Lab Consumables
Lab consumables are used by professionals in any laboratory setting, including, but not limited to, chemists, microbiologists, and researchers.
Today, ISO Technical Committee (TC) 48 and ISO standard 17025:2017 are used to classify what constitutes a lab consumable and ensure proper certification of these products (e.g., thermometers, density measuring instruments, non-volumetric glass and plastic ware).
Lab consumables is laboratory equipment that is used or “consumed” in the process of medical device, product, or material testing. The scope of ISO/TC 48 is the “standardization of devices and apparatus for laboratory purposes, with respect to principles and to materials of construction, performance, dimensions and testing, as well as the terms and definitions used in connection therewith”.
Lab consumables are used almost exclusively in laboratories. Although they can have applicability in more expansive settings, such as measuring fluids and solid quantities in baking or cooking.
Using ISO17025:2017 companies can establish what constitutes a laboratory setting where lab consumables are used. Under ISO17025:2017 a lab setting requires the appropriate availability of “personnel, facilities, equipment, systems and support services necessary to manage and performs its laboratory activities”. More information on this standard and ISO/TC48, which defines these areas in more detail, are used by the consultants at MicroBio to help establish laboratories and their supporting consumables.
MicroBio has worked in both cleanroom validation (through ISO14644-1:2015) and the standardization of lab consumables, such as flasks and graduated cylinders (through ISO/TC 48). The development of laboratory settings and their counterparts, in addition to the consumable used in these labs is essential for continued medical device and product development.
Resources referenced:
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ISO/TC 48
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2. ISO17025:2017