ISO 17025 training is designed for organizations that want to demonstrate the competence of their testing and calibration laboratories and prepare for accreditation.
ISO/IEC 17025 is the standard jointly published by ISO and IEC that addresses laboratories’ technical competence and management system together. The version in force is the 2017 edition.
How it differs from a quality management system
ISO 9001 is a management system standard and looks at how processes are managed. ISO 17025 additionally evaluates technical competence: whether the result the laboratory produces is reliable.
The standard therefore contains topics not found in ISO 9001: method validation, measurement uncertainty, metrological traceability, the technical competence of personnel, participation in proficiency testing and monitoring the validity of results.
In short, the real question in ISO 17025 is: can the number this laboratory reports be trusted?
Accreditation
Laboratory accreditation is carried out by the national accreditation body of each country, most of which operate under the ILAC mutual recognition arrangement. Accreditation is a different process from certification: it is granted per technical field, and it covers only the tests or calibrations included in your scope.
In the automotive supply chain, accreditation of internal laboratories is not always mandatory; customer requirements or legal regulations, however, may require it.
Who should attend?
- Laboratory managers and technical managers
- Quality managers and quality officers
- Testing and calibration personnel
- Metrology and measurement officers
- Internal auditors
- Teams who will manage the accreditation process
There are no prerequisites; the basic measurement and statistics concepts are covered within the training.
Training Content
Fundamentals
- The scope and structure of ISO/IEC 17025
- The difference between accreditation and certification
- Impartiality and confidentiality requirements
- The relationship with, and integration into, ISO 9001
Structural and resource requirements
- Organizational structure, roles and authorities
- Personnel competence and authorization
- Facilities and environmental conditions
- Equipment, calibration and metrological traceability
- Externally provided products and services
Process requirements
- Review of requests, tenders and contracts
- Method selection, validation and verification
- Sampling and handling of samples
- Evaluating measurement uncertainty
- Monitoring the validity of results and proficiency testing
- Reporting the results and the decision rule
- Complaints and management of nonconforming work
Management system requirements
- Managing documented information
- Addressing risks and opportunities
- Internal audit and management review
- Corrective action
Practical exercises
Participants set up an uncertainty budget and carry out a gap analysis on their own laboratories.
Learning Outcomes
- Interpreting ISO/IEC 17025 requirements
- Conducting a method validation study
- Calculating and reporting measurement uncertainty
- Building a traceable calibration chain
- Applying the decision rule correctly
- Preparing for the accreditation process
Duration and Participation Options
Duration: 2 days in open-enrolment programmes. In in-house programmes, planned as 1–3 days depending on the scope and participant profile.
Participation type: Open enrolment or in-house.
Training method: In person (at your organization or in our training room), live online, on-demand recording.
Dates: Set according to demand.
Certificate of Attendance
Participants who complete the training receive a certificate of attendance. The certificate includes the participant’s name, training scope, date and duration. It can be used as evidence of competence in your competence records and in audits.
- MSA Training — measurement systems analysis
- ISO 9001 Training
- ISO 19011 Training — audit methodology
MSA and ISO 17025 answer different questions but complement each other: MSA addresses the reliability of the measurement system in the production environment, ISO 17025 the technical competence of the laboratory.
Beyond Training: Implementation Support
- Setting up the laboratory management system and preparing for accreditation
- Conducting method validation studies
- Preparing measurement uncertainty budgets
- Internal audit service
- Preparation before the accreditation assessment
You can make use of our consulting services in every area where support is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About ISO 17025 Training
Which is the current version of ISO 17025?
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is in force.
What is the difference between ISO 17025 and ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 looks at how processes are managed. ISO 17025 additionally evaluates technical competence: it contains topics such as method validation, measurement uncertainty, metrological traceability and the technical competence of personnel.
Are accreditation and certification the same thing?
No. Accreditation is granted per technical field and covers only the tests or calibrations included in your scope. It is carried out by the national accreditation body of each country.
Is accreditation of our internal laboratory mandatory?
Not always. Customer requirements or legal regulations, however, may require it; we recommend checking your contracts.
Why is measurement uncertainty so important?
It shows how reliable the measurement result is and directly affects the correctness of the conformity decision. Pass/fail decisions made without taking uncertainty into account can be wrong.
What does the decision rule mean?
It is the rule defining how measurement uncertainty is taken into account in the statement of conformity. It is expected to be agreed with the customer in advance and stated in the report.
Do I need statistics knowledge for ISO 17025 training?
No advanced statistics knowledge is required. The basic measurement and statistics concepts are covered within the training.
How long does ISO 17025 training take?
Open-enrolment programmes take 2 days. In-house programmes are planned as 1-3 days depending on content density.