Implementation of ISO 17025:2005 for the Accreditation of Kafr El-Sheikh Company’s Central Laboratory for Drinking water in Egypt

The implementation of quality management system to the central laboratory for drinking water (KFSWCL), Kafr El-Sheikh company for water and wastewater, Egypt was a very important and precise process required the full commitment to the general and technical requirements of the international standards according to ISO 17025:2005 for the accreditation by the national accreditation body (EGAC) and the hard and continued work to achieve all the mandatory elements of the program. As a laboratory’s quality management system is thoroughly evaluated on a regular basis to ensure continued commitment and compliance with ISO 17025:2005 accreditation requirements, it has incorporated an overall system for technical and quality management, which results in many benefits observed in the daily laboratory practices. Technical requirements were achieved to include the addition of formal personnel training plans and detailed records, method development and validation procedures, measurement of method uncertainty, and a defined equipment calibration and maintenance program. Other benefits are observed through the high accuracy of workflow inside the laboratory, the Reliability which is derived from performing proficiency tests with accredited international bodies, the trust gained by the customers which is derived from the commitment of the laboratory to operate according to international standards. The implementation of the quality system inside the KFSWCL was a great leap regarding the performance of the laboratory, gained the laboratory the needed commitment and required confidence and raised the performance to an unprecedented limit.

Keywords: ISO 17025:2005; Accreditation; Quality management system; Quality assurance; Laboratory; Organization