Proficiency Testing Provider Accreditation is led through the use and application of ISO/IEC 17043 Conformity Assessment. ISO/IEC 17043 requires Proficiency Testing Providers to continue a quality management system and validate competency to provide proficiency testing schemes. ISO/IEC 17043 standard involves some general requirements for the ability of providers of skill-testing schemes and the development and operation of proficiency testing schemes. Accredited proficiency testing providers are evaluated to ensure that they have: a quality management system in place, competent personnel, and resources to produce reference materials or artifacts that are suitable for the tests or calibration in the system. Proficiency Testing Workers are also assessed on how they plan, raise, analyze and report sound, meaningful schemes.
According to ISO/IEC 17043, proficiency testing is the practice of inter-laboratory comparisons for the determination of laboratory performance. In other words, a proficiency test is a method used to demonstrate competency and validate a laboratory’s measurement process by comparing the results to the results of a reference laboratory and other participant laboratories. Proficiency testing addresses seven requirements are:
- The performance of laboratories for tests or measurement and monitoring of a lab’s performance
- Identifying complications in labs and initiating actions for improvement. For example, inadequate tests or measurement procedures, the productivity of staff training, and supervision or calibration of equipment.
- The establishment of effectiveness and comparability of tests or measurement methods
- The establishment of additional confidence in customers
- Identification of interlaboratory dissimilarities
- Education of participating laboratories based on the outcomes of these assessments
- Authentication of uncertainty claims
Why is Proficiency Testing Important?
Proficiency testing is now more important than ever as ISO/IEC 17043 now requires it, as addressed in ISO/IEC 17043, proficiency testing was only recommended, so if someone is adopting the new standard every organization needs to have a proficiency testing program in place. To become accredited to ISO/IEC 17043 it must:
- meet the requirements beyond the ISO/IEC 17043 standard,
- understand how to find a proficiency testing provider,
- understand the proficiency testing results,
- submit results to the accreditation body,
- know what actions to take if the organization fails a proficiency test.
How does Proficiency Testing Work?
Proficiency testing is the act of inter-laboratory comparisons. Their job is to determine the laboratories performance based on the requirements of ISO 17043. To activate a coordinating body will send a test piece to a reference laboratory for testing. Subsequently, the coordinating body will send the item to participating labs for additional testing. The labs will test the item, send the results back to the coordinating body and then forward the test item to the next participating lab. Once each participating lab has tested the item, the object is returned to the coordinating body.
The important documents of ISO 17043
To achieve an ISO 17043 Accreditation one of the most important steps is to determine the ISO 17043 documents and records for Laboratory Accreditation based on ISO 17043. The documentation for ISO 17043 Accreditation if someone has well-written sample ISO 17043 documents conforming it will become an easy task. Here are some documents include:
- ISO 17043 Manual
- ISO 17043 Procedures
- Set of blank formats
- Standard Operating Procedures
- Exhibits
- Proficiency Testing Design Plan
The overall purpose of the ISO 17043 documents is to support proficiency test providers in ISO 17043 documentation and give assurance to their customers, changeable authorities, and accreditation bodies that are associated with the proficiency test providers, as well as all the documentation requirements are met the ISO/IEC 17043 standard.
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