Accreditation Workshops

FQS has a range of workshop options covering preparation for accreditation.  These are modular in nature and are offered as a three-day standard package (“ISO Without Tears”) provided from our site in Clearwater, or you can select the options you wish for delivery at your site.

All the modules focus on aspects of accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 in general and are not specific to the accreditation provided by FQS or any other Accreditation Body.

The available modules are:

• Introduction to “ISO Accreditation” - what is “ISO”, where do the standards come from, are they relevant to my forensic laboratory, what is involved in accreditation, supplemental requirements, management system hierarchy. **
• Review of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 - structure of the International Standard and discussion of the clauses.** 
• Principles of Internal Laboratory Auditing - classroom version:  Instruction on planning and conducting an internal audit, reporting findings, managing corrective actions.  Scenario-based individual and group exercises.**
• Practical Auditing - Successful completion of “Principles of internal laboratory auditing” or equivalent is required.  Plan and conduct an audit of one or more activity, reporting, and corrective action.   Note this has to be conducted at a laboratory site.  The planning, conducting and reporting of the audit is mentored by the instructors.   This is followed by instruction on how to manage corrective action.  At least one non-conformity identified in the audit is selected for root cause analysis.  The instruction is focused on the underlying principles and techniques.  No advice is given on whether actual situations found are or are not non-conformities nor on actual identification of root cause and implementation of corrective actions.

Modules marked ** are included in the ISO without tears workshop.

FQS ISO 17025 Auditor Assessor Training Workshops

A 2 1/2 day workshop for FQS assessors is offered.  Successful completion of ISO Without Tears or an equivalent workshop or equivalent practical experience in laboratory auditing is required.

Successful completion of the assessor workshop or an equivalent workshop or equivalent experience is a requirement for FQS asessors. 

Please note that the content of the workshop is generic and relevant to preparation for ISO accreditation from any accrediting body.

Attendance at this workshop is strongly advised for all FQS Assessors. A 2 1/2 day ISO 17025 Auditor Assessor Workshop for all disciplines will be held on the following dates:

• June 7-9, 2010. Registration deadline May 24, 2010
• November 1-3, 2010. Registration deadline October 18, 2010

Workshop location:
Summit Executive Center
Geneva Room
13575 58th Street North
Clearwater, FL. 33760

Registration fee:

• 2 1/2 Day Workshop - $300.00

This includes instruction, workshop materials, copy of Guide 19, and refreshments.

If we do not receive 6 registrations to a class by the deadline, the class is subject to cancellation.  Please check with the office before purchasing  your airfare.

Recommended lodging - Holiday Inn Express - ICOT, 13625 Icot Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33770, Phone: 727-536-7275, www.hiexclearwatergateway.com. Ask for the Forensic Quality Services group rate, which is $79/night. The hotel is within walking distance of the workshop location.

ISO/IEC 17025:2005: It is strongly recommended that you have a copy of the Standard. A copy will be available for each attendee’s use during the workshop; however, it cannot be retained by the attendee. (All state and local public crime laboratories received a free copy of the standard. It is also available for purchase through the ANSI “eStandards Store” at www.ansi.org.)

To register for a workshop session, please complete the form below and fax or mail to Pat Bencivenga (pab@forquality.org),
13575 58th Street North, Suite 153,
Clearwater, FL 33760-3721
Fax (727) 538-4299

Registration Form

ISO Without Tears Workshops

The next 3-day general workshops will be offered on:

• March 15-17, 2010. Registration deadline March 1, 2010.
• September 27-29, 2010. Registration deadline is September 13, 2010.

*** Attendance is limited so register quickly.***

Workshop location:
Summit Executive Center
Geneva Room
13575 58th Street North
Clearwater, FL. 33760

Registration fee:

• 3 Day General Workshop - $300.00

This includes instruction, workshop materials, copy of Guide 19, and refreshments.

If we do not receive 6 registrations to a class by the deadline, the class is subject to cancellation.  Please check with the office before purchasing  your airfare.

Recommended lodging - Holiday Inn Express - ICOT, 13625 Icot Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33770, Phone: 727-536-7275, www.hiexclearwatergateway.com. Ask for the Forensic Quality Services group rate, which is $79/night. The hotel is within walking distance of the workshop location.

ISO/IEC 17025:2005: It is strongly recommended that you have a copy of the Standard. A copy will be available for each attendee’s use during the workshop; however, it cannot be retained by the attendee. (All state and local public crime laboratories received a free copy of the standard. It is also available for purchase through the ANSI “eStandards Store” at www.ansi.org.)

To register for a workshop session, please complete the form below and fax or mail to Pat Bencivenga (pab@forquality.org),
13575 58th Street North, Suite 153,
Clearwater, FL 33760-3721
Fax (727) 538-4299

Registration Form

Forensic Relational Testing Workshop - March 18, 2010

This statistics workshop will cover relationship/paternity testing, calculations, mixture interpretation, unusual case studies, Hardy Weinberg, Linkage equilibrium and MORE!

Relational Testing Workshop Flyer

*** Attendance is limited so register quickly.***

Workshop location:
Summit Executive Center
Geneva Room
13575 58th Street North
Clearwater, FL. 33760

Registration fee:

• 1 Day Workshop - $120.00

Registration Deadline is March 1, 2010

If we do not receive 6 registrations to a class by the deadline, the class is subject to cancellation.  Please check with the office before purchasing  your airfare.

Recommended lodging - Holiday Inn Express - ICOT, 13625 Icot Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33770, Phone: 727-536-7275, www.hiexclearwatergateway.com. Ask for the Forensic Quality Services group rate, which is $79/night. The hotel is within walking distance of the workshop location.

To register for a workshop session, please complete the form below and fax or mail to Pat Bencivenga (pab@forquality.org),
13575 58th Street North, Suite 153,
Clearwater, FL 33760-3721
Fax (727) 538-4299

Registration Form

For more information on workshops and training programs
Contact Pat Bencivenga
727-538-4134
pab@forquality.org