| Proficiency Testing (PT)
Samples
Overview
The OQA requires that certified laboratories successfully
analyze PT Samples at prescribed intervals and that applied
laboratories successfully analyze PT Samples to become certified.
PT Samples contain known amounts of analytes that must be
measured by a laboratory within defined acceptance ranges.
The number of successful PT results required each year for
a laboratory is dependent upon whether a laboratory is a NJ-ELCP
or is a NJ-NELAP laboratory, and whether they are seeking
certification for Water Supply (drinking water) or other programs
(e.g., Water Pollution, Solid/Hazardous Waste.).
NJDEP Approved
Providers
To support the PT program the OQA awarded a contract to Environmental
Resource Associates (ERA) which became effective on June
13, 2005. ERA is responsible for conducting PT Studies for
certified laboratories and laboratories seeking certification.
ELCP laboratories are required to participate in State-contracted
PT Studies conducted by ERA. NELAP laboratories that wish
to retain their New Jersey State certification but do not
want to participate in State-contracted PT Studies may petition
the OQA for an exemption. Each laboratory granted an exemption
must utilize a PT Provider that meets the NJDEP PT Study requirements
listed in the following paragraph.
All PT Samples must be purchased from a NIST/NVLAP approved
PT Provider. Also, only PT Sample results that include Verification,
Homogeneity and Stability (VHS) data will be accepted by the
OQA. The document "New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Proficiency
Testing (PT) Provider Protocols for Verification, Homogeneity
and Stability (VHS) Data"(PDF)
details the required contents of VHS data packages. Furthermore,
all laboratories having New Jersey ELCP Certification or,
New Jersey Primary or Secondary NELAP Accreditation must meet
the requirements of the October
20, 2005(PDF) Notice.
PT Study Schedule
ELCP laboratories must successfully analyze one PT Sample
per analyte each year except for Water Supply (drinking water)
[see the Water Supply (WS) PTs section below]. Under the OQA
PT Samples contract, the Water Supply Studies are conducted
in January and July. The Water Pollution (non-potable water)
Studies are conducted in June and December. The Solid/Hazardous
Waste Studies are conducted in October and April.
Make-up Studies
Under the OQA PT Samples contract, the OQA conducts make-up
Studies six months after each scheduled PT Study. At that
time, only laboratories that did not obtain acceptable results
in the previous Study for certified analytes will be sent
an invoice for the make-up Study. Any other laboratory that
wishes to participate in a make-up Study must notify the OQA
in writing at least 90 days prior to the scheduled Study date.
PT Reporting
The reporting deadlines for each PT Study are specific to
that Study. Please reference the reporting instructions sent
with the PT Samples from the PT Provider. Note that if you
are receiving PT Samples from more than one PT Provider, the
PT result reporting due date may be different for each PT
Provider. Once the PT Samples are analyzed, laboratories shall
submit the results directly to the PT Provider supplying the
PT Samples. The PT Provider will evaluate the results and
send the results to both the laboratory and the OQA.
When reporting data to a PT Provider, in addition to reporting
the method description, all laboratories must report the alphanumeric
NJDEP parameter code (examples: SDW02.07000, SHW02.07000,
WPP02.07000) for each analyte for which it holds NJ certification.
If the parameter codes are not reported the analysis will
be considered not acceptable.
When reporting organic data, a result must be reported for
all analytes for which the laboratory holds certification.
For any organic analytes not detected in the PT Sample, the
laboratory must report the result as being less than the laboratory's
Method Detection Limit in order to obtain acceptable recognition
of analysis for the analyte.
NELAP Laboratories
Special Considerations
NELAP laboratories must successfully analyze two out of three
PT Samples for each field of proficiency testing for which
they hold certification. NELAP laboratories which hold either
primary or secondary NELAP accreditation with NJ are required
to perform additional
PTs in the NJ program that are not included in the NELAP
Fields of Proficiency Testing. A laboratory with either NJ-NELAP
primary or secondary accreditation will maintain its NELAP
accreditation status for these parameters without successfully
analyzing the PT Samples. However, in order to report data
to NJ for regulatory purposes under the requirements of N.J.A.C.
7:18, the laboratory must analyze and pass one PT per
year for these NJ fields of proficiency testing which are
supplemental to NELAP.
Water Supply
(WS) PTs
For Water Supply (drinking water matrix) certification, a
laboratory is required to analyze PT Samples for every method/technique
for which it holds certification. For example, if a laboratory
is certified in drinking water for arsenic by ICP and Furnace
techniques, it is required to analyze and pass a PT Sample
for arsenic by ICP, and analyze and pass a PT Sample for arsenic
by Furnace, in order to retain certification for both techniques.
Laboratories are permitted to analyze and report results for
multiple techniques, i.e. ICP and Furnace, for the same analyte,
from a single PT Sample.
Laboratories certified for Microbiology analytes in drinking
water can analyze the appropriate PT Sample using the laboratory's
choice of technique for which it holds certification.
Solid / Hazardous
Waste PTs
The State of New Jersey requires laboratories certified in
the Solid/Hazardous Waste certification program to analyze
PT Samples. Laboratories that currently have USEPA SW-846
certification for solid and chemical materials (SCM) preparatory
methods for Organic and Inorganic analytes are required to
analyze a solid PT Sample. If a laboratory does not hold SCM
certification then the laboratory is required to analyze an
aqueous (non-potable water) PT Sample.
Laboratories that report sludge metals analysis for compliance
purposes shall analyze the sludge PT Sample for the metals
for which they hold certification.
Water Pollution (WP) PTs and the Discharge
Monitoring Report Quality Assurance (DMRQA) Study Program
OQA WP PT results can be reported to satisfy DMRQA requirements.
|
