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INSPECTION REPORT ROUTING SHEET
To be attached to all inspection reports in-house only.
Laboratory Cert. #: 5505
Laboratory Name: NCDOT Cedar Island Ferry Terminal Laboratory
Inspection Type: Field Maintenance
Inspector Name(s): Todd Crawford
Inspection Date: December 6, 2012
Date Report Completed: December 10, 2012
Date Forwarded to Reviewer: December 10, 2012
Reviewed by: Nick Jones
Date Review Completed: December 10, 2012
Cover Letter to use: Insp. Initial Insp. Reg.
Insp. No Finding Insp. CP
Corrected
Unit Supervisor: Dana Satterwhite
Date Received: December 10, 2012
Date Forwarded to Linda: December 14, 2012
Date Mailed: December 14, 2012
_____________________________________________________________________
On-Site Inspection Report
LABORATORY NAME: NCDOT Cedar Island Ferry Terminal Laboratory
NPDES Permit #: NC0077500
ADDRESS: 3619 Cedar Island Road
Cedar Island, NC 28520
CERTIFICATE #: 5505
DATE OF INSPECTION: December 6, 2012
TYPE OF INSPECTION: Field Maintenance
AUDITOR(S): Todd Crawford
LOCAL PERSON(S) CONTACTED: Larry B. Lupton
I. INTRODUCTION:
This laboratory was inspected by a representative of the North Carolina Wastewater/Groundwater
Laboratory Certification (NC WW/GW LC) program to verify its compliance with the requirements of 15A
NCAC 2H .0800 for the analysis of environmental samples.
II. GENERAL COMMENTS:
The facility has all the equipment necessary to perform the currently certified parameter analyses.
Proficiency Testing (PT) samples have been analyzed for all certified parameters for the 2012
proficiency testing calendar year and the graded results were 100% acceptable.
Current quality assurance policies for Field laboratories and approved procedures for the analysis of
the facility’s currently certified parameters were provided at the time of the inspection.
Contracted analyses are performed by SGS North America, Inc. (Certification #481).
The requirements associated with Findings A, B and C are new policies that have been implemented by
our program since the last inspection.
III. FINDINGS, REQUIREMENTS, COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Documentation
A. Finding: The laboratory needs to increase the documentation of purchased materials and
reagents.
Requirement: All chemicals, reagents, standards and consumables used by the laboratory must
have the following information documented: Date Received, Date Opened (in use), Vendor, Lot
Number, and Expiration Date. A system (e.g., traceable identifiers) must be in place that links
standard/reagent preparation information to analytical batches in which the solutions are used.
Documentation of solution preparation must include the analyst’s initials, date of preparation, the
volume or weight of standard(s) used, the solvent and final volume of the solution. This
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information as well as the vendor and/or manufacturer, lot number, and expiration date must be
retained for chemicals, reagents, standards and consumables used for a period of five years.
Consumable materials such as pH buffers and lots of pre-made standards are included in this
requirement. Ref: Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories.
Proficiency Testing
Comment: The preparation of the Proficiency Testing (PT) sample for Total Residual Chlorine (TRC)
will need to be documented. Dating and initialing the instruction sheet will satisfy the requirement that
the preparation of PT samples must be documented in a traceable log or other traceable format. The
diluted PT sample becomes a routine environmental sample and is added to a routine sample batch for
analysis.
B. Finding: The laboratory is not analyzing Proficiency Testing (PT) samples in the same manner
as environmental samples.
Requirement: All PT samples are to be analyzed and the results reported in a manner
consistent with the routine analysis and reporting requirements of compliance samples and any
other samples analyzed according to the requirements of 15A NCAC 2H .0800. Ref: Proficiency
Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2.
Comment: The laboratory’s common practice was to analyze a known standard along with the
PT sample as additional quality control.
Comment: The analysis of PT samples is designed to evaluate the entire process used to
routinely report environmental analytical results; therefore, PT samples must be analyzed and
the process documented in the same manner as environmental samples. Please document PT
sample analyses on the benchsheets in the same manner environmental samples are
documented.
Dissolved Oxygen – HACH Method 10360 (LDO)
C. Finding: The theoretical DO of the moist air calibration verification is not documented.
Requirement: The calculated DO value must verify the meter reading within ±0.5 mg/L. Ref: NC
WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for Field Analysis of Dissolved Oxygen.
Comment: The meter calibration is being verified each day of use and is compared to the
theoretical value, it is just not documented that it was acceptable.
Recommendation: It is recommended that the theoretical value be documented on the
benchsheet to clearly show that the requirement is being met.
pH – Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B - 2000
D. Finding: Values were reported that exceed the method specified accuracy of 0.1 units.
Requirement: By careful use of a laboratory pH meter with good electrodes, a precision of ±0.02
unit and an accuracy of ±0.05 unit can be achieved. However, ± 0.1 pH unit represents the limit of
accuracy under normal conditions, especially for measurement of water and poorly buffered
solutions. For this reason, report pH values to the nearest 0.1 pH unit. Ref: Standard Methods,
4500 H+ B-2000, (6).
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Total Residual Chlorine
H. Finding: The facility is reporting values on the Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) without
certification.
Requirement: Commercial, Municipal, Industrial and Other facilities are required to obtain
certification for field parameters which will be reported by the client to comply with State surface
water, groundwater, and pretreatment Rules. Ref: 15A NCAC 2H .0804 (a).
Comment: An amendment form requesting certification for this parameter was completed
during the inspection. Payment of the add parameter fee and an acceptable PT result is
required before certification will be granted.
IV. PAPER TRAIL INVESTIGATION:
The paper trail consisted of comparing field testing records and contract lab reports to Discharge
Monitoring Reports (DMRs) submitted to the North Carolina Division of Water Quality. Data were
reviewed for September, October and November, 2012. No transcription errors were detected. The
facility appears to be doing a good job of accurately transcribing data.
V. CONCLUSIONS:
Correcting the above-cited findings will help this lab to produce quality data and meet certification
requirements. The inspector would like to thank the staff for its assistance during the inspection and
data review process. Please respond to all findings.
Report prepared by: Todd Crawford Date: December 10, 2012
Report reviewed by: Nick Jones Date: December 10, 2012