WHAT IS BA 9000?
Several years ago, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) assembled a collaborative team from industry, certifying bodies, and NIJ to address the issue of body armor safety. As a result of this multi-year collaboration, NIJ has decided to increase the amount of testing needed for body armor to meet their standards. This includes more extensive testing, environmental testing, and more frequent testing. In addition, they have developed BA 9000, a body armor quality management standard. BA 9000 is an extension of ISO 9001, a popular quality management standard. Manufacturers who wish to become BA 9000 certified must comply with additional requirements beyond ISO 9001 specific to body armor manufacturing. While this standard is not required, it is recommended by the NIJ. As of the 1st Quarter of 2010, BA 9000 has not been officially released. While the details are not final, here are some tentative key points: • Manufacturers must provide procedures for communicating with the Compliance T
