Updated SCC Requirements and Guidance for the Accreditation of Forensic Testing Laboratories

Bulletin date:
Bulletin number:
2021-17

A previous version of this bulletin included an incorrect date under the deadline section. The error was corrected on 2021-11-12.

 

Action required

All laboratories must ensure that their quality systems and technical activities reflect the latest version of SCC Requirements and Guidance for the Accreditation of Forensic Testing Laboratories 2021-06-20. This document replaces SCC Requirements and Guidance for the Accreditation for Forensic Testing Laboratories v1 2017-07-17. Laboratories shall complete the transition to the new requirements within 6 months of the date of the publication of this bulletin. Within this transition period, laboratories are expected to send an attestation that they have complied with the new requirements.

 

Affected customers

All Laboratory Accreditation Program clients accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 under the Forensics Program Specialty Area.

 

Background

These changes are made to align the SCC Requirements and Guidance for the Accreditation of Forensic Testing Laboratories to the requirements and structure of ISO/IEC 17025:2017

 

New requirements

The entire document has been revamped to account for both the 2017 version of ISO/IEC 17025, as well as other various documents and regulations that this is based upon. 

 

The following is a summary of the changes:

  • References updated to current documents
  • Terms and Definitions updated
  • Resource Requirements have been updated to reflect the new standard
  • Process Requirements have been updated to reflect the new standard
  • Security Requirements have been updated
  • DNA Testing for Immigration Purposes has been updated to reflect changes made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
  • All Appendices have been updated to remove items that are covered in the general section, as well as ensure that items related to the specific section reflect the updated standard.

 

Deadline

The new version of the document is effective immediately. Customers are asked to update their respective documentation and technical practices (as applicable) as soon as possible. No NCRs will be raised against the new requirements until 2022-05-10. Customers who have an assessment scheduled after the transition deadline will receive the criteria matrix that corresponds with the new version of the document as part of the documentation sent along with the notice of assessment.

 

Questions?

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