Laboratory Quality Systems

The laboratories in the Food Safety Division (FSD) operate under a Quality System which was established to conform to the requirements of ISO 17025, the standard, for testing laboratories, from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The quality system and a number of specific scopes of testing have been recognized through accreditation by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), the ISO's Canadian representative.

The FSD Quality System includes both managment and technical aspects of laboratory operation and is documented in a Quality Management System (QMS) Manual. The manual describes the organization of the laboratories, defines quality objectives and presents protocols and procedures to be followed to ensure quality objectives are met. Many of the procedures are documented as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Internal audits monitor compliance with the requirements of the QMS Manual and SOPs. Corrective action is taken to deal with deficiencies.

The Agri-Food Systems (AFS) branch acts as a resource for quality and audit systems that exist in the Alberta agriculture industry. The Quality Assurance Officer and Assistant Quality Officer in AFS Branch are responsible for the Quality Management System (QMS) Manual, the SOP program and for coordinating the day-to-day operation of the laboratory Quality System, including internal audits and corrective acition. In addition, they promote and assist with expansion of the System to add new tests to the Scope of Accreditation. Their efforts and those of the entire System are monitored by regular SCC audits.

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For more information on Quality Systems, contact Gary Higgs , Quality Assurance Officer.

Laboratory Quality Systems

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