Implementation of a Quality Management System According to the ABNT ISO/IEC 17025:2005 in the Gravity Laboratory of Observatório Nacional

Abstract

An implementation of a Quality Management System (QMS) according ISO 17025:2005 and obtaining formal accreditation can significantly improve the reliability and credibility of laboratory testing and calibration in the greatness gravity. This standard establishes the criteria for those laboratories wishing to demonstrate their technical and scientific, which have a system of effective quality and are able to generate technically valid results, establishing a single international standard and to certify the competence of laboratories to carry out tests and / or calibrations, including sampling. The main document of the QMS is the Quality Manual, where the general policies of the Laboratory are established. The general policies list the procedures and other documents that constitute the Management System. The technical-scientific procedures and methods will provide the instructions and also designate the personal responsibility of the tanging actives. And finally, the documentation for the plans, systems, instructions, schedules, programs and the other items of the “Master List”, which are all Quality Documents. Introduction In order to align the ways of managing the systems aiming at the improvement of results, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), present in over 160 countries, is a non-governmental organization with the largest number of international publications regarding the for standardization of systems and methods. So the quest for Excellence and Quality in products, services and scientific circles has made to grow the demand for certification and accreditation. In the case of Calibration laboratories and testing, the ISO sets to the ISO 17025, this establishes basic requirements for standardization at the international level. The implementation of this standard norm happens in institutions foreign counterparts that are in the process of implementing a Quality Management System in its laboratories and research groups in gravimetric, for example: METAS, Switzerland (equivalent to Inmetro), BKG, Germany (Equivalent to IBGE), National Geografic Institute, Spain (equivalent to IBGE), Geodetic Observatory Pecný, Czech Republic (Equivalent to ON) and NIST, USA (equivalent to Inmetro). The implementation of a QMS based on ISO/IEC 17025:2005 attests: the degree of quality of technical and scientific experiments tests performed in the laboratory (reliability of results) as well as the competence of the laboratory to quantitatively measure gravity, the permission to participate in programs of comparison testing in quality laboratory accredited by the National Metrological Institute (Inmetro) and equivalence and international acceptance of their laboratory activities. Objectives and Relevance The Gravity Laboratory of Observatorio Nacional (LabGrav/ON, Figure 1) performs gravimetric tests and calibrations to meet the needs of both research and teaching as other academic institutions in partnership. Moreover, it is occasionally required to meet demands from customers external to ON, whether in geophysical exploration, either in metrology force, pressure and viscosity. Though, the need to have a QMS implemented in the LabGrav, thus enabling quality assurance to all internal and external clients of the laboratory. Figure 1 – The Gravity Laboratory of Observatorio Nacional in Vassouras (RJ, Brasil) It is extremely important to implement a quality management system based on ISO 17025:2005 for the Gravity Laboratory of ON. To be recognized and integrate: the Brazilian Calibration Network (RBC/Inmetro), the Brazilian Network Testing Laboratories (RBLE/Inmetro) and the Brazilian System of Technology (Sibratec/Finep-MCTI). The accreditation allows the formalization of laboratory activities with the Regulatory Agencies, academic institutions and the private sector regarding the quality of greatness gravity, Contributes to greater visibility of the