develop consensus standards for use by TNI's programs. This group has a support role in assisting other programs with activities such as guidance and standards interpretation.
fosters the generation of data of known and documented quality is through the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, or NELAP. The purpose of this program is to establish and implement a program for the accreditation of environmental laboratories.
is to establish and maintain a national PT program to support TNI’s National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, and other activities.
Field Activities Program (NEFAP) Executive Committee is to establish and implement an accreditation program for field sampling and measurement organizations (FSMOs).
Audit Sample Program is to develop consensus standards for the manufacture and analysis of audit samples for source emission testing.
on a variety of topics of interest to the environmental measurement community. TNI also hosts two regularly scheduled meetings per year, typically in January and August. Both are a week long and involve open meetings of TNI committees as well as training courses and other special sessions.Standard Interpretation
Standard: 2003 NELAC
Section: 5.5.5.2.2.1 (d)
REQUEST:
I could not find this same paragraph in the new 2009 standard documents posted on the TNI site.
My question pertains to the interpretation of this statement in the 2003 NELAC standard and how it applies to the 2009 TNI standard. We have been informed that Environmental lab auditors are now requiring labs to use a second vendor for their second source calibration standards even when use of a second manufactured lot from the same vendor is allowed by both the 2003 NELAC and 2009 TNI standards. We have even heard that second source from a second manufacturer raw material prepared by the same vendor is being noted as non-compliant in some instances.
What is the interpretation of what this standard requires of labs where it applies to non-DoD programs with regard to the following options:
1. Same vendor/supplier - two independently prepared lots from the same raw material.
2. Same vendor/supplier - two independently prepared lots from different manufacturer raw materials when available.
3. Two different vendor/suppliers for each of the primary and secondary lot standards.
Thank you
TNI FINAL RESPONSE:
(Quality Systems Expert Committee and NELAP AC, 10-4-14)
The purpose is to verify that the standards used for calibration have been properly prepared. The verification standard must be prepared independently from the calibration standard(s). The best option is standards from two different vendors; alternatively, standards from the same vendor but different lot numbers. While the original source (manufacturer) of the neat standard is important, the standard stresses independent preparation.