ISO/IEC 17020 Training Course

Lesson 1 • History and Purpose of the Standard

It traces the evolution of inspection body requirements from earlier standards to the current edition. It provides context for why each clause exists.

Lesson 2 • Structure of the Standard

It maps the clause architecture of ISO/IEC 17020 so students can navigate requirements efficiently. It lays the groundwork for clause-by-clause study in subsequent chapters.

Lesson 3 • Scope and Types of Inspection Bodies

It defines the three inspection body types and their independence requirements. Students can classify any inspection body correctly before studying detailed requirements.

Lesson 1 • Legal and Contractual Capacity

It examines requirements for legal identity, liability, and contractual authority. It connects organisational standing to the credibility of inspection outputs.

Lesson 2 • Organisational Structure and Responsibilities

It defines required roles, reporting lines, and decision-making authority within an inspection body. Students can design an organisational chart that satisfies the standard.

Lesson 3 • Confidentiality and Information Security

It covers obligations to protect client and inspection data throughout the inspection lifecycle. It demonstrates how confidentiality supports client trust and regulatory compliance.

Lesson 4 • Impartiality and Independence Management

It analyses threats to impartiality and the controls required to mitigate them. It is central to demonstrating type classification and maintaining accreditation.

Lesson 1 • Supervision and Performance Monitoring

It examines how inspection bodies must supervise inspectors and monitor ongoing performance. It provides tools for identifying competence gaps before they affect inspection quality.

Lesson 2 • Competence Framework Design

It establishes how to define knowledge, skill, and experience requirements for each inspection role. It forms the foundation for all subsequent personnel management activities.

Lesson 3 • Personnel Records and Confidentiality

It specifies the records that must be maintained for each inspector and how they must be protected. It supports both internal management and external accreditation body audits.

Lesson 4 • Training and Ongoing Development

It defines requirements for induction, technical training, and continuous professional development. It connects training investment to sustained inspection quality.

Lesson 1 • Equipment Malfunction and Withdrawal

It defines procedures for removing defective equipment from service and assessing impact on prior inspections. It protects the validity of previously issued inspection reports.

Lesson 2 • Facility Requirements and Environmental Controls

It identifies conditions that inspection facilities must meet to ensure valid results. It links environmental control to measurement integrity and inspector safety.

Lesson 3 • Calibration and Metrological Traceability

It explains calibration programme design and the requirement for unbroken metrological traceability. It connects calibration rigour to the defensibility of inspection findings.

Lesson 4 • Equipment Identification and Control

It covers unique identification, status labelling, and control of all inspection equipment. It prevents use of unauthorised or out-of-calibration equipment during inspections.

Lesson 1 • Inspection Records and Evidence

It specifies what must be recorded during and after an inspection to support the final report. It demonstrates how records protect both the client and the inspection body.

Lesson 2 • Conducting the Inspection

It details on-site and remote inspection execution, including sampling and observation techniques. It connects field practice to the procedural requirements established in prior sections.

Lesson 3 • Contract Review and Inspection Planning

It covers pre-inspection activities including client requirement review and resource planning. It establishes that inspections are only accepted when the body has the competence to perform them.

Lesson 4 • Inspection Methods and Procedures

It examines how inspection methods are selected, validated, and documented as procedures. It ensures inspections are performed consistently regardless of which inspector is assigned.

Lesson 1 • Corrective Actions and Continual Improvement

It establishes the process for identifying root causes and implementing effective corrective actions. It links systematic improvement to sustained accreditation and client confidence.

Lesson 2 • Management Review

It specifies the inputs, outputs, and frequency of management review meetings. It ensures top management actively drives continual improvement based on performance data.

Lesson 3 • Internal Audits

It defines the planning, execution, and follow-up of internal audits across all standard requirements. It connects internal audit findings to the corrective action and improvement cycle.

Lesson 4 • Management System Options and Documentation

It explains the two management system options in the standard and their documentation requirements. Students select the appropriate option and structure their quality manual accordingly.

Lesson 1 • Nonconforming Inspection Work

It addresses identification, containment, and disposition of inspection work that does not meet requirements. It connects nonconformity management to client notification and report validity.

Lesson 2 • Appeals Process Design

It defines how clients may appeal inspection decisions and the independence requirements for appeal panels. It distinguishes appeals from complaints and links both to continual improvement.

Lesson 3 • Linking Feedback to Improvement

It shows how complaint, appeal, and nonconformity data feed into the management review and corrective action system. It closes the quality loop established in the previous chapter.

Lesson 1 • Selecting and Applying to an Accreditation Body

It guides the selection of a competent accreditation body and the preparation of an initial application. It ensures students understand what assessors will evaluate before the first visit.

Lesson 2 • Reassessment and Scope Extensions

It addresses the full reassessment cycle and the process for adding new inspection activities to the accredited scope. It enables strategic growth of the inspection body's capabilities.

Lesson 3 • Initial Assessment Process

It explains the document review and on-site assessment stages conducted by the accreditation body. Students can prepare personnel and evidence for each assessment phase.

Lesson 4 • Surveillance Assessments

It covers the frequency, scope, and preparation for periodic surveillance visits after accreditation is granted. It maintains ongoing compliance between full reassessment cycles.