WHAT IS
ISO/IEC 17025:2017
TESTING AND CALIBRATION LABORATORIES

ISO 17025 is the primary international standard for general requirements for testing and calibration laboratories’ competence. ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is the most recent version of ISO 17025, having been revised in 2005. Most labs in major countries must be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 in order to be considered technically competent.

Overall, labs use ISO/IEC 17025 to implement a quality management system (QMS) with the goal of improving their ability to produce valid results consistently. It also serves as the foundation for accreditation from an accreditation body. Accreditation, because the standard is about competence, is simply the formal recognition of a demonstration of that competence. A documented QMS is required for a lab to become accredited. The quality manual’s common contents adhere to the outline of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

Benefits of ISO/IEC 17025:2017

  • International Reputation

  • Cost Reduction

  • Systematic Approach.

  • Improved Lab Testing Environment

  • Enhanced Customers’ Satisfaction Level

  • Employee Morale and Training

  • Professional working approach

  • Reliable ‘laboratory – customer’ relations

  • Competence demonstration

  • An iterative process of management

  • The validity of the final report

  • Conformity with testing trends

  • Boost your reputation

  • Compliance assurance

  • Performance guideline

  • Increase in business

  • Greater efficiency

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Clauses

  1. Scope
  2. Normative References
  3. Terms and Definitions
  4. Context of the Organization
  5. General Requirements
  6. Structural Requirements
  7. Resource Requirements
  8. Process Requirements
  9. Management System Requirement

History of ISO 17025:2017

ISO/IEC 17025 was originally known as ISO/IEC Guide 25, and it was first published in 1978, with subsequent editions in 1982 and 1990. Guide 25 needed to be updated in the mid-to-late-1990s. The ISO, on the other hand, decided to turn the guide into a standard and tighten compatibility with ISO 9001, which was also being revised.

The ISO issued ISO/IEC 17025:1999 in late 1999, and it was internationally adopted in 2000. On May 12, 2005, a second release—ISO/IEC 17025:2005—was made after it was agreed that the wording needed to be more closely aligned with the 2000 version of ISO 9001. The ISO issued an updated version, ISO/IEC 17025:2017, at the end of November 2017. This update expanded the scope of sampling, testing, and calibration with a more consistent process approach, a stronger focus on information technologies, and the addition of risk-based thinking methods

Why is ISO/IEC 17025 Important?

ISO/IEC 17025 is one such regulation that includes a list of requirements for testing laboratories. To demonstrate technical competency and ensure the accuracy of test results, testing laboratories must be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited. This article will emphasise the importance of ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for your laboratory. Other reasons why it is important because:

  • It improves the dependability of laboratory-generated test results.

  • In the event of a rumour and/or legitimacy issue, it can establish technical competency

  • The laboratory’s efficiency improves, customer complaints decrease, the laboratory gains a strong competitive advantage, and operational costs are reduced.

  • The regulation facilitates traceability of measurements and calibrations to optimal standards, establishes technical competency of staff, keeps a record of test equipment, ensures the accuracy of test results, the validity and correctness of test and calibration methods, appropriate handling and movement of test items, and the quality of the testing and sampling environment.

  • Creating an environment of professionalism and pride.

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