News

During the last week of April, CALA hosted our Biennial Training session for our volunteer assessors. The focus of the training sessions was on the revised ISO/IEC 17025 standard and the impacts on assessments. The changes to the standard are expected to impact what assessments will look like. There was general agreement that assessing what used to be included in Section 4 of the 2005 version of the standard will take more time. Also, assessments will be less compartmentalized. For example, it was common for one assessor, usually the lead, to assess the management requirements, while the rest of the...

The reporting requirements in ISO/IEC 17025:2017 have some changes that laboratories will need to take into consideration. In addition to a few new requirements, there are changes in wording in some of the requirements. Clause 7.8.1.1 is new and requires that results are reviewed and authorized prior to release.  The date of sampling needs to be included in the report if it is critical to the validity and application of the results. In the 2005 version the date of sampling was required if the test reports included the results of sampling. Reports need to have the date of issue, and need...

Now that the new version of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard has been published, laboratories are starting to look at the necessary steps to update their management systems to meet the new requirements. The main question laboratories are asking is what has changed? CALA is providing a Xwalk document that will help you answer that question. You can access the document from the CALA Transition page at this link.  This page has additional resources to help support accredited laboratories make the transition from the 2005 version of the standard to the 2017 version.  To get more details on the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard, register...

A New Year's resolution is a common tradition. A person resolves to change an undesired trait or behaviour, or resolves to accomplish a personal goal or make an improvement. The start of the New Year is a good time to make some resolutions for your quality system as well. Here are some suggestions for resolutions that may help you improve your quality system, reduce the stress of last minute work, and/or lighten your workload. In 2018, I will .... Get started on updating my quality system to meet the requirements of the new standard. I want it done soon so...

Now that the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard has been published, laboratories can start working on the first step towards updating their management system - a gap analysis. The concept of a gap analysis is fairly straight-forward. A gap analysis is a useful technique that you can use you to identify the gap between your current management system and the revised management system. Part of conducting the gap analysis is determining the tasks that need to be done to close the gap. The first step in any gap analysis is to identify the 'future state.' In other words, what does your management system need...