BS EN ISO 17025:2005 is the British, European and International Standard for quality assurance in analytical laboratories.  In the UK, laboratories claiming compliance with the standard are inspected and accredited by UKAS. Accreditation to this standard also means that the laboratory’s management systems meet the principles of ISO 9001:2000.  However, a laboratory certified to ISO 9001:2000 but without ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation should never be considered a suitable alternative.

The standard covers quality control procedures and method specific procedures. Although laboratories achieving the standard are regarded as UKAS accredited, accreditation can only be claimed for individual methods that have been inspected and approved by UKAS.

A list of accredited methods is given on NRM’s UKAS schedule.

Although laboratories in the Agricultural sector do not have to work to these standards, NRM believes that achieving this accreditation will reassure its customers of the high standard of work that is carried out.

NRM Ltd is one of only a few laboratories that includes in its accredited tests, the agricultural soil suite of pH, available phosphorus, potassium and magnesium and trace metals.

For further information contact Kieran McNally.