Revision to SCC Requirements and Guidance – Proficiency Testing for Laboratories (Testing and Medical) 2020-06-16
Action required
Effective immediately, all laboratories must now ensure that their quality systems and proficiency testing activities reflect the latest version of SCC Requirements and Guidance – Proficiency Testing for Laboratories (Testing and Medical). The document was approved on 2020-06-16 and issued on 2020-07-27.
Affected customers
These changes affect all Testing Laboratory customers accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017, as well as all Medical Laboratory Customers accredited to ISO 15189:2012.
Background
These changes were made in order to align the SCC Requirements and Guidance – Proficiency Testing for Laboratories (Testing and Medical) to the latest version of ISO/IEC 17025.
New requirements
The requirements have been revised to be in line with the new edition of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 as well as clarifying some language related to Medical Laboratories. Highlighted changes are as follows:
- Specific definitions have been added to provide better coverage;
- Clarification has been added for initial and on-going accreditation requirements for proficiency testing (PT) participation;
- Minimum requirements have been added to the PT plan for testing laboratories;
- Multi-property and multi-product test requirements have been clarified;
- New annexes have been incorporated into the main document;
- Participation frequencies have been clarified and added to section 8 for testing labs.
Deadline
The new version of the document is effective immediately. Customers are asked to update their respective proficiency testing practices and documentation as soon as possible. Nonconformities will not be raised against the additional requirements before January 1st 2021.
Questions?
Please contact Abdel Kassou, Manager, Compliance and Assessment Services at abdel.kassou@scc-ccn.ca or +1 613 238 3222 for more information.