Subcontracting of Tests and Calibrations - ISO 17025 Sec: 4.5

[JoeQNovice]

If anyone can clarify a situation, it would be appreciated!

17025 clause 4.5.4 seems to imply all suppliers to the accredited lab should also be accredited... If there is a special application - say, "Torque Gage" , where there is a company with expertise and they send certs with NIST traceability, but are not ISO 17025 registered, can we use them for our customer if we disclose this fact to them?

What about this: If I send a gage to the manufacturer for repair, the manufacturer has to be on our approved suplier list, but many gage manufacturers do not seem to be ISO 17025 registered.... But they are obviously best qualified to repair their gage... Can I use them or not?

Thanks!


Joe

[Zane Cool]

i agreed with Hershal 's opinion, subcontracting is related to your testing work that your customer required.

For joe's question:

Actually, our lab got the same problem in accreditation of A2LA this March, our machine was calibrated by the manufacture which is not ISO 17025 accredited, and A2LA Auditor said that was not meet the requirements, they accept the ISO17025 accredited body only. Finally, we have to find another calibration lab ISO17025 accredited to do the calibration work. So in my opinion, you should find a ISO 17025 accredited lab to do the calibration.


And please set a new thread for the questions next , that could be better for the discussion.

ZANE

[Hershal]

In Reply to Parent Post by krishkaar

Can somebody please help me in the applicability of this clause to the following situation:

When a testing laboratory gets the calibrations done from an outside accredited source.

"Is the calibration activity a subcontracting process?"

It is a purchase, and is addressed under Clause 4.6 and additional information regarding requirements for you to require from them are in Clause 5.6.2.1.1 and Clause 5.10

Hope this helps.

[Hershal]

In Reply to Parent Post by JoeQNovice

If anyone can clarify a situation, it would be appreciated!

17025 clause 4.5.4 seems to imply all suppliers to the accredited lab should also be accredited... If there is a special application - say, "Torque Gage" , where there is a company with expertise and they send certs with NIST traceability, but are not ISO 17025 registered, can we use them for our customer if we disclose this fact to them?

What about this: If I send a gage to the manufacturer for repair, the manufacturer has to be on our approved suplier list, but many gage manufacturers do not seem to be ISO 17025 registered.... But they are obviously best qualified to repair their gage... Can I use them or not?

Thanks!


Joe

Best advice here, check with your chosen AB. The Standard allows some flexibility in this regard, but you will have extra hoops to jump through. Your AB will have their own policy in this kind of instance.

Hope this helps.