Louisiana Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (LELAP)

1. Louisiana Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (LELAP) Paul Bergeron LELAP Supervisor Lod Cook Alumni Center, Baton Rouge LA May 20, 2009 _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

2. The NELAC Institute (TNI) A non-profit organization guiding the efforts for national environmental accreditation Oversight is provided by a Board of Directors _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

3. TNI Programs • Advocacy • Consensus Standard Development • Laboratory Accreditation Systems • National Database • National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation • Proficiency Testing • Technical Assistance _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

4. TNI Expert Committees • Accreditation Body • Field Activities • On-site Assessment • Proficiency Testing • Quality System • Stationary Source Audit Samples _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

5. Current TNI Activities Accepting Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) for new national standard Possible adoption of new standard at San Antonio meeting this August _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

6. The National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) Board Membership is comprised of representatives of state agencies, one of whom serves as the Chair It has recognized all of the nine original state agencies as accreditation bodies _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

7. The NELAC Institute (TNI) NELAP Accreditation Bodies 10 9 7 3 11 13 4 • 1 CA Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program 8 NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection • 2 FL Dept. of Health, Bureau of Laboratories 9 NY State Dept. of Health • 3 IL EPA, Div. of Lab., QA Section 10 OR Health Division • 4 KS Dept. of Health and Environment 11 PA Bureau of Labs., Dept. of • 5 LA Dept. of Health and Hospitals Environmental Protection 6 LA Dept. of Environmental Quality 12 TX Commission on Environmental Quality • 7 NH Environmental Lab Accreditation Program 13 UT Department of Health 1 8 12 5,6 2 _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

8. NUMBER OF NELAP-ACCREDITED LABORATORIES BY STATE There are over 2000 laboratories in the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Korea, and Europe, participating in NELAP. _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

9. The National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) Board Working with TNI committees on interpretation of the 2003 National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) standard Voting to recognize existing and newly applied state accreditation bodies _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

10. The National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) Board Approved new tables for proficiency testing in microbiology and whole effluent toxicity Clarifying role in accreditation of methods versus approval of methods (i.e., new version of SW-846 methods) _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

11. EPA and TNI EPA does not operate a national accreditation program EPA supports the activities of TNI by providing staff for accreditation body evaluations and participating in TNI forums _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

12. Contact Information TNI PO Box 2439 Weatherford TX 76086 Jerry Parr, Executive Director Phone 817-598-1624 EmailJerry.Parr@nelac-institute.org URL http://www.NELAC-institute.org _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

13. Questions? _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

14. LELAP Moves to LDEQ Headquarters Office of Environmental Services Permit Support Services Division Notifications and Accreditations Section _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

15. LELAP has a new physical location… 602 North Fifth Street Baton Rouge LA 70802 Paul Bergeron, Supervisor Phone 225-219-3247 Email Paul.Bergeron@LA.GOV _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

16. LELAP has the following assessors… _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

17. LELAP has implemented “regionalization” An assessor is based in the Northwest Regional Office to conduct assessments for laboratories located in north and central Louisiana, the Texarkana area, and northern Mississippi _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

18. LELAP is implementing “ a level playing field” Laboratories will be assessed by LELAP staff Contract assessors will receive fewer assignments _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

19. LELAP is implementing other aspects of the Ten Point Plan Ethics and Integrity—assessors receive annual training Transparency—LELAP FAQs are posted on website Front-loading—a/k/a “Accreditation 101” Investment in Small Business—LELAP encourages small laboratories to participate on the TNI small laboratory sub-committee _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

20. LELAP is implementing other aspects of the Ten Point Plan Investment in Community Organizations and Local Governments—LELAP continues to support LWEA and its members Investment in Green Government and Applied Research—documents will be accepted and sent electronically; method modification will continue to be approved according to regulations Investment in Technology and e-Commerce—LELAP is studying improvements to its database; fees can be paid electronically, contact the LDEQ Financial Services Division _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

21. LELAP is implementing “Streamlining for Efficiency” Records are being transferred to the Electronic Data Management System (EDMS) Scopes will be available on EDMS and website _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

22. “Streamlining for Efficiency” The LELAP Quality Assurance Plan and the standard operating procedures are being revised to increase efficiency of accreditation activities Regulation changes will be proposed to reduce or combine assessments _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

23. Benefits of “Streamlining for Efficiency” Assessment time in laboratory will be reduced if the laboratories provide the documentation upfront Provide requested documents such as checklists to the assessor prior to the assessment Have training records, internal audits and annual management reviews ready for the assessor to review _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

24. Benefits of “Streamlining for Efficiency” Costs to Laboratories and Overtime Will be Reduced Contractor assessors will be reduced or eliminated Streamlining with the use of checklists Limiting the scope of the assessment Rotating/target certain areas for assessment _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

25. Benefits of “Streamlining for Efficiency” Exit Debrief will be Reduced by Limiting Extraneous Discussion Submitting copy of the assessor’s checklist with previously noted and discussed findings, seriousness, and lab objections A hard copy of the post assessment requirements will be presented to labs _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

26. Assessment Cycle Focus First Assessment—Overview to determine if quality system is present Second Assessment—Focus on methods _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

27. Assessment Cycle Focus Third Assessment—Focus on data review Fourth Assessment—Back to overview, determine if quality system is functioning in laboratory _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

28. Assessment Cycle Focus Minimum Quantitation Levels (MQLs)—assessors will begin looking for implementation of new MQLs in EPA Region 6-based work New technologies—LELAP will address nanotechnology, metals speciation, etc. as the need arises _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

29. Assessment Cycle Focus Other assessments will be conducted as needed Laboratory relocations Complaints received by LELAP Addition of new test category or technology to scope _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

30. Other items… LELAP Evaluation by TNI is scheduled for July 2009 eNewsletter is being revamped Accreditation 101 offered as video-conferencing in planning stages - check the website or your email for details _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

31. Reminders… Use accredited laboratories for subcontracted work Submit analytical data packages if there are no proficiency test samples available _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

32. Reminders… Notify LELAP of changes affecting the condition of your laboratory accreditation (new name, address, etc.) Fees are due by July 1 of each year or as stated on invoice _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

33. Reminders… Provide requested documents such as checklists to the assessor prior to the assessment Have training records, internal audits and annual management reviews ready for the assessor to review _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

34. Reminders… Submit a satisfactory corrective action plan for findings identified during the assessment Expect a teleconference or meeting if the plan is predominantly not approved _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

35. Reminders… Implement the corrective action plan when it is approved! Be prepared to provide documentation of implementation by the next assessment _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

36. Questions… _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS

37. Laboratory Issues and Challenges An Open Forum Paul Bergeron, LDEQ Lod Cook Alumni Center, Baton Rouge, LA May 20, 2009 _________________________________________ LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY :FOR ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTS