Quality Guidance Note QGN 009
Calibration Methodology
There should always be a procedure or Code of
Practice that defines the requirements for use and
calibration of apparatus and materials. The
application should determine the measurement to be
made; it's range, accuracy, precision, frequency etc.
The assessment made of the process probably
determines the type of instruments required for the
measurement and determines their type.
For example if a measurement has to be made in the
range of 0 to 100 ppm carbon monoxide then an
instrument with a full scale of 1000 ppm may not be
the most appropriate.
Similarly if the main area of measurement is around
35 ppm, with an accuracy of 5 ppm, then a 0 to 1000
ppm instrument with an accuracy of 5% would not be
suitable nor would an instrument in the range 0 to
100 ppm with an accuracy of 10% full scale.
Competence
Anyone who repairs or calibrates safety critical
equipment should be trained and competent in the
use of the equipment and the calibration techniques
used. Training without assessment is no longer an
acceptable method of ensuring people are capable of
doing the job. Risk assessment is an essential
element of health and safety practice and generally
any safety decisions made using an instrument may
have to be traceable both to the calibration technique
and the calibration gases but also to the competence
of the calibration personnel.
The correct selection of repair and calibration facility
or its personnel is essential.
Basic electronics skills may be the basis for a repair
facility but calibration may need more than that, an
understanding of the product, chemistry etc. A code
of practice or detailed procedures are a good starting
point, where the procedure can be monitored against
a detailed methodology and step by step process.
This should not be just a lot of words as is common
with some QA procedures but should include detailed
description about each stage of the process. There
Source Testing Association
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Issue Date: September 2003, supersedes May 2003
are many ways to demonstrate competence of
organisations in calibration but a simple route is to
chose an organisation that has third party
accreditation for this process or a similar one. This
could be a UKAS accreditation for calibration or
testing. This should not be confused with ISO 9000
type quality accreditation. A system like UKAS has to
demonstrate not only a process control but an
understanding of the calibration process itself and
also an understanding of what the results mean and
their limitations. In terms of an individual the first step
would be to identify the core skills or competencies
required from the job description and to follow these
up with a system that enables one to demonstrate
the skills necessary.
For example, Repair Technician:
Core Skills;
Able to understand basic electronic circuits,
components etc.
Able to diagnose faults in electronic apparatus.
Able to read and understand basic circuit
diagrams.
Able to use electronic test equipment.
This could be demonstrated by a basic
qualification such as an ONC, NVQ, BSc etc.
in an appropriate discipline.
Basic Requirements for calibration of gas
analysers and detectors;
Understanding of calibration processes,
accuracy, confidence levels, uncertainty etc.
Gases and their use, including flammability,
toxicity, handling and delivery to the
instrument.
Static handling procedures for electronic
equipment.
Repair of electronic equipment.
Use of calibration equipment.
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