ISO/IEC Standard to Keep Laboratory Testers on Their Toes

ISO/IEC 17043, Conformity assessment – General requirements for proficiency testing, specifies general requirements for the competence of providers of proficiency testing schemes and for the development and operation of proficiency testing schemes. Proficiency testing involves use of interlaboratory comparisons in the determination of a laboratory’s performance and, more specifically, in its on-going competence. Laboratories demonstrate their competence by complying with ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, and the need for additional confidence in their results is achieved through their participation in interlaboratory comparisons managed by proficiency testing provider operating in accordance with ISO/IEC 17043. The new standard addresses management, planning, design and personnel of the proficiency testing provider.Learn more from the IEC.