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Procedure · SOP-12

Metrological Traceability

Establishing and demonstrating unbroken traceability of every result to the SI through accredited calibrations.

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Purpose

To define the Laboratory's policy and practice for establishing and maintaining metrological traceability of all measurement results to the International System of Units (SI), so that every value on a certificate can be related to a national or international standard through a documented, unbroken chain of calibrations each with stated uncertainty.

What is inside

10 sections, about 4 pages when printed.

  1. 1. Purpose
  2. 2. Scope
  3. 3. References
  4. 4. Definitions
  5. 5. Responsibilities
  6. 6. Procedure
  7. Records generated by this procedure
  8. Monitoring and performance indicators
  9. Assessment readiness notes
  10. Related documents

Records it generates

Applying this procedure produces the following records, which are the evidence an assessor samples.

  • –Traceability chain records per reference standard
  • –External calibration certificates and acceptance reviews
  • –Verification of provider accreditation scope
  • –Internal calibration certificates and worksheets

What an assessor looks for

The document closes with these points, so you can check your own practice before someone else does.

  • –Taking a value on a customer certificate and asking the Laboratory to demonstrate the chain through the working standard, the reference standard, the external certificate and its accreditation, with the uncertainty at each step.
  • –Checking that external providers' scopes actually cover the calibrations purchased, including range and uncertainty.
  • –Checking that corrections from certificates are applied in calculations.
  • –Looking for any standard calibrated by a non-accredited source or outside the provider's scope.

Before you use it

  • Replace every square-bracket token, starting with [LABORATORY NAME], [ADDRESS] and [EFFECTIVE DATE]. The full token list is in GD-01 Read Me First.
  • Have the content technically reviewed against how your laboratory actually works, then approved by the responsible manager before it becomes a controlled document.
  • Update the Word fields after editing so the table of contents and page numbers are correct: select all, then press F9.
  • Record the document in your own document register and set its review date.
  • Delete the assessment readiness notes if you do not want them in your controlled version; they are guidance for you, not requirements.

Related documents

This is an original template published by ValiTrac. It does not reproduce the text of ISO/IEC 17025 or of any accreditation body publication, and it does not by itself confer or guarantee accreditation. Customise, review and approve it before use.