NABL 163

NABL

NATIONAL ACCREDITATION
BOARD FOR TESTING AND
CALIBRATION LABORATORIES

POLICY
for PARTICIPATION IN PROFICIENCY
TESTING ACTIVITIES

ISSUE NO : 06
ISSUE DATE: 27.06.2012

AMENDMENT NO : 00
AMENDMENT DATE: --

AMENDMENT SHEET
Sl

Page
No.

Clause
Date of
No. Amendment

Amendment made

Reasons

Signature
QO

Signature
Director

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories

Doc. No: NABL 163
Issue No: 06

Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing Activities

Issue Date: 27.06.2012
Amend No: 00
Amend Date:--

Page No: 1 / 6

CONTENTS
Sl. No.

Title

Page

Amendment sheet

Contents

1.

Introduction

2.

Scope

3.

NABL policy

4.

Requirements

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories

Doc. No: NABL 163
Issue No: 06

Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing Activities

Issue Date: 27.06.2012
Amend No: 00
Amend Date:--

Page No: 2 / 6

1. INTRODUCTION
Proficiency Testing is one of the important tools to determine the technical competence of the
testing/calibration laboratories.
According to ISO/IEC 17025:2005, participation in Proficiency Testing programs /Inter laboratory
comparison is significant means for assuring the quality of test/calibration results.
According to ISO 15189:2007, medical laboratories shall participate in interlaboratory comparisons
such as those organized by external quality assessment schemes.
This document derives NABL policy on participation in Proficiency testing activities to conform to the
requirements of ILAC-P9:11/2010., ILAC Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing activities.

2. SCOPE
This document stipulates the minimum requirements of PT participation during accreditation process
of testing, calibration and/ or medical laboratories.
This also gives information about the measures against poor performance of laboratories in defined in
Proficiency Testing program.

3. NABL POLICY
3.1. Applicant laboratory shall successfully participate in one PT program prior to gaining accreditation
in each discipline applied.
3.2. Accredited laboratory shall have 4-year plan for Proficiency Testing participation which shall
cover all the accredited groups as practicable (e.g. Food & agriculture, pressure & vacuum, high
voltage, building material, etc.) under each discipline of accreditation (e.g. Chemical, Mechanical,
Electrical etc.). In Medical testing, accredited laboratories shall participate at least one Proficiency
Testing / External Quality Assurance Scheme in a year per discipline, as appropriate.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories

Doc. No: NABL 163
Issue No: 06

Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing Activities

Issue Date: 27.06.2012
Amend No: 00
Amend Date:--

Page No: 3 / 6

3.3. Successful participation in national / international PT programs enhance the confidence in the
competence of laboratories.
3.4. Successful participation in PT is necessary for significant enhancement of scope such as addition
of discipline and/ or group.
3.5. Laboratory shall take appropriate corrective actions in case of poor performance in PT programs
within two months period. In two consecutive events of poor performance in PT participation/
unsatisfactory corrective actions leads to the scope reduction.
3.6. Apart from the above defined minimum requirements, Laboratory shall abide by the PT
participation required by the respective Regulators, NABL & regional bodies like APLAC.

4. REQUIREMENTS
4.1 Accredited laboratory shall submit 4 year PT plan as per the Form 18 (Annexure A) which will be
reviewed by NABL for its suitability in relation to the scope of accreditation. In case of nonsuitability of the PT plan submitted by the laboratory, NABL may guide in identifying the required
PT coverage.
4.2 NABL provides guidance to the laboratories regarding the proficiency testing programs through its
website, by giving reference to international programs enlisted by on EPTIS, FAPAS etc. This
helps the laboratories in participating in other programs, in case there are not national programs
available.
4.3 The PT program should be conducted in accordance with ISO/ IEC 17043:2010. All techniques
covered in ISO/IEC 17043:2010 shall be acceptable for the purpose of Proficiency Testing.
4.4 At the time of on-site assessment, assessment team shall verify whether the laboratories have
participated in recognized Proficiency Testing Program as per the PT plans (approved plans as
per Form 18 ) and whether the necessary corrective action were taken, if in terms of z-Score, En
values etc. the laboratory performance has not been satisfactory.
Note: For calibration laboratories, measurement audits will be considered to be a complimentary effort to
Inter-Laboratory Proficiency Testing. The calibration laboratories will be provided with artifacts with their
National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories
Doc. No: NABL 163
Issue No: 06

Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing Activities

Issue Date: 27.06.2012
Amend No: 00
Amend Date:--

Page No: 4 / 6

characterization by National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi or nodal laboratories appointed by NABL for
the same objective or any other NMIs who are signatory to BIPM.

4.5 NABL shall nominate its accredited/applicant laboratories for participation in APLAC and other
international Proficiency Testing program, as and when they are available. Following sequential
preference shall be given to the laboratories.
Accredited laboratories not having participated in any other APLAC PT program.
Accredited laboratories not having participated in NABL PT program or any other program
recognized by NABL.
Laboratories having unsatisfactory performance in a past PT program.
Laboratory with long period of accreditation
Applicant laboratory
NABL shall co-ordinate all activities related to PT program with APLAC and the participating
laboratories.
4.6 In the field of calibration where formal PT Programs are not available, alternatively the applicant /
accredited laboratories may participate in suitable inter-laboratory comparisons, as per NABL 164
Guidelines for Inter-laboratory Comparison for Calibration Laboratories where formal PT
Programs are not available.
4.7 In the field of Testing where formal PT Programs are not available or appropriate, alternatively the
applicant / accredited laboratories may participate in suitable inter-laboratory comparisons with
adequate number of accredited laboratories, as per NABL 162 Guidelines for Proficiency Testing
Programs for Testing Laboratories where formal PT Programs are not available. In case, the
accredited laboratories are not available for a particular test then non-accredited laboratories with
sufficient infrastructure and resources may be considered by NABL to act as nodal laboratories

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories

Doc. No: NABL 163
Issue No: 06

Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing Activities

Issue Date: 27.06.2012
Amend No: 00
Amend Date:--

Page No: 5 / 6

Annexure A
Form 18

4- Year Proficiency Testing Participation Plan

Laboratory ID
Laboratory Name
Field of Accreditation

Testing / Calibration / Medical

4 - Year Period of Participation

Accredited
Discipline(s)

Group(s) under
Discipline

Proficiency Testing Participation Plans

(Year wise)

Remarks
(for NABL use
only)

Note: laboratory should ensure that PT plan covers the major parameters in each group under the relevant discipline
For NABL use only

Reviewed by:

Approved by:

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories

Doc. No: NABL 163
Issue No: 06

Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing Activities

Issue Date: 27.06.2012
Amend No: 00
Amend Date:--

Page No: 6 / 6

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories

3rd Floor, NISCAIR
14, Satsang Vihar Marg
New Mehrauli Road
New Delhi 110 067
Tel.: +91-11 46499999
Fax: +91-11 26529716
Website: www.nabl-india.org