Laboratory accreditation to assure quality in laboratory work

For a laboratory calibration to be effective, it must be performed under a definite, documented and controlled procedure, by competent individuals, in a repeatable manner, under controlled conditions, reported unambiguously, and meet defined tractability requirements. The key issue is not the quality of paperwork, but the accuracy, repeatability, traceability, acceptable methods used, technical competence, and quality of the data upon which critical decisions are made. The authors discuss these issues