Overview of BIS Labs
Product certification scheme introduced in 1956 called for reliable testing of a wide variety of
products and raw materials for evaluating their conformity to the requirements laid down in
Indian Standards as required for continuous surveillance of the scheme. Initially services of
several independent laboratories in India were availed for the purpose. With rapid expansion of
the certification scheme, the need for expeditious testing of samples and for ensuring close
conformity to the testing procedures laid down in various Indian Standards was strongly felt
and the organization decided to have its own chain of laboratories mainly to cater to the needs
of Certification Marks Scheme.
In-house testing of samples under Certification Marks Scheme started in 1963 in BIS HQ in
Delhi. Subsequently with the number & variety of samples going up progressively, systematic
expansion of lab activities had to be planned with a view to ensure availability of testing
facilities close to its users, that is, BIS licensees. It was therefore decided to set up labs at
various Regional Offices as well. To assist the organization in this task, industry, Central and
State Governments contributed generously. Today BIS has four Regional Laboratories situated
in different parts of the country. Simultaneously with the completion of these projects, the
laboratory at HQ was shifted to its present premises near Delhi at Sahibabad (U.P.). All these
five labs were commissioned with requisite test facilities under central assistance and were
fully operational in their own premises by 1982.
Because of financial constraints with the organization at that time certain State Govts. came
forward for funding the cost of land, building and the laboratory equipments for setting up
Laboratory-cum-Office buildings in state capitals. Under this scheme laboratories were
commissioned at Patna in Bihar and Bangaluru in Karnataka.
To meet the special requirements of the North-Eastern Region, plywood testing lab was set up
at Tinsukia in Assam state. Subsequently office and lab were shifted to Guwahati.
BIS Laboratories mainly cater to the needs of BIS certification Marks Scheme and accordingly
tests are carried out on samples generated from the applicants, licensees operating under the
Scheme. Out of more than 1000 products under Certification Marks Scheme, BIS Laboratories
have test facilities for more than 700 products in electrical, mechanical, chemical &
microbiological areas.
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Percentage share of testing by individual labs for the year 2009-10 is as below:
Percentage Share of Samples of BIS Labs
2009-10
PBOL, 889, 4.6%
GBOL, 61, 0.3%
BnBOL, 1123, 5.8%
CL, 5368, 27.7%
WROL, 3219, 16.6%
EROL, 2822, 14.6%
SROL, 3414, 17.6%
NROL, 2492, 12.9%
CL:
EROL:
NROL:
SROL:
WROL:
BnBOL:
PBOL:
GBOL:
Central Laboratory, Sahibabad, UP
Eastern regional Laboratory, Kolkatta
Northern Regional Laboratory, Mohali
Southern Regional Laboratory, Chennai
Western Regional Laboratory, Mumbai
Bangaluru Branch Laboratory
Patna Branch Laboratory
Guwahati Branch Office Laboratory.
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Major Areas of Testing Activities
Central Laboratory - BIS Central Lab at Sahibabad is the largest amongst BIS labs and has
facilities for diversified products. Details of test facilities of BIS Central Lab are as under:
Electrical Lab:
i)
Domestic Electrical Appliances
ii)
Cables & Conductors
iii)
Wiring accessories & MCB
iv)
Electrical motors and fans
v)
GLS lamps
Mechanical Lab:
i)
Physical testing and measurements
ii)
Gas cylinders, valves & regulators
iii)
Gas and oil burning appliances
iv)
Builder’s hardware
v)
Sanitary wares
vi)
Metallic & non-metallic pipes & fittings
vii)
Water supply fittings
viii) Timber & timber products
ix)
Safety glass & safety helmets
x)
Containers
xi)
Fire fighting equipments
xii)
Plant protection equipments( sprayers)
xiii) Automotive mechanical components
xiv) Steel & steel products
xv)
Steel wires, wire ropes, chain pulley blocks
xvi) Cement & Concrete
xvii) Medical instruments and accessories
xviii) Leather and rubber products
xix) Jute and textile products
xx)
Clinical thermometers
xxi) Pressures cookers and utensils
Chemical Lab:
i)
Agricultural ,food and dairy products
ii)
Microbiology
iii)
Paints and pigments
iv)
Stationary and packaging materials
v)
Jute & Textile products
vi)
Pesticide formulations
vii)
Miscellaneous Organic/ Inorganic chemicals
viii) Petroleum products
ix)
Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) &
Water(PNMW)
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Packaged
Natural
Mineral
x)
xi)
xii)
xiii)
xiv)
Soap, Detergent & Toiletries
Food colours & Dyes
Ferrous & Non Ferrous Metals & Alloys
Cement
Paper & Allied products
Major facilities available in Bureau’s other labs are :
TESTING FACILITIES
ELECTRICAL LAB
i) Domestic Electrical Appliances
ii) Cables & Conductors
iii)Wiring accessories & switchgear
iv)Electrical motors and fans
v)GLS lamps
MECHANICAL LAB
i) Physical testing and measurements
ii) Gas cylinders, valves & regulators
iii) Gas & oil burning appliances
iv) Builder’s hardware
v) Sanitary wares
vi) Metallic Pipes & Fittings
vii) Non-metallic Pipes & Fittings
viii)Water supply fittings & water meters
ix)Timber & timber products
x) Drum & Tin Containers
xi) Fire fighting equipment
xii) Plant protection equipment(sprayers)
xiii) Pumps
xiv) Hand pumps
xv) Steel & Steel products
xvi) Cement & concrete
xvii) Medical instruments and accessories
xviii) Leather and rubber products
xix) Irrigation Equipments
xx) Jute & Textile products
xxi) Solar Devices
xxii) Pressure cookers & utensils
xxiii) Diesel Engines
CHEMICAL LAB
i) Agricultural, food & dairy products
ii) Microbiology lab
iii) Stationary & packaging materials
v) Jute & Textile products
vi) Pesticides formulations
vii) Miscellaneous organic/inorganic
NROL
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TESTING FACILITIES
NROL
chemicals
viii) Petroleum products
ix) Packaged drinking water & Packaged
natural mineral water
x) Soap, Detergent and toiletries
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xi) Food colours and dyes
xii) Ferrous & non ferrous Metals & Alloys *
xiii) Cement
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xiv) Animal feed
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EROL
WROL SROL BNBOL PBOL GBOL
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Calibration Facilities
Testing of different variety of products involve the use of many kinds of measuring
instruments and equipment. Calibration of all these instruments/equipment at regular
periodicity is part of the Lab Quality System followed by BIS laboratories.
In view of the large quantum of calibration work involved, in-house calibration facility has
been created at Central Laboratory for the calibration of some of the instruments. This facility
also helps BIS laboratories to verify the test results without loss of time by repeat in-house
calibration as and when required.
Training of Manpower
From the very beginning of the establishment of BIS laboratories, training is being provided in
testing techniques to the testing persons of BIS licensees, Applicants, Industries and to the
foreign nationals under various International Training Programmes, besides training to its own
testing personnel.
All the testing personnel selected for employment with BIS laboratories undergo extensive
Induction Training Programme covering various aspects of training including on job training.
This training programme covers both theory and practical aspects of testing and other activities
of BIS.
The officials engaged in testing are given regular exposure and training. Regular interaction at
senior management level also takes place with reputed laboratories.
Refresher courses are also arranged at regular interval for laboratory testing personnel and
officers in-house as well as outside specialized laboratories.
Based on request from BIS licensees and applicants, and State & Central Government
laboratories training programmes are arranged by BIS laboratories on testing of various
products as per Indian Standards.
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BIS Central laboratory has been providing training to the students of various
colleges/institutions in the month of May / June every year, thus fulfilling its social
responsibility.
Quality Assurance Activities
Documented procedures are maintained for each important activity of BIS laboratories.
However, to fall in line with the practice recommended by ISO/IEC Guide 25 and EN 45000
series of standards, BIS Central Laboratory formulated a Quality Manual as early as 1990.
This quality manual has been revised from time to time considering various requirements of
ISO/IEC 17025 including specific provision for complaints investigations and corrective and
preventive measures to be initiated.
For effective implementation of Quality System, a separate full fledged Corporate Quality
Assurance and Policy Department (CQAPD) headed by a senior officer and supported by a
team of officers to take care of the various elements of good quality lab practices is
functioning at Central Lab under DDGL/Sc.G (Labs) Secretariat. Appropriate set up has also
been established at individual labs level.
Realizing the importance of precision of test methods, BIS labs have been participating and
organizing proficiency test programmes. Inter-laboratory as well as intra-laboratory test
comparison is very much on the agenda of work of BIS labs. Guidance for such tests is taken
from various established and internationally accepted documents in the area.
Accreditation of BIS labs
At present five BIS labs are accredited from NABL a Department of Science and Technology,
Govt of India. Details of accreditation can be had from NABL website (www.nabl-india.org).
BIS Lab Recognition Scheme
BIS is required to take assistance from outside labs to cope with the increasing work load for
which either BIS labs are not equipped or not able to undertake tasks due to excessive work
load.
So far around 129 labs have been recognized under this scheme. This scheme is purely from
the point of view of use for BIS product testing needs for certification purpose.
BIS laboratory recognition scheme is in line with IS/ISO/IEC 17025:2005 ‘General
Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories.’ Laboratories are
initially assessed for their competence in the areas of approval sought and subsequently
surveillance audits are organized to ensure their continued suitability.
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Future Plans
BIS labs are on the path of modernization. Plans have been drawn up to modernize existing
laboratories and also to set up new modern labs base on needs of the region. Financial
allocation for these programmes are available from BIS own funds. As per direction of
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, a referral lab for Assaying of Gold
jewellery is being set up at SROL, Chennai.
Organization Chart of BIS Laboratory
Director
General
Addl.
Director
General
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