Technical Requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (NABL) Certification
Following are the specialized necessities of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certification that research center needs to distinguish amid usage of framework –
Assign one individual as Quality Manager for setting up and observing of compelling usage of the administration frameworks necessities
Assign one individual as Technical Manager for setting up and observing of compelling usage of the specialized necessities
Test/adjustment parameter, its scope of testing, farthest point of location and Uncertainty of Measurement,
Count of Uncertainty of Measurement of each test/adjustment parameters
Investigation of re– test or re– adjustment results factually
Benefits of NABL Certification as per ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Certification System
ormal acknowledgment of ability of a research center by an Certification body as per global criteria has numerous preferences:
Potential increment in business because of improved client certainty and fulfillment.
Savings as far as time and cash because of decrease or end of the requirement for re-testing of items.
Better control of lab activities and input to research centers with respect to whether they have sound Quality Assurance System and are actually capable
Increase of trust in Testing/Calibration information and staff performing work.
Customers can seek and distinguish the research facilities licensed by NABL for their particular prerequisites from the Directory of Accredited Laboratories
Users of authorize research facilities will appreciate more noteworthy access for their items, in both household and universal markets, when tried by certify labs
Process of NABL Certification
Stage I
Prepare your laboratory's application for NABL certification, giving all desired information and enlisting the test(s) / calibration(s) along with range and measurement uncertainty for which the laboratory has the competence to perform. Laboratory can apply either for all or part of their testing/ calibration facilities. Formats NABL 151, NABL 152 & NABL 153 are to be used by Testing, Calibration & Medical Laboratories respectively for applying to NABL for certification.
Laboratory has to take special care in filling the scope of certification for which the laboratory wishes to apply. Incase, the laboratory finds any clause (in part or full) not applicable to the laboratory, it shall furnish the reasons
Laboratories are required to submit three sets of duly filled in application forms for each field of testing/calibration along with two sets of Quality Manual and Application Fees
NABL Secretariat on receipt of application will issue acknowledgement to the laboratory. After scrutiny of application for it being complete in all respects, a unique Customer Registration Number will be allocated to laboratory for further processing of application.
NABL Secretariat shall then nominate a Lead Assessor for giving Adequacy Report on the Quality Manual / Application submitted by the laboratory. A copy of Adequacy Report by Lead Assessor will be provided to Laboratory for taking necessary corrective action, if any. The laboratory shall submit Corrective Action Report
After satisfactory corrective action by the laboratory, a Pre-Assessment audit of the laboratory will be organized by NABL. Laboratories must ensure their preparedness by carrying out its internal audit before Pre-Assessment
Stage II
NABL Secretariat shall organize the Pre-Assessment audit, which shall normally be carried by Lead Assessor at the laboratory sites
The pre-assessment helps the laboratory to be better prepared for the Final Assessment. It also helps the Lead Assessor to assess the preparedness of the laboratory to undergo Final Assessment apart from Technical Assessor(s) and Total Assessment Man-days required vis-à-vis the scope of certification as per application submitted by the laboratory.
A copy of Pre-Assessment Report will be provided to Laboratory for taking necessary corrective action on the concerns raised during audit, if any
The laboratory shall submit Corrective Action Report to NABL Secretariat.
After laboratory confirms the completion of corrective actions, Final Assessment of the laboratory shall be organized by NABL
Stage III
NABL Secretariat shall organize the Final Assessment at the laboratory site(s) for its compliance to NABL Criteria and for that purpose appoint an assessment team
The Assessment Team shall comprise of a Lead Assessor and other Technical Assessor(s) in the relevant fields depending upon the scope to be assessed
Assessors shall raise the Non-Conformance(s), if any, and provide it to the laboratory in prescribed format so that it gets the opportunity to close as many Non-Conformance(s)as they can before closing meeting of the Assessment
The Lead Assessor will provide a copy of consolidated report of the assessment to the laboratory and send the original copy to NABL Secretariat
Laboratory shall take necessary corrective action on the remaining Non-Conformance(s) /other concerns and shall submit a report to NABL within a maximum period of 2 months
Stage IV
After satisfactory corrective action by the laboratory, the Certification Committee examines the findings of the Assessment Team and recommend additional corrective action, if any, by the laboratory.
Certification Committee determines whether the recommendations in the assessment report is consistent with NABL requirements as well as commensurate with the claims made by the laboratory in its application
Laboratory shall have to take corrective action on any concerns raised by the Certification Committee
Certification Committee shall make the appropriate recommendations regarding certification of a laboratory to NABL Secretariat
Laboratories are free to appeal against the findings of assessment or decision on certification by writing to the Director, NABL
Whenever possible NABL will depute its own technical personnel to be present at the time of assessment as Coordinator and NABL Observer. Sometimes, NABL may at its own cost depute a newly trained Technical Assessor as "Observer" subject to convenience of the laboratory to be accessed
Stage V
Certification to a laboratory shall be valid for a period of 2 years and NABL shall conduct periodical Surveillance of the laboratory at intervals of one year
Laboratory shall apply for Renewal of certification to it at least 6 months before the expiry of the validity of certification