Each testing laboratory applying for accreditation must build a management system based on ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, which is the basis for meeting PCA requirements by the laboratory. The requirements contained in the standard, which concern laboratory management and technical requirements, are applicable to every laboratory, regardless of its type, size and structure and the applied methods.
The requirements in the sphere of management concern:
- Regulate the operation of the entire laboratory,
- Management (policies, communication within the lab,
- Improvement Committee (top management involvement),
- Documentation and Records,
- Research subcontracts,
- Shopping,
- Customer service (including complaints),
- Supervision of non-compliant testing and/or calibration,
- Corrective and preventive actions,
- Management audits and reviews.
The technical requirements are:
- Personnel,
- Accommodation and environmental conditions,
- Methods of testing and/or calibration together with their validation, estimation of uncertainty,
- Supervising equipment,
- Ensure measurement consistency,
- Sampling and handling of test objects,
- Quality assurance of tests and/or calibrations,
- Present test and/or calibration results.
The competence of a laboratory is demonstrated by the compliance of its activities with the requirements of this standard.
Bibliography:
1. http://mfiles.pl/pl/index.php/ISO_17025
2) PCA document DA-05 "Policy on participation in proficiency testing", 5th edition of 17.11.11 r.
3. document PCA DAB-07 "Accreditation of testing laboratories. Specific requirements", 9th edition 10.09.12 r.
4) ElkomLab document "Technical procedure T6", 2nd edition of 15.04.2013.
