What are the changes in ISO/IEC 17025

ISO/IEC17025:2017, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, is the international reference for laboratories carrying out calibration and testing activities around the world.

The revised standard includes principles of the ISO/IEC directives to enhance its compatibility and alignment with ISO management system standards. The standard is written to support the directives of ISO in developing a harmonized approach to management standards. The good things for laboratories already an ISO 9001:2015 certified, it is easy for them to integrate the technical requirements of the standards to its management system with minimal changes for standard specific requirements.

The new standard is structured as follows:

1. Scope

2. Normative references

3. Terms and definitions

4. General requirements

5. Structural requirements

6. Resource requirements

7. Process requirements

8. Management requirements

• Annex A – Metrological Traceability (Informative)

• Annex B – Management System (Information)

The revised standard is a risk-based thinking approach, which highlighted the performance-based requirements. It also give flexibility in requirements for processes, procedures, documented information and organizational responsibilities, wherein it is not prescriptive requirements which help the laboratory to focus on accurate results and effective management system.

Laboratories already accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 will need to transition their processes to the new version within a three-year period from the publication date of the new standard.

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