To consider conformity
assessment, the ISO Committee on conformity assessment (CASCO) is responsible
for the development of International Standards and Guides. ISO 17043 standard
was developed by ISO committee on conformity assessment.
The ISO/IEC 17043:2010
accreditation specifies requirements of conformity assessment for proficiency
testing. ISO 17043 Accreditation
for proficiency test providers makes sure those customers of compliance with
international standards and good practices. With ISO 17043 Accreditation,
proficiency test providers gain increased confidence that the programs that
depends on are being operated competently in accordance with the specified
technical and management system requirements.
Proficiency testing is the one of
mechanisms through which the performance of an organization can be checked to
confirm its ability to stick to the organization’s procedures. Proficiency
testing (PT) is a current requirement of accreditation programs offered by
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition
Arrangement signatory accreditation bodies and is a common requirement of regulatory
and oversight programs. Proficiency testing is a quality control tool that can
be utilized prior to achieving accreditation.
ISO 17043:2010 Accreditation demands technical
competence assurance and good quality management practices, but also includes
verification of the proficiency test management of the provider. ISO/IEC 17043:2010 recognizes
proficiency testing as a participant performance as well as evaluation against
pre-established criteria which is meaning of interlaboratory comparisons for
the determination of laboratory performance.
Following are ISO/IEC 17043, Conformity assessment — General
requirements for proficiency testing,
- Personnel
- Design of proficiency testing schemes
- Preparation of proficiency testing items
- Assigned values
- Data analysis and proficiency testing evaluation scheme results
- Data analysis and their records
- Reports
ISO/IEC 17043 states purpose of Proficiency testing,
- Performance of laboratories evaluation for specific tests or measurements and monitoring laboratories' continuing performance;
- Problems in laboratories of identification and initiation of actions for improvement,
- Establishment of the effectiveness of test and compare to them ;
- Inter-laboratory differences identification;
- Education of participating laboratories based on the outcomes of such comparisons;
- Validation of uncertainty claims .
Proficiency testing programs
exist in different formats. As well as in the most comprehensive form,
proficiency testing involves three distinct entities: the participant of
proficiency provider, the proficiency test provider, and the bodies that
accredit the proficiency test providers. Anyways, the roles of each entity may
overlap.
The accreditation programs
require that the proficiency test user’s results are reported within the
participant’s quality assurance system.
Different forms of Proficiency tests:
- Accrediting bodies may facilitate a proficiency test.
- Users may create and administrate a proficiency test to internal and external users
- Users may evaluate proficiency through alternatives such as observation or case presentation
- Proficiency tests may be purchased and results reported externally.
- Proficiency tests may be created or purchased externally.
- Proficiency tests results may be reported internally.
