ISO/IEC 17025 – Testing and calibration laboratories – General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
Scope of the Standard: this Standard specifies the requirements to be met by accredited testing/calibration laboratories (or willing to get accredited) in order to demonstrate their competence related to the performance of specific tests/calibrations. Accreditation is always linked to a well-defined list of tests (testing/calibration methods) contained in the scope (fixed or flexible) of the implemented Quality Management System.
Recipients of our consulting services: testing/calibration laboratories willing to get accredited in accordance with this specific International Standard or to maintain accreditation valid.
Aim: to support laboratories during the various steps of the accreditation process, in order to demonstrate their competence in a clear and recognized way (at national/international level). This competence is demonstrated in compliance with the requirements of the relevant standard as well as additional prescriptive documents issued by the National Accreditation Body.
Some of our services (non-exhaustive list):
- Initial meeting with the customer, detailed analysis of internal/external processes
- Definition of the best path to take, defined in accordance with the customer’s needs and expectations, type of analyses carried out and provided services, methods to accreditate, etc., in order to adapt the existing Management System to the requirements of the Standard
- Support in the preparation of the documents necessary to get accredited or to keep accreditation (processes, methods, analysis of risk/opportunities, etc.), as well as interlaboratory tests, in compliance with the requirements of this Standard and those of the National Accreditation Body
- Equipment management (calibration, metrological confirmation, etc.), in accordance with ISO 10012
- Support during the control phase
- Planning of the periodic monitoring auditing
Some of the advantages deriving from the implementation of a Quality Management System compliant to ISO/IEC 17025:
- The implementation of a Quality Management System compliant to ISO/IEC 17025 will be a clear and unmistakable proof of compliance with its requirements, as well as accuracy of issued data (test/calibration reports). Ex: personnel and infrastructure management, management of the data custody chain, measurement uncertainty assessment, assurance of results validity, validation of analytical/calibration methods, inter laboratory circuit management, risk management, process approach, etc.
- The opportunity to distinguish themselves from non-accredited laboratories, thus reaching a wider range of customers (both from private and public sectors) requesting tests/calibrations accredited in accordance with the above mentioned Standard
- The chance to participate to tenders exclusively intended for ISO/IEC 17025 accredited organizations
