Table of Contents
- 1 Why is it important for a laboratory to be accredited?
- 2 Why is ISO 17025 required for any laboratory or organization?
- 3 What is an accredited lab?
- 4 How does a lab get accredited?
- 5 What are main requirements of equipment used in an accredited lab?
- 6 What is the difference between accreditation and certification?
- 7 What does it mean to be ISO 17025 accredited?
- 8 What does it mean to be internationally recognized for laboratory accreditation?
Why is it important for a laboratory to be accredited?
Providing confidence that medical laboratories deliver quality levels of performance and competence. Laboratories are responsible for delivering an average of 300,000 tests every working day in support of the nation’s health services.
Why is ISO 17025 required for any laboratory or organization?
ISO/IEC 17025 enables laboratories to demonstrate that they operate competently and generate valid results, thereby promoting confidence in their work both nationally and around the world.
Which ISO standard is applicable on laboratories?
ISO/IEC 17025:
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 is applicable to all laboratories regardless of the number of personnel or the extent of the scope of testing and/or calibration activities.
Can accredited labs just stick to ISO 17025 2005?
Putting things into perspective, all accredited laboratories are ISO 17025 compliant. However, not all ISO 17025 compliant laboratories are accredited. If your laboratory wants formal recognition of testing competence, take your compliance to the next level and obtain ISO 17025 accreditation.
What is an accredited lab?
An accredited lab has been audited on a regular basis by an independent third party and has proven that it meets the management and technical systems requirements of the standard and the laboratory has adequate equipment to perform the tests or calibrations.
How does a lab get accredited?
In order for a laboratory to become accredited it must not only prove it has a quality system that meets the specific requirements, it must also prove it is technically competent, i.e. meets the claimed measurement accuracies and traceability, for the testing or calibrations listed on its Scope of Accreditation.
How do I get ISO 17025 accreditation?
Steps to ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation
- Learn about the Standard.
- Perform a Gap Analysis.
- Plan your project.
- Train your organization.
- Document your Quality Management System.
- Implement your QMS and conduct business.
- Audit your QMS.
- Accreditation Audit.
What does accreditation to ISO IEC 17025 mean?
ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation provides the assurance that calibration and testing laboratories are delivering good services, and consistent data. The accreditation body is responsible for assessing the quality system and technical aspects of your system to determine your compliance to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025.
What are main requirements of equipment used in an accredited lab?
Laboratory equipment may include the main measurement instruments, measurement software, auxiliary measurement modules and equipment, reagents, consumables, and certified reference materials needed for the correct performance of the measurement procedure. Not all measurement equipment ensures success in the laboratory.
What is the difference between accreditation and certification?
Certification, like accreditation, is a voluntary process. Certification provides written assurance that a person, product, or process conforms to specified requirements and standards. Accreditation is generally considered to be a higher level of recognition than certification.
What are the difference between ISO 17025 and ISO 9001?
Although both ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17025:2017 are quality management systems applicable to any industry, their scope is significantly different. ISO 17025 is only for calibration and testing laboratories whereas ISO 9001 can be applied to any organization.
What is the difference between ISO certification and accreditation?
Basically, ISO certification means that a company meets certain ISO standards, and is provided by a third-party assessment body. In contrast, ISO accreditation means that a company can assess other companies to determine if they meet ISO standards – and issue certifications accordingly.
What does it mean to be ISO 17025 accredited?
Laboratory accreditation Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 plays an important role in supporting the provision of accurate and reliable results from laboratory testing, calibration, sampling and measurement services across many sectors. The technical competence of a laboratory depends on a number of factors including:
What does it mean to be internationally recognized for laboratory accreditation?
Internationally recognized accreditation bodies around the globe are committed to this improved accreditation system and to maximizing the benefits of laboratory accreditation for all stakeholders. The general requirements for laboratory competence are described in the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.
Why choose Anab for laboratory accreditation?
ANAB provides laboratory accreditation to ISO 17025 and multiple standards in many industry-specific programs. ANAB believes in a partnership approach to laboratory accreditation assessments. Throughout the laboratory accreditation process, we focus on customer needs while ensuring all ISO 17025 laboratory accreditation requirements are met.
Where can I find a list of accredited labs?
A printable list (PDF, below) of accredited labs is available, however, the most up-to-date information is in the Lab Search database. Our new map-based tool, based on our popular Lab Search database, can help you find a laboratory that can analyze your samples. Drinking water laboratories are in blue, other types of labs show in orange.