NATA is supporting the adoption of the ISO 21043 series of Forensic Science standards to strengthen best practice across the forensic process.
Covering
- ISO 21043 Forensic Sciences Part 2: Recognition, recording, collecting, transport and storage of items (Section 5.4 Health and Safety is excluded from NATA accreditation);
- ISO 21043 Forensic Sciences Part 3: Analysis;
- ISO 21043 Forensic Sciences Part 4: Interpretation;
- ISO 21043 Forensic Sciences Part 5: Reporting.
ISO 21043 is applied as an extension to a facilities ISO/IEC 17025 scope of accreditation.
Facilities can apply to include one or more parts of ISO 21043 within their accreditation scope, either aligned with a reassessment or as a separate variation to scope assessment. All requests for additions to scope for any or all parts of ISO 21043 will be a chargeable activity.
The facility must provide a documented gap analysis comparing its current practices under ISO/IEC 17025 against the requirements of ISO 21043, this gap analysis will be used by the assessment team as a baseline to assess the facility’s compliance with ISO 21043.
For facilities currently accredited to AS 5388, ISO 21043 provides a comparable framework aligned to international standards. Transition can be supported through gap analysis between AS 5388 and ISO 21043 enabling existing processes to be leveraged while demonstrating alignment with ISO 21043 requirements.
Where facilities are currently accredited to the corresponding parts of AS 5388 they may also provide a gap analysis between AS 5388 and ISO 21043 to supplement the assessment documentation.
The assessment focuses on how ISO 21043 requirements are integrated into the laboratory’s management system and applied in practice across the facility, particularly if they extend beyond the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025.
Facilities wishing to extend their scope of accreditation to one or more parts of ISO 21043 should contact their client coordinator.