**8.0 Laboratory Facilities and Environment**

8.1 Facilities and Environment

1.  The laboratory facilities are maintained to support good laboratory
    practices and accurate type evaluation test results. Equipment and
    other items that are no longer used for testing are discarded or
    removed from the laboratory and placed into storage to prevent
    clutter in the laboratory. Portable equipment and materials used for
    testing are returned to the appropriate location (s) after use, and
    test weights are returned to storage kits. (See Appendix D, Diagram
    of the Laboratory Facilities, and Appendix H, AP No. 11.)

2.  The laboratory facilities, test areas, energy sources, lighting,
    heating, and ventilation facilitate proper type evaluation testing.
    The laboratory ensures that dust, electromagnetic interference,
    humidity, line voltage, temperature, and vibration levels (i.e.,
    vibration sources due to surrounding equipment or improper support
    tables and temperature changes) do not affect the test and are
    appropriate for the device under test. The laboratory staff observes
    the device under test to determine if any conditions of the facility
    affect the test or if the environmental conditions are outside the
    limits specified in Appendix E.

3.  Environmental conditions maintained by the laboratory are
    appropriate for the type evaluation testing. The environment in the
    laboratory where testing is performed does not invalidate results
    nor adversely affect the test results. The environmental conditions
    of the laboratory are listed in Appendix E. The laboratory
    environmental conditions are monitored using a chart recorder,
    controlled, and recorded if required by the test procedures or if
    they influence the quality of the results. The laboratory technical
    manager will stop testing if the environmental conditions jeopardize
    the test results (see Appendix H AP No. 27). The laboratory staff
    ensures that the facilities are adequate for testing by:

    1.  verifying that air conditioning, lighting, heating, and
        ventilation do not adversely affect the environmental conditions
        or device being tested (The environmental conditions of the
        laboratory are as listed in Appendix E. See Appendix H AP No.
        27.),

> 8.1.3.2 maintaining good housekeeping practices to promote a clean,
> uncluttered laboratory according to procedures listed in Appendix H,
> AP No. 11.,
>
> 8.1.3.3 having sufficient space to minimize the risk of injury to
> staff and/or damage to standards or equipment due to activities around
> test setup (see Appendix D, laboratory diagram and dimensions),

4.  maintaining a convenient and efficient work environment with
    effective separation of incompatible activities (see Appendix D
    laboratory diagram and dimensions), and

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5.  controlling access to and use of areas affecting the quality of
    tests (see QM section 18.2).

8.2 Environmental Records

> 8.2.1 Laboratory device testing

8.2.1.1 Environmental chamber conditions are recorded with the use of a
strip-chart recording device while testing is being conducted. The
laboratory environmental conditions are maintained and documented to
ensure that they are conducive to the various type evaluations.
Corrective actions are taken when the environmental conditions affect
the quality of test (see Appendix E, Environmental Conditions, and
Appendix O, Complaints/Corrective Actions form).

2.  Field device testing

> 8.2.2.1 Typically field tests are not performed when the environmental
> conditions are such that they may adversely affect the test results,
> and these conditions are documented on the data sheets (see Appendix
> H, AP No. 27).

\[NOTE: Environmental monitoring devices are periodically verified
against accurate and traceable standards.\]