Quality Manual: Table of contents

The numbering of this quality manual corresponds directly to the numbering of ISO 17025.

This quality manual is only valid if all pages are at the same issue level as shown in

D 4031, index quality manual.

Updates to this manual will be made by re-issuing the relevant section of this manual and adapting the issue level in the index.

This quality manual documents our management system and demonstrates the laboratory's ability to execute the indicated tests and/or calibrations and to meet regulatory requirements.

This manual establishes compliance with ISO 17025.

Describe the background, activities, personnel and tests of your laboratory.

Our laboratory's tests / calibrations  include:

-- list out the tests / calibrations  provided by your laboratory --

-- Distinguish between the tests which are part of the management system and those tests which are not. --

Describe the history of your laboratory.

The quality manager is responsible for setting up and maintaining a list of definitions and conventions (D 0001).

Definitions from ISO/IEC, guide 2, edition 1986, "General terms and their definitions concerning standardization and related activities" are relevant.

The list is added to the manual.

The quality manager is responsible for setting up and maintaining a list of abbreviations used in the quality manual.

The list is added to the manual (D 0002).

4.1.1 Legal identity

4.1.1.1    The laboratory is authorized under State statute XYZ (NOTE: enter State statute title, number, and/or article number). 

               Indicate the legal identity of the laboratory. If the laboratory hasn't its own legal identity because it is  part of a larger company, indicate the legal identity of this larger company.

4.1.2    Organization

4.1.2.1    The laboratory is part of the State (NOTE: enter State and department of the State that the laboratory is a part of).  Authority, interrelation, and responsibilities of all laboratory personnel are on file in the form of job descriptions (D 50204) and organizational charts (D 50201).  The responsibilities of Quality Manager and Technical Manager are assigned to designated staff as shown in the organizational chart. 

4.1.3    Responsibility

NOTE: The following is an example of  laboratory personnel responsibilities.  Indicate the responsibilities of key personnel of the large organisation that influence testing activities (QM, Tech M, Support M) too.

- Put general function descriptions in this manual

- Put detailed function descriptions and organisation chart with names and replacements in separate documents (

Only for people influencing quality )(D 50204 and D 50201).

4.1.3.1    Director

The Director is responsible for the overall compliance of the laboratory to

this Quality Manual and is the direct supervisor of the State Metrologist. 

4.1.3.2. Management (Program Manager, however named )

The management of the laboratory:

A.  implements and enforces the applicable good laboratory practices described in reference documents;

B.  provides resources, adjusts workloads, and provides training opportunities for laboratory staff to facilitate completion of assigned tasks in a safe work environment consistent with test requirements and personnel capabilities; and

C.  assigns deputies for both the technical and quality managers in the case of an absence.

4.1.3.2. Technical Manager

The technical manager :

A.  is a metrologist who has completed the required level of NIST OWM training as specified in accreditation requirements for the level at which the laboratory maintains accreditation;

B. is responsible for the overall administrative and technical operations of the laboratory;

C.  specifies and/or approves all methodologies used;

D.  implements good laboratory practices by providing instruction and training as needed, develops work plans and procedures, and requires that these be followed in all day‑to‑day operations;

E.   assigns only competent personnel to complete tests;

F.   attests, by signature, to the validity of all laboratory tests and reports (a list of Approved Signatories is maintained in the laboratory (D 40310) and

G.  ensures continued accreditation of the laboratory.

4.1.3.4    Quality Manager

The quality manager :

A.  is a metrologist who has completed the required level of NIST OWM training as specified in accreditation requirements for the level at which the laboratory maintains accreditation;

B.  coordinates internal audits of the laboratory in accordance with Section 4.14 of this quality manual;

C.  maintains, analyzes, and updates statistical data and/or control charts;

D.  participates in available and relevant proficiency tests, round-robins, and/or interlaboratory collaborative studies;

E.   where necessary, identifies, develops, and implements improvement of the laboratory measurement capability to meet the requirements of NIST, department programs, and laboratory customers;

F.   maintains the quality manual; and

G.  has direct access to management and to the technical manager.

NOTE:                                   Many laboratories are limited in staff.  These laboratories are often operated by one person or a part-time person.  In these cases, the responsibilities of both technical and quality manager fall on that person.  Special care and precaution must be taken and documented to ensure that the management system and measurements are not adversely affected by limited laboratory staff.  

4.1.4.      Financial or political considerations don't influence testing.

4.1.5.      Top management ensures that appropriate communication processes are established within the laboratory for implementation of the management system, and that communication takes place regarding the effectiveness of the management system.

4.2.1. The management system documentation consists of different levels:

          - documented statements of the quality policy issued by the laboratory director

             (D 40201) and the quality objectives (D 40202)

          - this quality manual

          - documented procedures required by all applicable standards: they detail the

             implementation of requirements and operation guidelines.

          - Instructions: they detail specific quality or inspection information and specific 

             instructions for performance or individual tasks.

          - documents needed by the organization to ensure the effective planning, operation and

             management of its processes, and

          - records required by all applicable standards per the records procedure.

          When the term documented procedure appears within this quality manual, the

          procedure is established, documented, implemented and maintained.

          Our laboratory maintains its documents on various media such as paper, electronic,

          magnetic, optical, etc.

4.2.2. Our laboratory has established and maintains this quality manual that:

          - defines the structure of the management system. 

          - makes reference to the quality policy, the supporting procedures (also technical)

             and the instructions.

          - defines the roles and responsibilities of technical and quality staff

          The management system documentation is communicated to all relevant personnel.

          These documents are understood and implemented. They are available at the

           location needed.

4.2.3. A list of the procedures, the instructions and the quality records which are included

          in the management system, is maintained (D 40301, D 40302, D 40303, D 40304,

          D 40305 and D 40306).

4.2.4. Top management is committed to the development and implementation of the

          management system as well as statutory and regulatory requirements.

          Top management communicates to the organization the importance of meeting

          customer requirements as well as statutory and regulatory requirements.

          Top management ensures that the integrity of the management system is maintained

          when changes to the management system are planned and implemented.

4.3.1. Documents required by the management system are managed per the documentation

          management procedure (P 403) . Records are a special type of document and are

          managed per the records procedure (P 413).

4.3.2. The documentation management procedure is established to define the means needed

          to:

          - approve documents for adequacy prior to issue

          - review and update as necessary and re-approve documents

          - ensure that changes and the current revision status of documents are identified

          - ensure that relevant versions of applicable documents are available at points of use

          - ensure that documents remain legible and readily identifiable

          - ensure that documents of external origin are identified and their distribution managed

            using the documentation master list, and

         - prevent the unintended use of obsolete documents and to apply suitable identification

            to them if they are retained for any purpose.