Preventing User Errors in Calibration Laboratories

In a calibration laboratory, the accuracy of the record matters as much as the accuracy of the measurement. Even if the measurement is flawless, the resulting document cannot be trusted when the certificate is tied to the wrong instrument or the wrong customer. User errors usually come not from carelessness but from a heavy workload and from tools that allow mistakes to happen. The remedy therefore lies not only in reminding people to be careful, but in making the way of working resistant to error. In this article we look at the common errors, what they cost the laboratory, and a three-layer approach that calibration software can take to error prevention.

Common user errors

Laboratories differ in their field of work, yet the errors they face look alike. None of them looks serious on its own, but their impact grows as the workload increases. The ones below are the most familiar.

• Wrong instrument selected: The wrong record is chosen among similar instruments belonging to the same customer, and the results end up on another instrument's document.
• Duplicate record: A second record is opened, unnoticed, for the same instrument or the same operation, raising the question of which one is valid.
• Expired reference instrument: A reference instrument whose calibration has expired is used on a certificate without anyone noticing.
• Approval with missing data: Empty fields are overlooked and the document goes to approval as it is.
• Wrong customer: Companies with similar names get mixed up and the document is tied to another customer's record.

ISO/IEC 17025 is the standard that defines the general requirements for the competence of laboratories, and traceable records are expected. From a laboratory quality perspective, an incorrect record weakens traceability as well.

What errors cost the laboratory

The cost of an error grows with how late it is noticed. An error caught during preparation is fixed quickly. An error noticed after the certificate has reached the customer means a revision, a new approval and correspondence with the customer. In some cases the measurement may need to be repeated, or the instrument may even have to be brought back to the laboratory. Beyond the lost time, trust, which is the laboratory's most valuable asset, can also be damaged.

First layer: visible status

Some errors arise because the user does not know the current status of a record. When the status is clearly visible, the likelihood of a wrong action drops. In KALDATA, every stage of the certificate workflow appears in its own tab with a counter. Jobs that are pending, in review or awaiting approval can be understood at a glance, and it becomes harder for a waiting document to be overlooked. In the mobile app, status badges in the instrument list separate instruments that already have a TBDS number from those still waiting.

Second layer: confirmation before action

Some operations cannot be undone or are troublesome to correct. A confirmation step that shows users what they are about to do keeps a mistaken click from having consequences. In KALDATA, confirmation is requested before TBDS operations, revising an active certificate requires a separate confirmation, and a reason must be given for a cancellation. The confirmation step is there not to slow the work down but to give the user a chance to take one last look. In the mobile app, too, explicit confirmation is required for operations such as number transfer and revision.

Third layer: rule checks

Visibility and confirmation rely on the user's attention. Rule checks step in even when attention slips, because the software does not allow an operation that is not appropriate. At this layer the rule is applied in the same way for every user and every operation.

• A reference instrument with an expired calibration is not added to a certificate, and the user is warned.
• The same TBDS number cannot be given to two different instruments.
• No request is made for records that already have a number or fall outside the accreditation scope.
• The action button appears only on eligible records.
• If TBDS rejects a request, the record in the software does not change either.

The fact that a certificate passes through preparation, review and approval stages also provides an additional opportunity to notice missing or incorrect data before it reaches the customer. Checking is therefore not left to one person's attention alone.

The same rules on web and mobile

If the checks only apply on the office screen, operations carried out in the field are left unprotected. The KalData Saha mobile app uses the same server rules as the web software, so the result is the same in the office and in the field. In the mobile app, too, confirmation is requested before irreversible operations and a second request for an instrument that already has a number is blocked. The technician can reach the instrument record by scanning a QR code or barcode, which helps reduce the confusion that may arise when picking from a list by hand. Having the rules defined in one place also keeps different practices from emerging between teams.

Conclusion

It may not be possible to eliminate user errors entirely, but it is possible to make it harder for an error to have consequences. When visible status, confirmation before action and rule checks work together, a large share of errors can be caught before they surface. For a laboratory manager, this means building quality on the process itself and not on individual attention. To see how this approach works in practice, visit the KALDATA Calibration Laboratory Management Software and KalData Saha mobile app pages. If you would like to talk through your own laboratory's workflow, you are welcome to request a demo.