An accreditation mark on a test/calibration report means that the laboratory issuing the report has been evaluated and found competent by a third party. Therefore, it promotes confidence that the test result in that report is reliable.
An ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory accreditation scheme mark is generally an accreditation body logo accompanied by the laboratory accreditation body which may have a corporate logo, which is separate from 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 letterhead and advertisements, provided certain rules are followed. These rules stipulate how the ISO 17025:2017 certification must be used, for example size, colour, position and other conditions if it is to be used on certificates, for example an accompanying statement to indicate that the accreditation is for testing specifications as set forth in the Accreditation Body Directory, disclaimers, conditions under which unaccredited tests may appear, etc.
In India, the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) provides laboratory accreditation services to testing/calibration laboratories that have been shown to operate in accordance with NABL criteria based on in internationally accepted standards and guidelines, 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 that it meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. Therefore, the laboratory gains better control of the operation because quality procedures are used.
- All masters are calibrated through a NABL-accredited laboratory, thereby increasing the level of accuracy of test results.
- By participating in proficiency testing and organizing an interlaboratory program, you can compare your results with other accredited laboratories.
- The laboratory will have to perform all tests according to IS in order to increase the level of competence 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 so that the skill of the personnel increases.
- The laboratory needs to control the environment (ie temperature and humidity) within specified limits for the quality of test results to increase.
- By evaluating the uncertainty in the tests, the laboratory can prove its measurement capacity
- The laboratory obtains better control of the operation because quality procedures are used.
- Increases lab skill level.
- Improve customer confidence in calibration/assay reports issued by laboratories
Relationship with National International Standards (Traceability)Traceability is an essential requirement for any measurement carried out in any organization. Traceability is “The property of a measurement result by which it can be related to appropriate standards, usually national or international, through an unbroken chain of comparisons.” It is also defined as “the ability to relate individual measurement results to national standards or nationally accepted measurement systems through an unbroken chain of comparisons.”
International standards are maintained by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, BIPM in Paris, France and are recognized by international agreements. In India, the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, is designated as the custodian of the National Standards. In addition to the national standards, other standards are developed to allow industries to have the required traceability to the national standard.
