Important News for Accredited Laboratories

New AIHA LAP Website Launched

AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs, LLC is pleased to announce that it has launched its newly designed website. The site has a new and improved look but still includes the content that our accredited labs and their customers need. One difference that should be noted, however, is that all accredited labs are listed together for ease of searching, and separate program-specific lists are no longer maintained on the site. Another change is that the prefix “LAP” appears before all lab ID numbers; users need to put terms in that format when searching for an accredited laboratory. Instead of searching with the lab number 000001, for example, users will need to search for LAP-000001. For more information on the new site, please contact the LAP staff.

2019 Policies to be Published

The stakeholder comment period for AIHA LAP 2019 accreditation policy changes has closed, and comments have been considered by the AIHA LAP leadership. The final track changes version of the policy amendments can now be found on the LAP Policies and Guidelines page of the AIHA LAP website. Please note that the final version will be published along with the 2019 accreditation application in early November. The new policies will be effective immediately, and all AIHA LAP assessments, including surveillance and follow-up assessments, will be conducted against the 2019 AIHA LAP policies. At that time, the revised site assessor checklist will be sent to laboratories already accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017. AIHA LAP labs not yet assessed to the new standard can obtain a copy of the revised site assessor checklist upon request with proof of purchase of ISO 17025:2017 (the affidavit in the LAP Forms section of the LAP website.) For questions about the final policies, please contact the LAP staff.

Feedback Sought on NIOSH Methods

The editors of the “NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods” are collecting feedback about its fifth edition to learn more about how customers use analytical methods in their work and how they use the NMAM. Survey results will help focus future method development activities, improve NMAM methods, and identify website content or features in need of improvement. The survey is anonymous, and no individually identifiable data will be collected, published, or released. AIHA LAP accredited laboratories interested in providing feedback to NIOSH on methods should complete the NMAM Customer Satisfaction Survey by visiting survey's page.

ILAC Publishes Guidance on the Decision Rule

The International Laboratory Cooperation has published ILAC G8:09/2019, “Guidelines on Decision Rules and Statements of Conformity,” to expand on the decision rule requirements of the 2017 version of ISO/IEC 17025. This document will prove useful for laboratory staff, assessors, regulators, and customers when considering decision rules and statements of conformity with specifications and standards. The document is available on their website.

Synergist Article on Risk-Based Thinking

The revised ISO/IEC 17025 includes requirements for laboratories to conduct risk-based thinking in their operations. Accredited laboratories are encouraged to read the article by Bob Lieckfield published in the August 2019 issue of “Synergist”, which discusses how to apply risk-based thinking in laboratories. Lieckfield is a senior consultant at Apex Companies, LLC, and a member of the Analytical Accreditation Board.

17025:2017 Webinar Still Available

AIHA LAP accredited laboratories are reminded that a complimentary webinar on ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is still available to all accredited labs once they show proof of purchase of the revised standard. The webinar is a recorded presentation given by Ronald Peters in which he highlights the key differences between ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and the revised standard. All AIHA LAP accredited laboratories in good standing can access the webinar and print out presentation slides. Please email proof of purchase of the standard to Olena Bulgakova to receive access to the webinar.

FDA Proposes Laboratory Accreditation Program

Good news for labs accredited under FoodLAP as they will soon be eligible to conduct food testing for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On November 1, 2019, FDA proposed to establish a laboratory accreditation program as required by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA.) Under the new program, only laboratories accredited by an Accreditation Body (AB) recognized by FDA will be able to conduct food testing. According to the proposal, among the key criteria for an AB to be recognized by FDA is signatory status under the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement. Laboratories will have to be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025. As an ILAC MRA signatory, AIHA LAP will seek FDA approval once the program is established creating opportunities for FoodLAP laboratories to conduct food testing for FDA. More information on the proposed FDA program can be found on their website. Contact the LAP Team for more information on AIHA LAP’s food testing program FoodLAP.

Staff News

Geneva Bowman Now an IAAC Peer Evaluator

Geneva Bowman, CMQ/OE, CQA, quality systems and technical program director for AIHA LAP, is now an approved peer evaluator for the Inter American Accreditation Cooperation after having taken the peer evaluator training and passed the exam. AIHA LAP is recognized by IAAC, a regional body of ILAC that promotes cooperation among accreditation bodies and interested parties of the Americas. As an approved peer evaluator, Bowman will help AIHA LAP meet its obligations to IAAC — that is, to take part in evaluations of other IAAC-recognized accreditation bodies. Congratulations, Geneva!

Cheryl Morton Recognized by IAAC and Appointed to ILAC Executive Committee

At the August 2019 IAAC meeting, Cheryl Morton, AIHA LAP managing director, received an award from IAAC for her leadership of its Laboratory Subcommittee for the past four years. Morton was also recently appointed by IAAC to serve on the ILAC Executive Committee as the IAAC representative. Congratulations, Cheryl!

Site Assessor News

Cynthia Pugh Becomes Site Assessor

AIHA LAP is pleased to announce that longtime LAP volunteer Cynthia Pugh has been appointed as an AIHA LAP site assessor for IHLAP and ELLAP after having successfully completed all required instruction. Pugh has extensive training and experience in industrial hygiene and lead analysis; she has worked as a technical director at an AIHA LAP accredited lab for the past 12 years. Pugh has been an AIHA LAP volunteer for the past 11 years. She served on the Technical Advisory Panel for 8 years and was appointed to the Analytical Accreditation Board in 2017. Pugh holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in chemistry/biochemistry and a master’s degree in industrial hygiene; she will receive a doctorate in safety science in 2020. Pugh will step down from her role on the AAB and start officially conducting assessments for AIHA LAP in 2020. Welcome, Cynthia!

More Site Assessors Sought

AIHA LAP is still looking to expand its site assessor team and seeks both part-time and full-time assessors. As an AIHA LAP site assessor, you will have opportunities to visit laboratory sites all over the country and world, auditing them to ISO/IEC 17025:2017. AIHA LAP will provide the training you need to understand our policies and get started, and training refreshers are hosted yearly. For more information and to inquire about the position, please contact Geneva Bowman.

NEWLY ACCREDITED LABS

Congratulations to the following labs for becoming newly accredited AIHA LAP laboratories or for having new AIHA LAP programs added to their scopes:

  • EMSL Analytical Inc. (LAP-178659): IHLAP, EMLAP
  • Nan Technologies Inc (LAP-232341): ELLAP
  • ARS Aleut Analytical, LLC (LAP-232340): IHLAP, ELLAP
  • State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa (LAP-102530): Unique Scopes

To review the full list of our newly accredited and reaccredited labs each month, please check the AIHA LAP website.

AIHA LAP Accredits Its First Cannabis Laboratory

AIHA LAP is pleased to announce its first accredited laboratory for cannabis under the Unique Scopes program as of Aug. 1, 2019. AIHA LAP congratulates State of Iowa Hygienic Lab (LAP-101048) on becoming the first AIHA LAP laboratory accredited for cannabis. The State Hygienic Laboratory has been a member of AIHA-LAP for over 40 years and it was an easy choice to have AIHA-LAP provide accreditation for this emerging field of testing. Congratulations to the State of Iowa Hygienic Lab!

AIHA LAP is currently accepting initial applications for accreditation under Unique Scopes for cannabis accreditation.