ISO 17025 certification refers to the general information of the organization’s ability to perform tests and calibrations, which includes the sampling process. It involves all test and calibration processes with reference to standard, non-standard, and laboratory-developed methods.
This normal is the same for all institutions, which are involved in testing and calibration, such as the ones doing the first, second, and third-party laboratories that were accredited on the one hand and laboratories that were ISO 17025 accredited laboratory for testing services and calibrations as part of the inspection of products and certification processes.
ISO 17025 can be used by any size of laboratory regardless of a number of personnel or performance of the test and calibration procedures. One or more of the activities listed in ISO/IEC 17025:2005, such as sampling and method development, are necessary for laboratories to meet its requirements.
Purpose Of ISO 17025 Certification
ISO 17025 is {ISO 17025 is} a tool that helps laboratories to come up with a quality and administrative management system which will help them to be technically competent. The purpose of ISO 17025 is also to enable the customers of laboratories, regulatory authorities and accreditation bodies to verify or recognize a laboratory’s competence. Nevertheless, ISO 17025 is not set up for laboratory certification.
It should be mentioned that ISO 17025:2005 is only a regulatory compliance and safety tool, but it is not involved in the operational matters of laboratories.
Constant Earning With ISO 17025
If you are competent in IEC 17025 and have the certificate, you have shown your commitment to complying with the standard. A qualified professional, you will assist the labs to demonstrate their capability and ability to get trust. This certification gives you a heads up in the job market, as it is a big advantage when you have this skill. In fact, today, the voices or even the obligatory contracts for the certified professionals and labs are signed by a great number of organizations. This demand for certified services by customers can reasonably improve your income level.
Where Does ISO/IEC 17025 Certification Can Be Applied?
ISO/IEC 17025 is a standard that operates in various testing and calibration laboratories, such as forensic, asbestos testing, acoustics, chemicals, fiber optics, food production, textiles, and cannabis labs. This is used by many companies as an indicator of the quality of their products.
ISO 17025, on the other hand, is the internationally recognized instrument to guarantee and exhibit the reliability, integrity, competence, and quality of lab practices while promoting proficiency testing, which is also a testament to the competence of a lab.
The certification of your lab by an accreditation body is the means by which you are ensuring your lab’s credibility and reliability to the customers and business partners. There are many government organizations around the world who use such accreditation as the first and the most crucial step in their collaboration program.
Requirements For ISO 17025 (Laboratory Management System)
To establish the best compliance techniques, companies should learn about ISO 17025 requirements. Major changes from the 2005 version to the 2017 version include:
- Separate the General and Structural Requirements from the Management and Technical Requirements clauses.
- Also, the second 7 clauses – Resource, Process, and Management System – are detailed in Clauses 6 – 8.
The 2017 version now lists the general requirements with more details enabling laboratories to ensure their competence and impartiality.
Clauses And Elements
The ISO 17025 standard consists of the following clauses and elements:
- Scope
- Narrative Reference
- Terms And Definitions
- General Requirements
- Structural Requirements
- Resources Requirements
- Process Requirements
- Management System Requirements
Key Benefits of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation
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Higher Legitimacy
ISO 17025 certification is professional evidence of the fact that the laboratory is an international standard organization (ISO) accredited one showing that the laboratory has met the criteria, which guarantee the consistency, reliability and quality of the provided services approved by the stakeholders, regulators, and the customers.
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Hiked Quality Management System
A QMS that is accredited is one that needs a solid quality management system. This may be achieved by a streamlined process, faster and more mistake-free.
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Defined Performance Criteria
Besides the certification process, the control body also conducts periodic technical audits to make the establishments comply with the set requirements. This function is a propeller of such constant developments as it allows the monitoring of the current issues such as the capability to test the laboratory’s equipment by the accreditation body.
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Highly Skilled Employees
Employees who are engaged in tests and calibrations are professionally reviewed to make sure they have proper training and competencies.
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International Popularity
The test reports and certificates given by an accredited lab which follows the rules of ISO 17025 are accepted worldwide, this has encouraged a global partnership in the lab and improved the rating of the test results.
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Competing Effectiveness
Certification enough, brings this type of service provider who clients favor since truth and technical correctness are guaranteed. On the other hand, those who don’t hold such certificates risk losing market shares as the demand for that service continues to grow.
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Gaining The Trust Of The People
ISO 17025 accreditation assures an excellent standard on the part of a lab and hence it may be enough to change people’s negative attitude towards it.