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Maree Stuart
Written by Maree Stuart
Maree Stuart is a Analytical Chemist, a Quality expert and a person who thrives on solving challenging conundrums. She has qualifications and over 30 years of experience in science, quality, and management of labs. She helps lab people with gaining and maintaining accreditation, with her no nonsense, practical and innovative approach. And did you know she is also a lawyer?

How to make NATA happy about your calibrations

The NATA equipment tables might be on their way out!
Who will tell me how often to check my gizmo?

MAS can help with NATA calibrations and measurement uncertainty for ISO 17025 and ISO 15189

So, you’ve been minding your own business and just doing as NATA says to do for equipment calibrations for years.  Now they tell you that you might have to work out your own calibration frequencies and ‘prove’ that they are suitable.

Here’s something to add insult to injury. You know those equipment calibrations on things like pipettes that you’ve been doing since starting work in a lab? Well, NATA is now telling you that you never did know how to do them properly and you have to pay someone else to do them!  It’s overwhelming.  Are lab staff suddenly incompetent when it comes to performing something as simple as a pipette calibration?

Did you know that boring old Measurement Uncertainty can help you out?

A good understanding of the sources of uncertainty in your methods (including your calibration methods) will help you to make decisions. This includes which equipment can be calibrated in-house and which ones really do need an expert hand.

One lab calculated the uncertainty budget for their pipette checks and it was better than the external calibration that NATA was demanding.  And it was traceable.

Understanding your system

Getting to know your methods intimately in this way will help you stand your ground and explain how your laboratory does meet the requirements for traceability in measurements.

You will also have the evidence to back your decisions on:

  • competency assessments and training programs
  • conducting equipment checks in-house or sending out for calibration
  • purchasing new equipment
  • improving method performance

So pull out the GUM, the Eurachem/CITAC Guide. Find the instructions from your professional body. Or the notes from that course you went to and give it a go.

If you need a little more help, we provide excellent workshops on Measurement Uncertainty and Traceability. Head to our training page and take a look! You can also check out our detailed guide about ISO 17025.

Remember, you don’t have to do this alone!

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