Quality Assurance Standard

C&T implements a comprehensive laboratory quality assurance (QA) program based on requirements for laboratory operations established by the International Standards Organization (ISO). C&Ts QA program follows ISO Guide 17025, General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories, and the base standard for the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP), the voluntary national accreditation program established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

C&Ts work in federal programs, high visibility sites and facilities requires compliance to a higher NELAP standard; the US Department of Defense Quality Systems Manual (NELAP-QSM) that establishes tighter test control limits and increased requirements for documentation and accountability. C&T adheres to the highest published laboratory standard for accuracy, precision and defensibility for every sample we process.

C&Ts QA Program is implemented by a Quality Assurance Director who insures standardization of processes and supervises a staff of QA Chemists who prepare and review project plans, validate data, identify and oversee corrective actions, and represent C&Ts QA program externally. C&T implements a recurring ethics training program to get the best from its staff while deterring improper, unethical or illegal behaviour.

Performance Evaluation (PE) Samples*

* The NELAP-QSM standard requires completing PE sample studies. By regularly reporting correct values for chemical residues in soil, water, and gas phase samples submitted blind and containing known values for target analytes, C&T verifies the accuracy and comparability of its measurement data. Results of C&Ts PE Sample studies can be reviewed here.