INAB · Reg. No. 398T
ISO/IEC 17025
Accredited Testing Laboratory
Laboratory testing accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Board. Accredited activities are detailed in scope registration 398T.
Independently verified, continually re-assessed
Accreditation is our licence to be believed.
Anyone can issue a report. Metlab’s accredited results are backed by the Irish National Accreditation Board across testing, inspection and certification of persons — and by State appointment under the Pressure Equipment Directive.
INAB accreditation
Three scopes. One quality system.
Metlab is accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Board — the state body that assesses technical competence — across all three pillars of conformity assessment.
INAB · Reg. No. 9031
ISO/IEC 17020
Inspection Body — Weld Procedure Qualification (WPQR)
Type A inspection body accredited for weld procedure qualification (WPQR) — approval of permanent joining (welding) procedures, including under the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU. Accredited activities are detailed in scope registration 9031.
INAB · Reg. No. 7007
ISO/IEC 17024
Certification of Persons — Welders & Plastics Welders
Accredited certification body for the certification of persons — welders and welding operators to the EN ISO 9606 series and ASME IX, and plastics welders to EN 13067. Scope registration 7007.
Appointed by the State
Recognised Third-Party Organisation — PED 2014/68/EU
Appointed under the powers of the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Metlab provides RTPO services under the EU Pressure Equipment Directive: approval of permanent joining procedures and certification of personnel for pressure equipment — including CE-marked manufacturers and CE-marked structural steel fabricators within our scope of approval.
PED 2014/68/EU
Recognised Third-Party Organisation (RTPO) — Appointed by the State
ISO 9001
Quality Management — Centre for Assessment
ISO 14001
Environmental Management — Centre for Assessment
ISO 45001
Health & Safety Management — Centre for Assessment
ISO 27001
Information Security Management — Centre for Assessment
Accredited activities are defined by the current scope documents registered with INAB. For the avoidance of doubt on any specific test or inspection, request the relevant scope — we send it without ceremony.
Public information · EN ISO/IEC 17020 & 17024
Statements on certification
Independence and impartiality safeguards, the certification process, schemes offered, and downloadable certificates, scopes and procedures — published in full, without request.
Plain answers
What accreditation actually buys you.
What is the difference between accreditation and certification?
Certification (e.g. ISO 9001) confirms an organisation operates a compliant management system. Accreditation goes further: a national body — INAB in Ireland — formally attests that the organisation is technically competent to perform specific tests, inspections or certifications, and re-assesses that competence continually. Accreditation is the higher bar, and it applies to a defined scope of activities.
How do I verify Metlab’s accreditation scope?
Every INAB-accredited body is listed in the public INAB directory with its registration number and detailed scope. Metlab’s registrations are 398T (ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory testing), 9031 (ISO/IEC 17020 inspection body — approval of permanent joining procedures under the Pressure Equipment Directive) and 7007 (ISO/IEC 17024 certification of persons — welders and plastics welders). You can review each scope on inab.ie — or ask us and we will send the current scope documents directly.
Why does ISO/IEC 17025 matter when choosing a laboratory?
ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation means the laboratory’s methods, equipment calibration, staff competence, impartiality and reporting have been independently assessed by the national accreditation body. Results carry mutual international recognition through ILAC — which is why specifications, regulators and insurers ask for accredited results rather than any lab report.
What is a Recognised Third-Party Organisation (RTPO)?
Under the EU Pressure Equipment Directive (2014/68/EU), permanent joining (welding) procedures and personnel for category II–IV pressure equipment must be approved by a notified body or an RTPO. Metlab is an RTPO appointed by the State under the powers of the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation — meaning Irish fabricators can have welding procedures and welders approved for PED work without going abroad.
Testing · Inspection · Certification
Specify an accredited provider — then hold us to it.
Send your specification and we'll confirm exactly which activities fall under which scope, in writing, before work starts.