ISO 17025 - How to Accredit your Laboratory

Practical Aspects of Gaining Accreditation

3-day intensive course (dates to be arranged)

Accreditation is the formal recognition that a testing laboratory is competent to carry out specific tests and working to international standards set by an outside body of experts. It is difficult to obtain detailed know-how of accreditation on an informal basis: consultants are earning a living from their expertise and industry tends to be protective of their accredited advantage.

Approximately 2,500 laboratories are UKAS accredited; most of these are in the commercial sector. However, UKAS accreditation is becoming an essential requirement for research projects sponsored by industry, FSA, DEFRA or other government departments. Editors of scientific journals have started discussions on how the validity of data submitted in research papers might be assessed. Preparing for accreditation is a time-consuming process and a pro-active approach is advisable.

The NSRU Chemistry & Biochemistry Laboratory was a UKAS accredited testing laboratory until March 2007. Whilst accreditation of a multi-function laboratory is rare (there are no more than ca. 10 UKAS accredited UK laboratories involved in both research and testing), it is not impossible. Our Laboratory represents a unique facility to teach ISO 17025 implementation as it has experience of systematic analysis in the context of teaching and research.

The Course:

This course will give detailed information and hands-on experience of practical issues of quality control and accreditation. Staff will share their experiences with other colleagues and provide:

1.  practical examples on how to establish quality assurance and control procedures and

2.  how to prepare for UKAS accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

3.  examples of our quality manual, sample registration, instrument checks, SOPs, method validations, control charts, audits, test reports, training records, etc.

4.  practical training sessions to teach day-to-day activities of an accredited laboratory (meeting customer requirements, writing SOPs, conducting vertical and horizontal audits).

Participants:

The course is aimed at analysts working in universities, research institutes and industry. The course will be especially suitable for people in agricultural, biological, environmental or food laboratories involved with chemical analysis.

This course on laboratory accreditation will also be relevant for overseas PhD students, who often enter careers and have responsibilities that include many more aspects than were covered in their PhD training programme. For example, some are likely to find themselves in charge of laboratories as part of other managerial responsibilities.

·  A certificate will be handed to each participant on the completion of the course.

Fees

The tuition fee for the course is £1,050. This covers all course-related costs, but not living or travel costs.

To apply - please return the registration form to:

Dr I Mueller-Harvey

Chemistry & Biochemistry Laboratory

Department of Agriculture

The University of Reading

1 Earley Gate, P O Box 236

Reading RG6 6AT, United Kingdom

Tel (+44) 0118 378 6619 Fax (+44) 0118 935 2421

E-mail:

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ISO 17025 - How to Accredit your Laboratory: Practical Aspects of Gaining Accreditation

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Total: £ 1,050.00 per person
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Terms and Conditions

The fees include refreshments, lunches and an extensive delegate pack. Fees are payable in advance, and should be sent to the above address with the completed registration form (a company order form will be acceptable). Please make cheques payable to 'University of Reading' and quote 'ISO17025 course –Chem. & Biochem. Laboratory' on all methods of payment.

1.  Cancellations must be received 1 month before the start of the course; another participant may be sent, if someone cannot attend.

2.  Information on local maps and accommodation, please see:

http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/find/about-findindex.asp

http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/University-of-Reading-map-Whiteknights-COLOUR-2_KEYS.pdf