ISO 17025

Considering Implementing ISO 17025?

As with ISO 9001, ISO 17025 is an internationally recognised standard that has been designed and redesigned to meet the needs of the scientific community. The standard is builds on the requirements of ISO 9001 and is a blueprint for the design and maintenance of a Management System that is applicable to all testing or calibration laboratories. The standard provides a roadmap to allow individual businesses design a system that works for them.

  • Its services/product(s)
  • Its underlying processes and procedures
  • Its suppliers

It requires that the designed Management System is:

  • Customer-Focused
  • Continually Improving

ISO 9001 is a CERTIFICATION process whilst ISO 17025 is an ACCREDITATION process. What does this mean? If a business is certified to a standard such as ISO 9001 this informs a prospective customer that they have a quality management system that has been successfully tested against the requirements of that standard and has been found to be in compliance. A laboratory that is accredited to ISO 17025 means that its management system has been similarly successfully tested against the requirements of ISO 17025 and shown to be in compliance, where it differs is that once accredited to ISO 17025 the laboratory can certify the work it provides its customers.

ISO 17025 helps you standardise and better understand the processes and procedures that make up your business, and requires that you qualify your major suppliers to ensure a quality supply chain.

Some industries require their laboratories to be ISO 17025 accredited and in other cases being ISO 17025 accredited may be used as a good marketing tool informing your prospective customers that your company works to an internationally recognised standard of quality that is externally verified on an annual basis.

Havard Quality Solutions Ltd can help your business implement ISO 17025 with anything from help performing a single task (such as providing a Gap Analysis to allow you to identify where you have to prioritise your work) to taking onboard the full implementation programme and project manage the process (with your implementation team) freeing you and your workforce to continue with your day-to-day business.

 

Havard Quality Solutions Ltd can:

  • Undertake a Gap Analysis against the requirements of the standard and provide you with a report to help you identify where you should focus your effort
  • Provide training to upper management to help them understand their obligations to the standard
  • Provide Training to your staff so they understand why the system is being implemented and their role
  • Provide Internal Auditor training to members of staff that you have identified as Internal Auditors for your company
  • Work with you to formulate/complete your action plan
  • Be the interface between you and the assessor, from initial discussions through the application process to completion of the project
  • Attend the Assessor audit and discuss the findings
  • Work with you to complete any non-conformances that were identified by the external assessor

Already Certified to ISO 17025?

If you are already certified to ISO 17025 then you already have a quality management system, it may be that your Quality Manager has left or has identified that you need to do more work to your system than can be achieved with your current staffing level. Why go to the expense of hiring more people? Havard Quality Solutions Ltd can fill the gap, either through management of the full system or provide a bespoke service covering those aspects with which you need help.

Havard Quality Solutions Ltd can provide an inclusive management programme for your system or we can be an extra tool in your toolbox that is used as, and when needed.

Refer to our Services page for the various levels of service that you can choose or contact Havard Quality Solutions Ltd directly to discuss your needs.