Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 567 - Environmental Protection Commission › Title VI - Certification of Operators › Chapter 83 - Laboratory Certification › Rule 567-83.6 - Laboratory Recertification

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
Laboratories shall be recertified every two years after
				  initial certification. Applications for recertification must be on forms
				  provided by the department and must be postmarked at least 60 days prior to the
				  renewal date. Applications shall be accompanied by the fee specified in
				  83.3(2). To be recertified, laboratories must meet the following
				  requirements.
(1)
Approved
				methodology required.
Laboratories must use the approved methodology
				for all analyses the results of which are to be submitted to the department. A
				laboratory may not analyze and report data from samples collected for an
				environmental program area until certified in that area.
(2)
Performance evaluation
				(proficiency testing) samples required.
Certified laboratories must
				satisfactorily analyze PEs at least once every 12 months for each analyte by
				each method for which the laboratory wishes to retain certification unless a PE
				sample is not available for the particular analyte or method. Results must be
				submitted to Iowa department of natural resources and the state of Iowa
				hygienic laboratory, or as otherwise directed, along with a statement of the
				method used within 30 days of receipt from the provider. The laboratory must
				maintain records of all PE samples for a minimum of 5 years.
(3)
Notification of major
				changes.
Laboratories must notify the department, in writing, within
				15 days of major changes in essential personnel, equipment, laboratory
				location, or other major change which might alter or impair analytical
				capability. An example of a major change in essential personnel includes the
				loss or replacement of the laboratory supervisor, or a trained and experienced
				analyst is no longer available to analyze a particular parameter for which
				certification has been granted.
(4)
				Site visits.
a.
Certification of the
				State of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory.
The department has designated the
				State of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory (SHL) as its appraisal authority for
				laboratory certification. The SHL is responsible for attaining and maintaining
				laboratory certification for the SDWA program that is acceptable to the U.S.
				Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The SHL quality assurance officer is
				responsible for the certification of SHL for those programs with no available
				EPA certification program, including wastewater, underground storage tank,
				solid waste, and contaminated site programs. The SHL quality assurance officer
				reports directly to the office of the SHL director and operates independently
				of all areas of the laboratory generating data to ensure complete objectivity
				in the evaluation of laboratory operations. The quality assurance officer will
				schedule a biennial on-site inspection of the SHL and review results for
				acceptable performance. Inadequacies or unacceptable performance shall be
				reported by the quality assurance officer to the SHL and the department for
				correction. The department shall be notified if corrective action is not
				taken.
b.
On-site
				visits.
Laboratories must consent to a periodic site visit by the
				department or its designee, at least every two years. However, an on-site visit
				may be conducted more frequently if the laboratory undergoes a major change
				which may alter or impair analytical capability, fails a PE sample analysis, or
				if the department questions an aspect of data submitted which is not
				satisfactorily resolved.