Procedure by which a third-party (certification body) gives a written assurance that a product, process or service (of an organization) conforms to specified requirements (ISO/IEC Guide 2:1996) ISO/IEC-17000 • Specified requirements-ISO 9001:2000 • Assures the client that the organization has in place an effective quality or environmental management system.
Procedure by which an authoritative body (NABL) gives formal recognition that a body (laboratory) or person (signatory is competent to carry out specific tasks (scope) – ISO/IEC Guide 2: 1996 (ISO/IEC – 17000) • Criteria – ISO/IEC 17025 (includes all ISO 9001 elements) • Assures the client that the procedures are technically valid. • Recognizes the technical competence of laboratory staff • Assures the client that the results are technically valid. • Endorses the quality management system. • Assures the master used are traceable to national / international standards.
ISO IEC:17025 is an International Standard (published by the International Organization for Standardization) that specifies the general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. There are management and technical requirements says what a laboratory must do to become accredited.
Testing and calibration laboratories that comply with ISO/IEC:17025 will also operate accordance with ISO 9001: 2000 • Certification against ISO 9001 : 2000 does not of itself demonstrate the competence of the laboratory to produce technically valid data and results.
Good Quality does does not necessarily mean high quality. Instead it means a predicable degree of
uniformity and dependability at low cost with a quality suited to the market.