Why ISO 17025 Accreditation Matters to SMEs

Why you should give ISO 17025 accreditation serious consideration

Even the smallest organization has a lot to gain from an accredited Testing and/or Calibration Laboratory Management System (TCLMS).

New businesses rarely ponder the benefits of ISO 17025 Accreditation. Startup priorities, and the fact that it takes a minimum of 5 months to get accredited, mean that the benefits of ISO 17025 rarely are given serious consideration.

We are not talking about brick-and-mortar labs only.  Accredited laboratories can undertake work:

• In-house in one’s own laboratory,
 
• On-site in a mobile lab (might be a towed caravan), or
 
• At a Remote Site with no infrastructure, e.g. testing of welding at an off-shore gas facility.

Businesses that Benefit from ISO 17025 Accreditation

There is a wide variety of businesses that might require or benefit from an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory.  These would include…

• New testing laboratory that needs to compete with established labs,

• Old calibration laboratory that needs to ‘up its game’ to avoid loss of business to other accredited labs,

• Precision parts and product manufacturers whose customers value or demand reliable test results.

• Businesses with lots of devices/tools needing frequent calibration, e.g. aircraft maintenance or aircraft parts repair, where an in-house accredited lab saves money and is more responsive to demand,

• Remote location calibration where bringing calibration technicians to the site is both inconvenient and prone to cause project delays, e.g. pressure testing of pipework at a mine in a desert location,

• Food testing lab in a food factory where both customers and the regulatory authorities are reassured by lab accreditation, and

• Manufacturing startup of precision components, mouldings or similar needing to compete with established suppliers from the outset.

Can you see opportunities for your organization in ISO 17025 accreditation?

If so, the list of benefits below can be used to persuade yourself and your colleagues to get started sooner rather than later down the road to ISO 17025:2017 (the latest edition of the standard) accreditation.

7 Practical Benefits of ISO 17025 Accreditation

While helping to enhance your businesses reputation, here are some more benefits that SMEs and others that have ISO 17025 Accreditation can enjoy: 

1. Independent confirmation of the validity of results. This is produced by your Testing or Calibration Laboratory.
2. Recognized reputation as a ‘professionally’ managed business. Furthermore, you have the internationally-recognized Accreditation Certificate to prove it,
3. Improved ability to respond to regulatory compliance issues. This includes laboratory activities with an improved relationship with the regulatory authorities as a consequence,  
4. Reduced cost of calibration checks and of disruption to operations. This is thanks to having a flexible in-house capability to handle your calibration needs, 
5. Peer recognition for having achieved an international benchmark. This, in turn, influences current and potential customers who are concerned about the reliability of test results,
6. Improved sales opportunities. This is especially advantageous when competing with long-established, larger organizations, and  
7. Larger pool of qualified candidates applying to work with your business. When your business has a good reputation, attracting top talent is much easier.

So, if you haven’t got accreditation to ISO 17025, or you need ‘ammunition’ to persuade your colleagues, you now have 7 good reasons where the financial benefits, as well as the practical ones, can be calculated.  Your staff will thank you for it.

The ISO 17025 Lead Auditor Extension Course will save you time and money

When is the right time to get ISO 17025:2017 Accredited?

As soon as processes and procedures are bedded in, you can start your accreditation project. In practice, this means as soon as the lab is equipped and services are installed. You can then start on the development or utilisation of test methods and the training of analysts. 

Don’t underestimate how long the pathway to accreditation is. It takes 5 months minimum to get ISO 17025 accreditation, but it could extend up to 12 months if you need laboratory-developed methods or if there are complexities of planning permission or environmental operating licences, or if complex utilities and services were needed.

NOTE:

If you're wondering where to start with certification, begin by considering our ISO 17025 Lead Auditor Course as well as the other posts we have published about this standard and ISO 17025 training.

Click on the image thumbnail to see the image in full size or click the button on the other side to go to our ISO 17025 course overview page.

Related Courses

• ISO 17025 Internal Auditor Course
• ISO 17025 Lead Auditor Course
• ISO 17025 Internal Auditor Extension Course - add ISO 17025 to your current ISO Auditor Certification

Related Articles

• ISO Accreditation vs ISO Certification: Which Do You Need?
• IAF Mandatory Documents Your Accreditation Body Can Require

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