ISO 17025 for Calibration Laboratories

ISO 17025 for Calibration

Accredited calibration laboratories have shown that they follow the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 requirements.

However, there’s still the need to further redefine certain fields of calibration.

The Use of Best Measurement Capability in ISO 17025

The Best Measurement Capability (BMC) is a parameter that identifies an accredited calibration laboratory’s scope. It is the smallest uncertainty that a laboratory can reach when calibrating an effectively ideal device.

Likewise, BMC is an expanded uncertainty projected at a confidence level of roughly 95% corresponding to a coverage factor k=2.
A laboratory’s capability to obtain their claimed BMC will be assessed based on its performance during the on-site assessment. It will also be evaluated using a review of proficiency testing results.

BMC implies that within its accreditation, a laboratory isn’t allowed to account for a smaller uncertainty of measurement than the BMC recognized on its accreditation’s scope.

Therefore, a laboratory must determine an uncertainty not better than that corresponding BMC.

Note that the bona fide calibration process adds considerably to the measurement uncertainty.

As a result, the BMC is suitable only to the results for which the laboratory asserts its status as an accredited laboratory.

What Can Clients Do?

Customers will choose and compare the capabilities of various accredited laboratories.

Thus, a laboratory should define the scope of accreditation both as a source and measure.

Remember that the source describes your laboratory’s sourcing competence. Meanwhile, measure specifies your measuring capability.

This is why all the parameters should be expressed using the International System of Units (SI).

How QSE Academy Can Help

ISO 170215 accreditation for calibration laboratory will need assessment in the following aspects:

• Organization;
• Employees;
• Equipment and traceability of its calibration;
• Handling of calibrated equipment and equipment under calibration;
• Laboratory accommodation and environmental conditions;
• Measurement capability and recording system;
• Safety

QSE Academy has toolkits that provide guidelines and documents to support your laboratory’s procedures in adhering to the ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

We also have industry experts who will assist you in every implementation phase. Contact us now and get your accreditation started.