BA 9000

BA 9000 Body Armor Quality Management System Requirements were established by the National Institute of Justice as a quality standard for body armor. It specifies the construction and assembly requirements of personal armor for federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement and corrections agencies; the requirements of BA 9000 are voluntary (but it is recommended by the NIJ).

Though BA 9000 was written to be in compliance with ISO 9001, the NIJ notes that a company being certified as ISO 9001 is not necessarily certified as being BA 9000-compliant.[1] BA 9000 incorporates all of the standards of ISO 9001, but it also:

  • Details the procedures body armor manufacturers need to take to communication with the compliance testing program
  • Ensures the accountability of armor by mandating a unique identifier for each piece used
  • Management of work areas to reduce any adverse effects on the armor
  • Specifies that testing must be done at approved facilities; these facilities must be compliant with ISO 17025[2]

While certification to BA 9000 is not mandated or regulatory, its benefits include:

  • Reduced Testing – For manufacturers who are BA 9000 certified, testing frequency can be reduced by half.
  • Competitive Advantage – Certification to a standard such as BA 9000 is an indicator of a quality product. This is a great advantage in an industry where quality could be the difference between life and death.[2]

Facilities seeking to become a BA 9000 certification body must, in addition to being ISO 17025-certified, submit to yearly office and an overall audit of the management systems in place. The accreditation is normally for a period of four years.[3]

References
  1. "BA 9000: National Institute of Justice Body Armor Quality Management System Requirements" (PDF). National Institute of Justice. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  2. "BA 9000". www.pjr.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  3. "How to Become an ANAB-Accredited Certification Body". anab.org. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
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