Importance of implementing quality management systemin testing laboratories

Abstract

Nowadays, testing laboratories face great challenges in providing services. These challenges are related to performing high-quality tests demanded by customers and regulatory entities. It is important to emphasize that the laboratory is responsible for the reliability of the results given, considering that these results are the starting point for designing or making decisions that affect or endanger the health and integrity of the community. 

To identify the benefits of Quality Management Systems (QMS), it is necessary to review, analyze and synthesize the importance of their implementation in testing laboratories. To do this, a comparison is presented between a laboratory with and without a quality management system according to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard, where it is evident that management systems allow process optimization, generating savings, increasing the laboratory's credibility, and therefore customer satisfaction.