Quad-lab > The Laboratory > The quality system
Our quality system is compliant with the ISO/CEI 17025: 2005 standard which is specific to laboratories. The Quad-Lab quality system has an underlying continuous improvement process based on :
- the expertise and commitment of all its staff, which is trained to apply quality policies and procedures
- reliable and sensitive technical resources
- a documentary system that is adapted to our laboratory’s organisation
- control dashboards and alarm and prevention tools
Quality management principles
The ISO/CEI 17025: 2005 standard defines the general skill requirements to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sample-taking.
This standard is based on a certain number of quality management rules, especially a strong client orientation, senior management’s motivation and commitment, a process-based approach and continuous improvement. It helps to guarantee that clients get consistent and good quality products and services
Audits
An essential part of the ISO/CEI 17025: 2005 standard is to check that the quality management system is operating correctly. The business can check this itself using internal audits, or it can invite an independent certification body to check its compliance with the standard, but this is not mandatory. It can also invite its clients to audit the quality system on their own account.
A business’s quality system can be certified according to a standard, but this only guarantees its continuous improvement.
Accreditation is used to show that the business also conducts its activities according to internationally accepted codes of conduct and rules.
Therefore, in addition to the acknowledgement that the quality system is compliant, the Cofrac (comité français d’accreditation) also recognises the know-how and objectivity of the business’s staff. It will only issue an accreditation for a specific domain or competence for a renewable period of time during which monitoring audits will be carried out.
Quad-Lab is COFRAC accredited for a list of compounds for occupational exposure and indoor air quality.
The scope of the Quad-Lab accreditation can be viewed on www.cofrac.fr using accreditation reference N° 1-1578.
ACCREDITATION
Accreditation is the recognition of the competence of an organisation in a given field by a third party organisation. It is a voluntary process used to highlight specific know-how, or a duty in the framework of certain regulations.
CERTIFICATION
Certification is a procedure used to certify the conformity of a system using an official and recognised standard by an independent and approved organisation.
