An introduction to laboratory quality accreditation

Quality in its general sense, and specifically in the education sector, is one of the most important means and methods that will be followed to improve the quality of education and raise the level of its performance. And to promote the level of educational laboratories, based on the national standards of a good laboratory, in addition to the modern systems used in the management of laboratories.

There are positive indicators that highlight an urgent desire to proceed with the application of all laboratory quality standards in the laboratories of the scientific departments of the college to ensure a trend towards establishing effective quality systems in the college that are in line with the values ​​required for the successful application of these standards and the adoption of motivational systems later.

It is necessary to apply a curriculum that meets the requirements of quality standards in laboratories in the College of Medicine, in line with the characteristics, specifications and standards of a good laboratory, which were launched by the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

There are two types of forms for the classification of laboratory quality and my agencies:

•   Quality classification form for specialized educational laboratories.
•     Laboratory quality classification form for humanities, computers, and sound laboratories.

   Evidence that should be available in every laboratory

• The indicative guide for the quality classification form of educational laboratories.
• Indicative guide for laboratories quality classification form for humanities, computers and sound laboratories.
• Procedure Manual.
• Guide to National Standards for Good Teaching Laboratory.

  The laboratory quality classification form contains 11 paragraphs according to the approved standards of a good laboratory GLP, as follows:

  1. Leadership and management

  2. Securing the collective protection system

  3. Civil design of laboratories

  4. Training courses programs for laboratory personnel

  5. Maintenance programs for devices and equipment

  6. Addresses of laboratories and declared documents

  7. Certificates of appreciation and letters of thanks to the laboratory workers throughout the evaluation year

  8. Personal protective equipment and visual media

  9. Securing laboratory safety supplies

  10. The number of students in the laboratory

  11. Procedural modalities

  Among the national standards of GLP that have been achieved in the College of Medicine are:

  • Design the laboratory in the appropriate size, as it should accommodate the number of students, and their experiments that they will carry out inside it.

  • Defining the tasks, duties, and powers, for each student, in the laboratory.

  • Securing protection means for students and training them on how to use them.

  • Securing a ventilation and lighting system inside the laboratory. Providing a self-alarm system, as well as providing a fire extinguishing system, as they must work according to the general characteristics of the laboratory, and within its programs, and the degree of danger in it.

  • Working on setting warning and guiding instructions for laboratory safety, by hanging banners or billboards inside the laboratory and on its external doors, in order to reduce accidents that individuals may be exposed to, by increasing their awareness of various risks.

  • Putting introductory boards for the laboratory workers, mentioning their certificates and specializations.

  • The existence of a special first aid box inside the laboratory, in order to deal with various accidents that may occur due to exposure to chemicals, electric shocks, or mechanical, physical or biological hazards.

  • Provide a number of closed boxes for waste that are produced inside the laboratory, and care must be taken to dispose of them on a daily basis.

  • Develop a schedule for the periodic maintenance of devices and equipment in the laboratory. Write down all the data and information related to the various devices and equipment, such as: the year of manufacture, the manufacturer, and the name of the company that produced these devices.

  • Existence of a plan outside each laboratory showing its location within the building.