Testing & Calibration
From asbestos surveying to non-destructive testing of pressure vessels and even crime scene investigation, there is a great demand for testing and calibration services.
Related Standards
ISO 17025
General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
ISO 17020
Conformity assessment -- Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection
ISO 17020 is an internationally recognised standard for the competence of inspection bodies.
ISO 17020 should not be confused with ISO 9001, which is specific to quality management systems. ISO 9001 does not require evaluation of the technical competence of an inspection body, whereas ISO 170210 does, so it should not be regarded as an ‘acceptable’ alternative to ISO 17020.
The standard covers all aspects of operations:
- Administrative requirements
- Requirements for independence, impartiality, and integrity
- Confidentiality
- Organization and management
- Quality system
- Personnel
- Facilities and equipment
- Inspection methods and procedures
- Handling of inspection samples and items
- Control of records
- Inspection reports and inspection certificates
- Subcontracting
- Complaints and appeals
- Cooperation with other inspection bodies
ISO 17025
Much the same as ISO 17020 above, ISO 17025 looks at all the requirements testing and calibration laboratories and testing organisations have to meet to prove that they operate a quality system, are technically competent and can generate technically valid results. This standard applies to everything from test equipment to data sampling and sets out valid specifications to improve an organisation’s quality assurance systems and as a result, their quality control. Key topics include testing and calibrations using standard, non-standard and laboratory-developed methods