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ISO/IEC 17025, released in 1999, contains all the requirements that
testing and calibration laboratories must meet to demonstrate that they
operate quality management systems (QMS), are technically competent and
can generate technically valid results. All ISO 9001 requirements that are
relevant to the scope of testing and calibration laboratory QMS have been
incorporated into ISO/IEC 17025, along with technical competency
requirements.
- ISO/IEC 17025 covers such matters as quality system; personnel;
document control; review of requests, tenders and contracts;
subcontracting of tests and calibrations; purchasing services and
supplies; services to the client; control of records; internal audits;
accommodation and environmental conditions; test and calibration methods
and method validation; equipment; measurement traceability; sampling;
handling of test and calibration items; and reporting the results.
ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation is a more thorough process than ISO 9001
registration because it recognizes a laboratory’s competence to produce
technically valid results as well as its QMS conformance. When a
laboratory is part of a larger facility, ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation can
occur at the same time as ISO 9001, QS-9000 or ISO/TS 16949 registration
if the auditor is working for both an accreditation body and a registrar.
These standards can be ordered through ANSI at 212-642-4900 and
www.ansi.org.
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