A Brief about ISO 17025:2005/ NABL

ISO/IEC 17025:2005 specifies the general requirements for the competence to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sampling. It covers testing and calibration performed using standard methods, non-standard methods, and laboratory-developed methods.

ISO/IEC 17025 is the global recognized standard that was developed specifically for testing and calibration laboratories that intended seeking accreditation. It is also the basis for accreditation from an accreditation body. The current release was published in 2005. It covers testing and calibration performed using standard methods, non-standard methods, and laboratory-developed methods.

It is applicable to all organizations performing tests and/or calibrations. These include, for example, first-, second- and third-party laboratories, and laboratories where testing and/or calibration forms part of inspection and product certification.

Laboratories use ISO/IEC 17025 to implement a quality system aimed at improving their ability to consistently produce valid results. It is also the basis for accreditation from an accreditation body. Since the standard is about competence, accreditation is simply formal recognition of a demonstration of that competence. A prerequisite for a laboratory to become accredited is to have a documented quality management system. The usual contents of the quality manual follow the outline of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredit recognition of the technical competence of a testing, calibration or medical laboratory for a specific task following ISO/IEC 17025:2005, ISO 15189:2007 Standards. It is associated with Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Corporation (APLAC), Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).