Why are Reference Materials and the associate ISO Standards and Guides important?

Accurate measurements are an essential feature both of everyday life and economic activity. For example, they are needed to detect critical amounts of dangerous compounds in our food, to diagnose whether our bodies are functioning correctly for a healthy life, and to check whether a batch of steel is strong enough for the safe construction of a bridge.

Such measurements can only be performed when the corresponding measurement instruments have been properly calibrated. This is the same procedure as used when the accuracy of a set of weighing scales is checked by using a known standard weight. Consequently, materials which can be used for instrument calibration – such as the kilogram standard – are required.  These are known as “reference materials”.

Because vital decisions may depend on measurements such as the examples given above, there needs to be confidence in the measurement result. Therefore, the correct application of critical measurement procedures must also be controlled by using reference materials which are similar to the material to be tested, and for which the measured value is already known.

In consequence, laboratories are able to verify their ability to measure accurately