BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017

What is BS EN ISO/IEC 17025 - Requirements for testing and calibration laboratories about?  

Producing valid results that are widely trusted is at the heart of laboratory activities.

BS EN ISO/IEC 17025 has become the international reference standard for testing and calibration laboratories wanting to demonstrate their capacity to deliver trusted results. It specifies the general requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of laboratories.

The standard addresses both risks and opportunities, establishing a basis for increasing the effectiveness of the management system, achieving improved results and preventing negative effects. The laboratory is responsible for deciding which risks and opportunities need to be addressed.

BS EN ISO/IEC 17025 allows laboratories to implement a sound quality system and demonstrate that they are technically competent and able to produce valid and reliable results.

What are the benefits of BS EN ISO/IEC 17025 - Testing and calibration laboratories? 

By adopting the specifications in BS EN ISO/IEC 17025 and changing your processes to conform to its requirements, laboratories can benefit from:

• Providing consistently valid results
• Increasing client confidence
• Efficient risk management
• Assuring your laboratory’s credibility
• The harmonization of procedures and standard methods
• Efficient cooperation between your laboratory and other bodies

BS EN ISO/IEC 17025 also helps facilitate cooperation between laboratories and other bodies by generating wider acceptance of results between countries. Test reports and certificates can be accepted internationally, without the need for further testing, which, in turn, improves international trade.

Who is BS EN ISO/IEC 17025 - Requirements for testing and calibration laboratories for? 

BS ISO/IEC 17025 plays an important role in supporting the provision of accurate and reliable results from laboratory testing, calibration, sampling and measurement services across many sectors. This includes regulated government and public sectors, as well as non-regulated sectors.

Its use is applicable to all or any laboratory regardless of size or the extent of the scope of testing and calibration practices. It’s employed by laboratories to develop their management system for quality, body and technical operations.

Organizations that might consider adopting this standard include:

• Government or industry owned laboratories
• Research centres
• Government agencies
• Universities
• Inspection bodies

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 supersedes BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005, which is withdrawn. BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 includes some technical changes compared to BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005.

These changes include:

• The scope has been revised to cover testing, calibration and sampling associated with subsequent calibration and testing.
• The process approach now matches that of newer standards such as BS EN ISO 9001 (quality management), BS EN ISO 15189 (quality of medical laboratories) and BS EN ISO/IEC 17021-1 (requirements for audit and certification bodies).
• The standard has now a stronger focus on information technologies and incorporates the use of computer systems, electronic records and the production of electronic results and reports.
• A new chapter introduces the concept of risk-based thinking

It is recommended that all users of BS EN ISO/IEC 17025 ensure that they are working to the latest version of the standard.