Environmental Laboratory Accreditation

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Environmental Laboratory Accreditation

• Richard H. Sheibley, Chief Laboratory
  Accreditation Program
• Department of
• Environmental Protection

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Act of June 29, 2002
P.L. 596, No. 90 Title 27 Sections 4101-4113
Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Act

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Key Provisions Act 90Section 4103 Laboratory
Requirements

• An environmental laboratory must be accredited
  under this act
• All testing and analysis of environmental samples
  shall be performed by an accredited environmental
  laboratory
• Testing shall be performed pursuant to the act,
  the environmental statutes and departmental
  conditions

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Key Provisions Act 90Who is Affected?

• Environmental Laboratory
• A facility engaged in the testing or analysis of
  environmental samples.

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Key Provisions Act 90Who is Affected?

• Environmental sample
• A solid, liquid, gas or other specimen taken for
  the purpose of testing or analysis as required by
  an environmental statute.

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Key Provisions Act 90Who is Affected?

• Environmental statute
• A statute administered by the Department
  relating to the protection of the environment or
  of public health, safety, and welfare.

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Laboratory Accreditation Advisory Committee

• Eleven Members
• Provide Technical Assistance
• Public Meetings

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Regulation Development Process

• Preliminary Draft October 2002
• LAAC Review October through February
• 10/17, 12/16, 2/13
• Ad Hoc Work Group
• 11/26, 1/9, 3/5

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Regulation Development Process(continued)

• Advisory Committees
• SRBC Water Quality Advisory Committee
• State Board for Certification of Water and
  Wastewater Systems Operators
• Certification Program Advisory Committee for
  Water and Wastewater Systems Operators (CPAC)

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Regulation Development Process(continued)

• Advisory Committees
• Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee
• Small Water Systems Technical Assistance Center
  Advisory Board

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Regulation Development Process(continued)

• DEP Program Input
• Water Supply
• Water Quality
• Underground Storage Tanks
• Land Recycling
• Mining
• Oil and Gas

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Dual Accreditation Program

• State Accreditation
• Created by Regulation Chapter 252
• NELAP VOLUNTARY
• NELAC standards incorporated by reference

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Chapter 252Environmental Laboratory
Accreditation Regulations
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General Provisions

• Definitions
• Batch
• Drinking water, non-potable water, solid and
  chemical materials
• Laboratory notebook
• Laboratory control sample
• Quality manual

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General Provisions

• Definitions (continued)
• Analyst
• Laboratory Supervisor
• Technical staff
• Standard operating procedure

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General Provisions

• Purpose
• Scope

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General Requirements

• NELAP Equivalency
• Accreditation by Rule
• Drinking Water
• Field measurements
• Dissolved Oxygen
• Residual disinfectant concentration
• Alkalinity

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General Requirements

• Accreditation by Rule (continued)
• Field measurements
• Temperature, flow
• Settleable solids
• Field radioactivity
• Total halogen waste oil

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Application, Fees,Supporting Documentation

• Application
• Initial
• Ownership transfer
• Renewal

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Out-of-State Laboratories

• Primary Accreditation
• Secondary Accreditation
• Same Fees As In-State Laboratories

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General Standards for Accreditation

• Laboratory Supervisor
• Responsibilities
• Qualifications
• Grandparent Provision
• Personnel Requirements
• Demonstrate Capability
• Documentation

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General Standards for Accreditation

• Physical Facilities
• Adequate for Testing Analysis
• No Affect on Testing Analysis

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General Standards for Accreditation

• Equipment, Supplies, Reference Materials
• Maintain Records
• Properly Maintained
• Calibrated

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pH Meter

• Electrode
• Scale Graduations
• Thermometer or Probe
• Standardize
• 3 buffers, 4, 7, 10
• 2 buffers 4 7 OR 7 10
• Maintain Records

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Methodology

• ID Method
• Effective Date
• Scope
• Equipment Supplies
• Reagents Standards
• Quality Control

• Calibration
• Analytical Procedure
• Calculations
• Corrective Action
• Reporting Results

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QUALITY ASSURANCEANDQUALITY CONTROL
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Basic RequirementsQuality Manual

• Document Control
• Ethics
• Sample Handling
• Sample Acceptance

• Departures from SOP
• Quality Control
• Reporting Results

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Essential Quality Control

• Chemistry
• Toxicity Testing
• Microbiology
• Radiochemistry

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Chemistry Radiochemistry

• Initial Calibration
• Continuing Calibration Verification
• Sample Duplicates
• Detection Limits
• Selectivity

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Toxicity Testing

• Positive Negative Controls
• Sensitivity
• Test Organisms
• Equipment
• Test Conditions

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Microbiology

• Positive Negative Controls
• Autoclaves Ovens
• Miscellaneous Equipment
• Reagent Water
• Media
• Test Variablilty

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Proficiency Test Studies

• ONE
• SUCCESSFUL
• PROFICIENCY TEST STUDY
• PER
• YEAR

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On-Site Assessments

• Sample Receipt to Final Report
• Data Procedural Review
• Learning Process
• Confirmation Doing It RIGHT
• Correct Deficiencies
• Continuous Improvement

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Miscellaneous Provisions

• Expiration of Application
• Denial, Revocation, Suspension
• Use of Accreditation
• Record Keeping
• Subcontracting
• Reporting Notification

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QUESTIONS?
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USEFUL INFORMATION

• www.dep.state.pa.us
• Choose Subjects / Lab Certification
• Rsheibley_at_state.pa.us 717-705-2425
• Bureau of Laboratories
• Evan Press Building Room 100
• P. O. Box 1467
• Harrisburg, PA 17105-1467
• Phone [phone]
• FAX [phone]