This standard outlines a code of safety for chemical laboratories.

1                   Scope

1.1               This standard outlines a code of safety for chemical laboratories.

1.2              The standard outlines:

(a)               general rules of conduct concerning safety;

(b)               details for fire emergency and rescue procedures;

(c)               general laboratory techniques.

1.3              This standard does not cover hazards relating to radioactive substances.

This standard specifies requirements for the operation of testing and/or calibration laboratories. It is applicable to all laboratories regardless of the number of personnel or the extent of the scope of testing activities.

This document specifies the general requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of laboratories. It is applicable to all organizations performing laboratory activities, regardless of the number of personnel.

Laboratory customers, regulatory authorities, organizations and schemes using peer-assessment, accreditation bodies, and others use this document in confirming or recognizing the competence of laboratories.

This international standard specifies requirements for quality and competence in medical laboratories. It can be used by medical laboratories in developing their quality management systems and assessing their own competence. It can also be used for confirming or recognizing the competence of medical laboratories by laboratory customers, regulating authorities and accreditation bodies.

This standard specifies the requirements for the operation of POCT sites with special requirements for VCT and PMTCT sites. The requirements of this standard apply when testing is carried out at POCT, VCT, PMTCT and community testing sites. This standard does not cover home testing or self testing sites

This International Standard contains requirements for the competence, consistent operation and impartiality of product, process and service certification bodies. Certification bodies operating to this International Standard need not offer all types of products, processes and services certification. Certification of products, processes and services is a third-party conformity assessment activity (see ISO/IEC 17000:2004, definition 5.5).

In this International Standard, the term “product” can be read as “process” or “service”, except in those instances where separate provisions are stated for “processes” or “services” (see Annex B).