Sometimes laboratories receive requests from customers to emit separate test reports under a single request of testing on different samples and different tests. For example, the customer requests series of tests to verify compliance to different national legislation on different samples. Instead of having a unique test report separated test reports are required for each sample and each legislation, as well as for each single test.
Those kind of requests are sometimes due to different testing duration: one test can be completed in one single day, others in weeks or months; Sometimes since it is necessary to show to the final customer, and they can be in different countries, compliance to the interested legislation, and not on legislation of other countries, of the single sample they are ordering.
Is it admissible or the laboratory have to issue a unique test report with all results, or at least a comprehensive test report and then other separated ones?
If the customer requests the laboratory to issue separate test reports for the same sample being analysed, then the contract between the lab and the customer should clarify all the details of the agreement (ref. 7.1.1 & 7.8.1 ISO/IEC 17025:2017).
Where different test reports for the same sample are issued to comply with legislation from different countries, then those reports shall include the same information concerning the sample being analysed, the activites performed and the obtained results, with a cross reference linking each other.
The practice of issuing separate test reports for the same samples shall be managed in order to avoid or minimize any possiiblity of misunderstanding or misuse (ref. 7.8.2.1 ISO/IEC 17025:2017).