Training workshops on ISO 17025:2017

Training workshops are to be held to highlight salient features of the ISO 17025:2017 by the EU-Sri Lanka Trade Related Assistance project from 19-23 and 26-27 February, at the MILODA Academy of Financial Studies and Sri Lanka Accreditation Board Auditorium. 

This is a standard issued and updated by the International Standard Organisation (ISO) in 2017. Updated from 2005, ISO 17025:2017 specifies the general requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories, including sampling. It encompasses testing and calibration performed using standard methods, non-standard methods, and laboratory-developed methods.

The workshops are to be held from 19-23 February, with the first two days at the MILODA Academy of Financial Studies and the final three days at the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB) auditorium. The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) supports this event within the framework of the EU-Sri Lanka Trade Related Assistance project and is organising these workshops in conjunction with SLAB.

The training workshops are designed to facilitate the understanding and adoption of new compliance requirements among stakeholders. SLAB assessors and Conformity Assessment Bodies (CAB) will be trained on 19-20 February.  

These trainings will be followed by a comprehensive three-day assessor training on 21-23 February at the SLAB auditorium. Subsequently, a two-day training-of-trainers workshop will take place on 26-27 February at the same auditorium, to ensure sustainability in knowledge transfer. 

Accredited services of CABs on testing compliance and issuing certificates of compliance are vital for exporters to demonstrate compliance with safety and quality standards. These are therefore fundamental training opportunities for CABs and assessors to learn and to smooth the transition to the updated international standard. UNIDO also plans to hold trainings for new assessors on ISO 17025:2017 in June as well as trainings on personnel, product, and system certifications in the following months.