Best laboratory practices

General best practices in laboratories involve establishing a quality management system with criteria for a safe working environment, efficient processes and valid results. The specifics depend on the type of laboratory. For example, for non-clinical safety studies, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) sets out Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) to ensure the quality and integrity of test data related to non-clinical safety studies.

ISO 17025 is the basis of the quality management system for testing and calibration laboratories. Then depending on the sector and risk, practices for safety and environmental protection could include certification to other ISO or other international standards, for example, ISO 14001.

For more information to meet ISO 17025 requirements, see the complimentary white paper (PDF) Clause-by-clause explanation of ISO 17025:2017 available at https://info.advisera.com/17025academy/free-download/clause-by-clause-explanation-of-iso-17025/ and the ISO 17025 Toolkit at https://advisera.com/17025academy/iso-17025-documentation-toolkit/