Transition of the Quality Management Systems of the Testing Laboratory of Bureau of Quality and Safety of Food in Accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017

Abstract

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is an international standard comprising of general requirements for the testing laboratories competency. It demonstrates the validity and reliability of the tests performed in the laboratory. Laboratories of the Bureau of quality and safety of food (BQSF) have been continuously accredited for ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 by external accreditation body (AB). Since the adoption of 2017 version, to maintain the quality management system (QMS), it is necessary to maintain the capability of the laboratory in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 together with the change of the QMS in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and implement the system. Therefore, the study compares the differences between the requirements in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and the QMS in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 that the BQSF used to operate in the past, planning and setup target achievement, change of the QMS in accordance with the new version, the internal audit has been operated to verify the new system and improvement. The study found that the differences were clause 4.1, 4.2, 5.3, 7.1, 7.8, 7.9, 8.5, 8.9 and internal auditor found 6 major nonconform and successfully improved. The success is to get a new QMS and applied to all laboratories, ready to reassessment and extend scope of total 664 tests in December, 2019. Test items have been upgraded from 270 test items. Support the needs of clients and confidence for agencies that use test results.