11 th International Research/Expert Conference “Trends in the Development of Machinery and Associated Technology” TMT 2007, Hammamet, Tunisia, 05-09 September, 2007. LABORATORY FOR LENGTH MEASUREMENT-STANDARD ISO 17025:2005 – ORIENTATION TO SUCCESS Almira Softic University of Sarajevo, Mechanical Engineering Faculty in Sarajevo Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina ABSTRACT Effective implementation of quality management system as per the requirements of ISO 17025:2005, either on its own or in conjunction with requirements of ISO 9001:2000, is a key requisite for laboratories who provide testing and calibration services commercially, or as an internal department providing the service within larger organization. ISO 17025:2005 covers every aspect of laboratory management. It involves everyone in the laboratory, including the laboratory manager, assistant laboratory manager, or quality manager. The standard also involves all laboratory staff whose functions relate to the quality of laboratory data generated. A laboratory’s fulfillment of the requirements of ISO 17025:2005 means that the laboratory meets both the technical competence requirements and management system requirements that are necessary for it to consistently deliver technically valid test results and calibrations. Laboratory accreditation for calibration and testing: Being accredited to perform the specific work you are buying offers strong assurances that the answer will be correct and traceable. Keywords: accreditation, laboratory, ISO/IEC 17025:2005 1. INTRODUCTION ISO 17025:2005 is the evolution of the ISO/IEC Guide 25, a joint partnership between the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission, called the General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories. This standard was developed specifically to give guidance to lab managers on both quality management and the technical requirements for the proper operation of a laboratory. Thus, ISO 17025:2005 can be thought of as the technical compliment to ISO 9000. As a matter of fact, any organization who meets the requirements for ISO 17025 automatically is ISO 9000 compliant (but the converse is not true). ISO 17025:2005 is to provide a third-party demonstration to customers that the laboratory has the technical and managerial capabilities to perform specific tests, measurements, or calibrations, to stated standards or to customized procedures within their bounds of stated accuracies, chosen test methods & equipment. ISO/IEC 17025:2005 contains all of the requirements that testing and calibration laboratories need to meet to demonstrate to customers and regulators that they operate a sound management system which puts them in full control of their processes, are technically competent, and are able to generate technically valid results. Accreditation bodies that recognize the competence of testing and calibration laboratories use the standard as the basis for their accreditation. 2. THE COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE OF ISO 17025:2005 While the ISO 9000 requirements are generic and can be used by any type of organization, the ISO 17025:2005 requirements are specific to laboratory functions. This standard addresses issues such as: the technical competence of personnel, ethical behavior of staff, use of well-defined test & calibration 787