Course Introduction :
Effective quality risk management is a critical component of competent laboratory operations, particularly in forensic environments where the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of data directly impact judicial and regulatory outcomes. International standards such as ISO/IEC 17025:2017, together with established principles of quality risk management, require laboratories to adopt systematic, evidence-based approaches to controlling technical, operational, and data-related risks.
As the Forensic Laboratory Department of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) progresses through gap analysis and corrective action implementation in preparation for accreditation, focused attention on Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), calibration acceptability, statistical process control, and laboratory data accuracy becomes essential.
This advanced, customised training programme has been specifically designed to address these priority areas, strengthen technical compliance, and enhance the laboratory’s readiness for accreditation assessments, while reflecting the operational realities and risk profile of forensic laboratories.
: Course Objectives
By the end of this Course, participants will be able to:
- Apply advanced quality risk management principles within forensic laboratory operations in line with ISO/IEC 17025:2017
- Evaluate and effectively utilise Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to ensure data integrity, traceability, and audit readiness
- Implement Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) in a manner that supports reliable results, chain of custody, and accreditation compliance
- Assess the acceptability of calibration activities and certificates in accordance with accreditation body expectations
- Apply statistical tools, including control charts, to monitor laboratory performance and detect out-of-control conditions
- Establish appropriate warning and action limits based on laboratory data
- Ensure laboratory data accuracy through structured review, verification, and risk-based controls
- Identify gaps and implement corrective actions that support successful accreditation outcomes
Course Outline :
Day 1: Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
- Role of LIMS in supporting ISO/IEC 17025 requirements
- Sample lifecycle management and traceability
- Data integrity, security, and audit trails within LIMS
- Risk management related to electronic laboratory systems
- LIMS compliance considerations during accreditation assessments
- Practical applications relevant to forensic laboratory operations
Day 2: Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
- Core principles of GLP and their application in forensic laboratories
- Integration of GLP with ISO/IEC 17025 requirements
- Impact of GLP on reliability of results and chain of custody
- Common nonconformities related to GLP identified during assessments
- Corrective and preventive actions (CAPA)
- Case studies and practical examples
Day 3: Acceptability of Calibration to Accreditation Bodies
- Calibration requirements under ISO/IEC 17025:2017
- Acceptability of calibration certificates by accreditation bodies
- Measurement traceability to national and international standards
- Evaluation and selection of calibration service providers
- Measurement uncertainty and its impact on result validity
- Calibration-related gap analysis and corrective actions
Day 4: Control Charts and Statistical Tools
- Introduction to statistical process control (SPC) in laboratories
- Control chart basic procedures
- Types of control charts used in laboratory environments
- Mean chart (X-chart)
- Establishing warning limits and action limits
- Identification and interpretation of out-of-control situations
- Practical exercises using laboratory data
Day 5: Laboratory Data Accuracy
- Importance of laboratory data accuracy for accreditation and forensic integrity
- Common sources of data errors in forensic laboratories
- Risk-based approach to ensuring data accuracy
- Data review, verification, and validation techniques
- Relationship between data accuracy and defensibility of results
- Practical workshop: data analysis, risk identification, and corrective actions