private companies. The responsibility for co-ordinating national measurement standards, for weights and measures, for laboratory accreditation and for standardisation resides in a single organisation. This helps with communicating a consistent view to government about all quality infrastructure issues. Managing the mix of public and private investment and all the potential conflicts of interest is quite a challenge.

Inspecting the kilogram, Keith Jones and Francisco Garcia

To help encourage metrology discussions between all the laboratories and their clients they are making use of Facebook and Google discussion groups. Perhaps this is a communication idea we could try in New Zealand?.

Compared to New Zealand, Chile currently has fewer formally recognised (CIPM MRA) capabilities in traditional physical measurement areas, but is ahead of New Zealand with formal recognition of several capabilities in the chemistry area. The total number of recognised capabilities in Chile will undoubtedly grow rapidly in both areas. Given that Chile is a competitor with New Zealand in many food export areas we will watch future developments with interest.