Benefits of ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation for testing laboratories
An accreditation mark on a test / calibration report means that the laboratory issuing the report has been evaluated and deemed competent by a third party. Therefore, it promotes confidence that the test result in that report is reliable.
An ISO / IEC 17025 mark of the laboratory accreditation scheme is generally the logo of an accreditation body accompanied by the laboratory’s accreditation body which may have a corporate logo, which is independent of the accreditation mark.
An accreditation mark is normally owned by the accreditation body and accreditation confers the right to use the mark on test certificates, company letterheads, and advertisements as long as certain rules are followed. These rules stipulate how the ISO 17025: 2017 Certification will be used, for example size, color, position and other conditions if it is to be used in certificates, for example an attached statement to indicate that the accreditation is for specific tests as established in the Directory of the accreditation body, disclaimers, conditions in which non-accredited tests may appear, etc.
In India, the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) provides laboratory accreditation services to test / calibration laboratories that have been shown to function in accordance with NABL criteria based on standards and guidelines. internationally accepted, such as ISO / IEC 17025: 2017.
Benefits of accreditation for testing laboratories
- The accredited laboratory must carry out its testing activities in such a way as to meet the requirements of ISO / IEC 17025. Therefore, the laboratory gets better control of the operation because quality procedures are used.
- All teachers are calibrated through an NABL accredited laboratory, increasing the level of accuracy of test results.
- By participating in proficiency testing and organizing the interlaboratory program, you can compare your results with other accredited laboratories.
- The laboratory will have to perform all the tests according to IS to increase the proficiency level of the laboratory.
- Improve customer confidence in test reports issued by laboratories.
- As part of accreditation, personnel performing specific tasks must be qualified on the basis of appropriate education, training, and experience to increase the skill of the personnel.
- The laboratory must control the environment (that is, temperature and humidity) within specified limits in order to increase the quality of the test results.
- By evaluating the uncertainty in the tests, the laboratory can demonstrate its ability to measure.
- The laboratory gets better control of the operation because quality procedures are used.
- Increase the proficiency level of the laboratory.
- Improve customer confidence in calibration / test reports issued by laboratories.
Relationship with international national standards (traceability)Traceability is a fundamental requirement for any measurement carried out in any organization. Traceability is “The property of the result of a measurement by which it can be related to appropriate standards, generally national or international through an uninterrupted chain of comparisons.” It is also defined as “the ability to relate the results of individual measurements to national standards or nationally accepted measurement systems through an unbroken chain of comparisons.”
International standards are maintained at the International Office of Weights and Measures, BIPM in Paris, France and are recognized by international agreements. In India, the National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi is designated as the custodian of the National Standards. In addition to national standards, several other standards are developed to allow industries to have the required traceability to the national standard.
