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See Sitelab's Laboratory
Certificate...
Laboratory
Certification ID #MA013, Category Code SHW12, Effective as of
7/1/2009 until 6/30/2010.
This is a first
for Sitelab. By approving the use of UVF field analytical
methods, people can now use Sitelab Corporation to test TPH in
replacement of conventional laboratory GC or IR methods. The
certification process, however, wasn't easy. It was expensive,
time consuming and a lot of hard work. The DEP's Office of Quality
Assurance required Sitelab to comply to the same, tough standards
conventional fixed-based laboratories must adhere to.
A 4-hour audit was
performed at a DEP facility located in Trenton, where OQA scientists
and administrators watched how contaminated samples were
tested and reported using Sitelab's UVF-3100 analyzer, including a
number of quality controls performed to verify the instrumentation
was operating properly and the test method was sound.
Following the audit,
Sitelab was then required to prepare a very detailed Standard
Operating Procedure (SOP), supported by a QA/QC package with
corrective actions taken for deficiencies identified during the
audit. Examples include five MDL studies performed, by testing
7 replicate soils containing low level concentrations of either
fresh gasoline, home heating oil, crude oil and coal tar. OQA
also required all traceability records relating to UVF instruments
and use of calibration standards, including copies of Certificates
of Analysis, second-source quality assurance materials and other
supporting documentation.
Sitelab is grateful to
have had this opportunity. The experience and knowledge gained
as a result of this certification process has made us a better
company, by improving the quality of our products and analytical
services.
With New Jersey DEP laboratory certification now complete,
we are hopeful that other regulatory agencies in the future that
follow similar pro-active practices as New Jersey, will adopt and
accept this method more easily.
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