What is ISO 17025:2018 Testing and Calibration Certification?

ISO 17025:2018 is the current International Standards Organisation (ISO) Standard for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, recognised as a worldwide benchmark for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. ISO 17025 Certified organisations have been assessed by an independent third-party Certification Body as meeting the ISO 17025:2018 Testing and Calibration Laboratories Standard.

Should you be outside Australia, Certification Oceania can provide ISO 17025 Certification services by completing an independent, third-party assessment of your organisation’s Testing and/or Calibration Laboratory. However, within Australia, the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) is generally recognised as the national accreditation authority for analytical laboratories and testing service providers, so for Australian companies what Certification Oceania can do is offer you a pre-accreditation documentation Gap Analysis, with a comprehensive Gap Analysis Report of findings, recommendations and corrective actions which you can address/close-out before your NATA accreditation audit.

Of the more than 100 subject areas to be documented for ISO 17025 compliance, the following is just a few topics that have to be covered:

· Testing or Calibration Standards and Operations Compliance

· Technical Requirements and Control Methods

· Testing or Calibration Facilities and Environmental Conditions

· Sampling

· Selection, Verification and Validation of Testing or Calibration Methods

· Proficiency Testing, Training and Competencies

· Verification and Validation of Methods

· Evaluation of Measurement Uncertainty (MU)

· Control of Testing or Calibration Data

· Authorisations for Particular Types of Testing or Calibration

· Testing or Calibration Equipment – ‘Fit for Purpose’

· Identification and Traceability to National Standards

· Action Taken when Testing or Calibration Equipment Out of Calibration

· Performance Measurement, Analysis and Continual Improvement

· Control of Non-Conformity, Corrective and Preventive Action