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: 5.4.12
REQUEST:
I am a project manager for Head Start child care centers in New York City. We needed samples of drinking water to be tested for lead. I was disturbed to to see xxxxxxx (NELAC certified) did not have a chain of custody form. I was concerned that there was an unsigned gap in the chain of custody when samples were delivered by FedEx courier to a lab nearby. The question is: isn't a complete continous, signed Chain of Custody form required so the sample could be accounted for specifically by a signed individual - in order to be in accordance with Nelac and the EPA method? Thank you in advance,
TNI FINAL RESPONSE:
(Quality Systems Expert Committee and NELAP AC, 4-7-14)
A complete, continuous Chain of Custody form is not required for samples submitted under NELAC, unless otherwise specified by the client. Note that NELAC 5.4.12 differentiates between sample handling and tracking and legal chain of custody protocols.
NELAC 5.4.12.1.5 requires that a record keeping system allow historical reconstruction of all laboratory activities. "The records shall include the identity of personnel involved in sampling, sample receipt, preparation, or testing." A laboratory that does not record the receipt of samples by a specified individual is not compliant with this aspect of the standard.
Note that TNI 2009 does not contain identical language to NELAC 5.4.12.1.5, so a laboratory that does not record the receipt of samples by a specified individual and that is accredited under TNI 2009 is not outside of compliance with regard to this issue.