Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout#5039_2016_0413_BS_FINALTo be attached to all inspection reports in-house only. Laboratory Cert. #: Laboratory Name: Inspection Type: Inspector Name(s): Inspection Date: Date Report Completed: Date Forwarded to Reviewer: Reviewed by: Date Review Completed: Cover Letter to use: Unit Supervisor/Chemist III: Date Received: Date Forwarded to Admin: Date Mailed: 5039 Wayne Farms LLC Field Maintenance Beth Swanson, Gary Francies April 13, 2016 April 25, 2016 April 25, 2016 Tonia Springer May 3, 2016 ❑ Insp. Initial ❑ Insp. Reg. ❑ Insp. No Finding ❑ Insp. CP ® Corrected ❑ Insp. Reg. Delay Gary Francies May 3, 2016 5/17/2016 5/17/2016 t., 4 f l�rt WaterResources ENVHRONMEN rAL QUALtry May 17, 2016 5039 Mr. Jeremy Bowlin Wayne Farms LLC PO Box 383 Dobson, NC 2701 PAT MCCRORY DONALD R. VAN DER VAART S. JAY ZIMMERMAN SUBJECT: North Carolina Wastewater/Groundwater Laboratory Certification (NC WW/GW LC) Maintenance Inspection Dear Mr. Bowlin: Enclosed is a report for the inspection performed on April 13, 2016 by Beth Swanson and myself. Since the Finding(s) cited during the inspection were all corrected prior to the completion of the enclosed report, a response is not required. The staff is commended for taking the initiative in correcting the Findings in such a timely manner. For Certification maintenance, your laboratory must continue to carry out the requirements set forth in 15A NCAC 2H .0800. Copies of the checklists completed during the inspection may be requested from this office. Thank you for your cooperation during the inspection. If you wish to obtain an electronic copy of this report by email, or if you have questions or need additional information, please contact me at (828) 296-4677. Sincerely, Gary Francies, Technical Assistance/Compliance Specialist Division of Water Resources Attachment cc: Beth Swanson master file LABORATORY NAME: Wayne Farms LLC NPDES PERMIT #: NC0006548 ADDRESS: P.O. Box 383 Dobson, NC 2701 CERTIFICATE #: 5039 DATE OF INSPECTION: April 13, 2016 TYPE OF INSPECTION: Field Maintenance AUDITOR(S): Beth Swanson and Gary Francies LOCAL PERSON(S) CONTACTED: Jeremy Bowlin 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. GENERAL COMMENTS: During the inspection, the supervisor, Mr. Bowlin was very forthcoming and ready to adopt any necessary changes. We found the records well organized and easy to retrieve. It was evident that Mr. Bowlin takes pride in his work. All required Proficiency Testing (PT) samples have been analyzed for the 2016 PT calendar year and the graded results were 100% acceptable. Contracted analyses are performed by Pace Analytical Services, Inc. — Eden (Certification #633). Current Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories and Approved Procedure documents for the analysis of the facility's currently certified methods were provided at the time of the inspection. FINDINGS-2 REQUIREMENTS COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: General Comment: The laboratory was not Certified for Dissolved Oxygen (DO). The facility's NPDES permit requires DO to be analyzed once per month on the Upstream and Downstream sites. The North Carolina Administrative Code, 15A NCAC 2H .0804 (a) states: 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, ground water, and pretreatment Rules. Acceptable corrective action (i.e., the laboratory requested and was granted Certification of DO) was implemented on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Page 2 #5039 Wayne Farms LLC Documentation Comment: Process control data was not documented as such. The North Carolina Administrative Code, 15A NCAC 2H .0805 (g) (1) states: Data pertinent to each analysis must be maintained for five years. Certified Data must consist of date collected, time collected, sample site, sample collector, and sample analysis time. The field benchsheets must provide a space for the signature or initials of the analyst, and proper units of measure for all analyses. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., updated benchsheet to only include effluent data, which is labeled as such, with an implementation date of 4/18/2016) was received by email on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: Error corrections were not performed properly. The Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories document states: All documentation errors must be corrected by drawing a single line through the error so that the original entry remains legible. Entries shall not be obliterated by erasures or markings. Wite-Out®, correction tape or similar products designed to obliterate documentation are not to be used. Write the correction adjacent to the error. The correction must be initialed by the responsible individual and the date of change documented All data and log entries must be written in indelible ink. Pencil entries are not acceptable. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., statements that a meeting was held with all analysts on the proper procedure for correcting errors on 4/22/2016 and that the procedure was posted at the facility on 4/25/2016) was received by email on 4/22/2016 and 4/25/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The laboratory did not retain documentation of traceability. The facility recorded date received and date opened on the bottles, but the traceable connection is lost once the bottles are discarded. This is a new requirement that has been implemented since the last inspection. The Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories document states: 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. This 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. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that the receipt log supplied by the auditor was implemented 4/22/2016) was received by email on 4/22/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Proficiency Testing Comment: The laboratory was not documenting PT sample analyses in the same manner as environmental samples. This is a new requirement that has been implemented since the last inspection. The Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2 document states: All PT sample analyses must be recorded in the daily analysis records as for any environmental sample. This serves as the permanent laboratory record. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that recording the results on the benchsheet will be implemented with the 2017 PT samples) was received by email on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The preparation of PT samples was not being documented. This is a new requirement that has been implemented since the last inspection. The Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2 document states: PT samples received as ampules must be diluted according to the PT provider's instructions. 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. Notification of Page 3 #5039 Wayne Farms LLC acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that the practice of initialing, dating and retaining the instruction sheet for the Total Residual Chlorine sample will be implemented with the 2017 PT sample) was received by email on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The laboratory was not analyzing PT samples in the same manner as compliance samples. This is a new requirement that has been implemented since the last inspection. The PT sample was being analyzed multiple times. The Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2 document states: 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. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that the practice of not analyzing the PT samples multiple times will be implemented with the 2017 PT samples) was received by email on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Chlorine, Total Residual — Standard Methods, 4500 Cl G-2000 (Aqueous) pH — Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000 (Aqueous) Temperature — Standard Methods, 2550 B-2000 (Aqueous) Comment: The benchsheets were lacking pertinent data: Instrument identification. This is a new requirement that has been implemented since the last inspection. The Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH, the Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine and the Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Temperature documents state: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed: Instrument Identification. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., updated benchsheet that included instrument identification with an implementation date of 4/18/2016) was received by email on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. pH — Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000 (Aqueous) Comment: The check standard and calibration standard buffers were not distinguished from each other. This is considered pertinent data. The benchsheet had true values for a 3, 10, and 7 SU buffer, but there was no indication which were used for calibration and which for the check standard. The Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH document states: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed. True value for the check standard buffer. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., updated benchsheet with the 7 pH buffer denoted as the QC buffer with an implementation date of 4/18/2016) was received by email on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: Values were reported that exceed the method specified accuracy of 0.1 units. This is a new requirement that has been implemented since the last inspection. Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000, (6) states: 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, resort pH values to the nearest 0.1 pH unit. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that reporting pH results to 0.1 units will be implemented on the April 2016 electronic Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR)) was received by e-mail on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The meter was not always calibrated before use. Occasionally on the weekends, an analyst would check pH and Temperature of the effluent as an internal systems check, not part of required monitoring. The values were recorded on the operator's log with no calibration performed and reported on the eDMR. This was specifically noted on January 10, 2016 and January 22, Page 4 #5039 Wayne Farms LLC 2016. The Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH document states: Instruments are to be calibrated according to the manufacturer's calibration procedure prior to analysis of samples each day compliance monitoring is performed. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that the weekend operators will either analyze at the clarifier or if analyzing the effluent, calibrate the instrument and record on the effluent benchsheet with an implementation date of 4/14/2016) was received by email on 4/25/2016, No further response is necessary for this Finding. Temperature — Standard Methods, 2550 B-2000 (Aqueous) Comment: Temperature was not being analyzed immediately. The sample was being brought into the lab and analyzed approximately 5 minutes after collection. The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Part 136; Federal Register Vol. 77, No. 97, May 18, 2012: Table II states: Parameter number/name: 69. Temperature. Maximum holding time: Analyze. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that analyzing Temperature immediately was implemented on 4/14/2016) was received by e-mail on 4/19/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The temperature sensor on the DO meter had not been verified. Temperature is measured once per month with the DO meter for the upstream and downstream samples. The effluent Temperature data was being analyzed with the pH meter, which has been properly verified. The Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Temperature document states: Any temperature sensing device, used to measure temperature for compliance monitoring, must be verified prior to initial use and re -verified any time an instrument is serviced. All thermometers and temperature measurinq devices must be checked every 12 months against a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable thermometer. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., documentation that the temperature sensor on the DO meter was verified on 4/21/2016 with a correction of 0°C) was received by e-mail on 4/22/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Chlorine, Total Residual — Standard Methods, 4500 Cl G-2000 (Aqueous) Comment: The meter's internal calibration curve had not been verified. The laboratory purchased a new meter and put it into use approximately three months ago, without first verifying the internal curve. The analyst assumed, since it was a new meter, that the manufacture's curve would be acceptable for 12 months, at which time, the annual curve verification would be performed. Annual verifications were performed correctly on the previous meter. The Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine document states: Instruments are to be calibrated according to the manufacturer's calibration procedure or a standard curve verification must be performed prior to analysis of samples each day compliance monitoring is performed. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., documentation showing that the curve verification was performed satisfactorily on 4/21/2016, with 10 pg/L as the lowest standard) was received by email on 4/22/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The gel standard true value had not been assigned. The value used for the daily gel check standard was the true value assigned to the old meter. The Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine document states: The gel/liquid standard verification must be performed for each instrument on which they are to be used. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., documentation showing that the gel standard was assigned a true value of 147 pg/L on 4/21/2016 to the new meter and the value is documented on the benchsheet implemented on 4/25/2016) was received by email on 4/22/2016 and 4/25/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Page 5 *5039 Wayne Farms LLC Comment: Values less than the established reporting limit were being reported on the eDMR. Although the current meter calibration curve had not been verified at the time of the inspection, the lowest calibration standard concentration verified on the previous meter was 10 pg/L. The Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine document states: The concentrations of the calibration standards must bracket the concentrations of the samples analyzed. One of the standards must have a concentration equal to or below the lower reporting concentration for Total Residual Chlorine. The lower reporting limit must be less than or equal to the permit limit. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that reporting any sample result below 10 pg/L as <10 pg/L will be implemented on the April 2016 eDMR) was received by email on 4/25/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: A reagent blank was not analyzed when preparing and analyzing the annual PT sample. The Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine document states: Each day that prepared standards are analyzed a reagent blank must be analyzed to determine if method analytes or other interferences are present in the laboratory environment, the reagents or the apparatus. Although the Approved Procedure does not explicitly state that a reagent blank is required when preparing and analyzing the PT sample, it is the intent that this also applies to the PT as a Quality Control element that is prepared with reagent water. A reagent blank is made from the same laboratory water source used to make quality control and/or calibration standards with DPD. The concentration of reagent blanks must not exceed 50% of the reporting limit (i.e., the lowest calibration or calibration verification standard concentration), unless otherwise specified by the reference method or corrective action must be taken. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that the practice of analyzing a reagent blank with the PT sample will be implemented with the 2017 PT sample) was received by email on 4/22/2016. No further response is necessary for this Finding. IV. PAPER TRAIL INVESTIGATION: The paper trail consisted of comparing original records (e.g., laboratory benchsheets, logbooks, etc.) and contract lab reports to eDMRs submitted to the North Carolina Division of Water Resources. Data were reviewed for January, February and March 2016. The following error was noted: Date Parameter Location Value on Client Report Value on DMR 1/13/2016 rl.fr , .kI .h fl f- BOD Effluent *10.6 mg/L 10.9 mg/L This is likely a transcription error due to the proximity of 6 and 9 on the number pad of the keyboard. It appears the facility is doing a good job of accurately transcribing data overall. V. CONCLUSIONS: All Findings noted during the inspection were adequately addressed prior to the completion of this report. The inspector would like to thank the staff for its assistance during the inspection and data review process. No response is required. Report prepared by: Beth Swanson Date: April 25, 2016 Report reviewed by: Tonja Springer Date: May 3, 2016