We see that many laboratory quality managers inadvertently waste time due to misinformation and misunderstandings about NATA requirements. They may do too much, creating unnecessary or inefficient processes in an effort to please the NATA assessor. Or they may do too little in the areas that really matter – the things that will actually affect… read more »
Accreditation News.
Creeping criteria: when auditors stray
Creeping criteria: this wonderful term was coined by my old boss at NATA (Helen Liddy) for those times we put a “condition” in an assessment report that was almost a requirement (but really an opinion on how to address a requirement), or when we had taken a criterion from one part of the accreditation documents… read more »
Impartiality in the new ISO 17025
The new ISO 17025 puts a bigger emphasis on impartiality and managing conflicts of interest than the previous standard. This is to address an issue that can be particularly problematic in competitive industries such as construction. In some industries there are practices that aren’t ideal for maintaining impartiality and it can be a difficult environment… read more »
How to write great SOPs and declutter systems
The art of tidying up your SOPs When was the last time you thoroughly sorted through and updated your laboratory’s standard operating procedures? Perhaps you have some great procedures buried in long-winded prose that should be converted into a flowchart or diagram and proudly displayed around the workplace? Likewise, perhaps it’s time you finally culled… read more »
4 Steps to Reducing The Mental Load of Lab Managers
Following on from our previous post on the topic, here’s a step-by-step guide to show you how to implement the process approach. How to implement the process approach 1. Start at the top: Getting your team to embrace the process approach starts with YOU Do you like the sound of having more time to focus on… read more »
Tools and Tips for NATA-Ready Cause Analysis
How to get root cause analysis right for NATA We all love that feeling when NATA accepts our first response to an assessment report! But since NATA introduced their new reporting format, we’re seeing NATA reject many responses from labs because they haven’t included an adequate root cause analysis. If you’re struggling to understand what… read more »
Designed to benefit: Risks & Opportunities in ISO 17025
A good system recognises the strategic benefit of minimising risk and maximising opportunity. The new ISO/EIC 17025: 2017 standard puts extra emphasis on this by promoting risk-based thinking, preventive action and process design. It is about optimising your organisation’s overall strategy by planning, taking, and recording actions that prevent risk and enhance opportunity. There is… read more »
Reporting Compliance in ISO 17025
Do you report results as pass or fail on test reports? As normal, high or low? Within spec, outside spec, complying or not complying? Would your clients like you to report with a statement of conformity? Then you need to know about decision rules in the new ISO 17025. While you have utmost confidence in… read more »
The 4 Big Benefits of NATA Accreditation
As business-owners, we must always think long-term and resist the tendency to be forever caught up in day-to-day demands. “A stitch in time saves nine” goes the old saying. This could not be more true than it is for laboratories offering quality-assured services, and vying for client trust in competitive markets. There is no… read more »
Five steps to implement new accreditation requirements
Wondering when you will get time to deal with all those new accreditation requirements? You’ve been notified of new standards, guidelines, or regulations that need to be implemented. It’s time to get busy writing new procedures, right? Jumping in without enough thought and preparation leads to woolly procedures, written solely to meet requirements, that clutter… read more »