The Testing Laboratories and Sampling Area have been accredited since 1999 according to standard NP EN ISO/IEC 17025 - 'General requirements for the competence to carry out tests and/or calibrations', where EPAL's Laboratories and Water Quality Control Department owns
Certificate No. L0242, which is associated with two Technical Annexes
L0242-1 regarding the sampling area and Lisbon Laboratory and
L0242-2 regarding the Vale da Pedra Laboratory.
As such, EPAL's Quality Policy was approved on november 23th, 2017 by its Board of Directors and follows these basic principles:
- Ensure the conditions for an optimised management of the available LAB means as to maintain its accreditation
- Promote modern equipment and methods used in the LAB
- Ensure the quality of the provided services built on the technical skills of LAB human resources, resorting to good practices, and continuous technological perfection of equipment
- Permanently ensure the quality of performed tests
- Take part in implementing and maintaining a continuously improving internal environment
- Take an active part in revising the LAB's Management System providing all necessary resources for achieving its goals
- Ensure that the appropriate communication processes are carried out at the top and all employees are informed of the Management System's efficiency assessment
- Ensure that there is no internal or external pressure or influence, which may affect work quality in a negative manner
- Ensure safety and confidentiality conditions so that there is no customer, shareholder, or another influential type of pressure on the LAB
- Consolidate a brand image and reputation that is permanently connected to customer satisfaction
- Establish partnerships with customers in order to achieve a high degree of mutual satisfaction
- Establish partnerships with official bodies, research and development institutions, educational institutions, and accreditation and standardisation organisms in Portugal and abroad in order to permanently update the available technical and human means, as well as maintaining the status of a laboratory of reference