SCC Requirements and Guidance for Testing Laboratories (RG-LAB)

Bulletin date:
Bulletin number:
2021-11

Action required

All SCC-accredited and applicant testing, and calibration laboratories shall conform to the revised edition of the SCC Requirements and Guidance for Testing Laboratories (RG-LAB).

 

This document:

  • Was approved on: 2021-04-04
  • Was published on: 2021-05-21

  • Is effective as of: 2021-04-04

     

Affected customers

SCC-accredited and applicant testing and calibration laboratories, applicant laboratories, and assessors involved in on-site related activities. 

 

Background

A revision was deemed necessary in order to consolidate specific requirements of SCC Requirements and Guidance for Calibration and Measurement Traceability in Testing Laboratories and SCC requirements and Guidance for the Accreditation of Testing and Calibration Laboratories Performing On-site Testing and Calibrations into one document. Additionally, SCC Requirements and Guidance on the Use of Information Technology (RG Use of IT) has been withdrawn as of 2020-10-01. Please refer to bulletin 2020-29 for more information on the removal of RG Use of IT from circulation. 

 

New requirements

The following major changes are incorporated into the revised version: 

  • Clause 6.5 “Metrological Traceability” was updated to include specific content related to calibration, reference material providers who are not accredited, and in-house calibration programs. This new version includes references to Annex A of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Metrological traceability and additional requirements outlined in ILAC P10:07/2020 ILAC Policy on Metrological Traceability of Measurement results.
    Additional material taken from SCC Requirements and Guidance for Calibration and Measurement Traceability in Testing Laboratories was added to the following related sections by including additional requirements and/or guidance: 
  • Clause 6.4 “Equipment” in particular, clauses 6.4.6, 6.4.7; 
  • Clause 6.6 “Externally Provided Products and Services” in particular, clause 6.6.2 (c); 
  • Clause 7.6 “Evaluation of measurement uncertainty”. 
  • Annex A was added to incorporate “Additional requirements for testing and calibration laboratories performing on-site activities”. As a result, SCC Requirements and Guidance for the Accreditation of Testing and Calibration Laboratories Performing On-site Testing and Calibrations will be withdrawn. Related material in RG-LAB was updated to include existing definitions for on-site, mobile, permanent lab, critical equipment to “Terms and Definitions” section and relevant additional requirements for on-site testing and calibration laboratories to Annex A.
  • The following clause descriptions were affected by some updates on additional requirements or clarifications related to the standard:
    • Clauses 4.1.4, 4.1.5 – Impartiality
    • Clauses 6.4.1, 6.4.2 – Equipment
    • Clauses 7.1.1, 7.1.8 – Review of requests, tenders and contracts
    • Clauses 7.5.1, 7.5.2 – Technical records
    • Clause 7.7.1 – Ensuring the validity of results
    • Clauses 7.8.1, 7.8.6 – Reporting of results
    • Clause 8.3.2    – Control of Management System Documents
    • Clause 8.5.1 (guidance) – Actions to address risks and opportunities 
    • Clause 8.8.2 (guidance) – Internal Audit 
    • Clause 8.9.1 – Management Reviews

  • Removing associated references to SCC Requirements and Guidance on the Use of Information Technology in Accredited Laboratories. 

     

Deadline

The new version of this document is effective immediately. All conformity assessment involved in testing/calibration as well as on-site activities are requested to update their on-going processes and practices as soon as possible. Nonconformities will not be raised against the additional new requirements until 2021-10-04. 

 

Questions?

Please contact Vivekananthan Kulasingham, Manager, Compliance and Assessment Services, at vivekananthan.kulasingham@scc-ccn.ca or +1 613 238 3222 for more information.