Barriers Affecting the Laboratory Accreditation (Case Study: Laboratories of Libyan Polymer Research Center)

Abstract

This paper highlights the difficulties encountered in establishing a quality management system at the Libyan Center for Plastics Research, specifically during the initial implementation of ISO 17025 in the center's laboratories. The study considers the perspectives of laboratory staff, including managers, department and office heads, laboratory supervisors, equipment operators, researchers, and technicians. A questionnaire was developed to collect data from the study sample, containing questions that reflect the study's hypotheses. The questionnaire targeted the aforementioned groups to identify the strengths and weaknesses encountered in implementing the standard's provisions and to propose solutions that would overcome these obstacles and achieve the system's success, ultimately leading to laboratory accreditation.  The descriptive analytical statistical method was adopted using the statistical program (Statistics Package for Social Science SPSS) to conduct appropriate statistical tests on the questionnaires, which numbered about twenty-seven people, representing 31% of the study population.

The results revealed shortcomings in meeting some of the standard's requirements, specifically weaknesses in the maintenance and calibration program and other administrative and organizational procedures within the laboratories, including occupational safety. The study concluded with a set of recommendations, the most important of which is improving the efficiency of equipment operators through regular training courses. The study also recommended streamlining administrative procedures to facilitate the application of ISO 17025 in the center's laboratories.