#5033_08_2012_FINAL

INSPECTION REPORT ROUTING SHEET
To be attached to all inspection reports in-house only.
Laboratory Cert. #:
5033
Laboratory Name,
General Electric
Inspection Type:
Field Maintenance
Inspector Name(s):
Jason Smith
Inspection Date:
August 29, 2012
Date Report Completed:
September 11, 2012
Date Forwarded to Reviewer:
September 14, 2012
Reviewed bv:
T odd Crawford
Date Review Completed:
September 14, 2012
Cover Letter to use:
❑ Insp. Initial ® Insp. Reg.
❑ Insp. No Finding ❑ Insp. CP
❑ Corrected
Unit Supervisor:
Gary Francies
Date Received:
9/14/2012
Date Forwarded to Linda:
9/17/2012
Date Mailed:
1i a

Ir
NCDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
Beverly Eaves Perdue
Governor
5033
Mr. Ray Penley
General Electric
1223 Fairgrove Church Road
Conover, NC 28613
Charles Wakild, P. E.
Director
September 17, 2012
Dee Freeman
Secretary
Subject: North Carolina Wastewater/Groundwater Laboratory Certification (NC WW/GW LC)
Maintenance Inspection
Dear Mr. Penley:
Enclosed is a report for the inspection performed on august 29, 2012 by Jason Smith. Where
finding(s) are cited in this report, a response is required. Within thirty days of receipt, please
supply this office with a written item for item description of how these finding(s) were corrected.
If the finding(s) cited in the enclosed report are not corrected, enforcement actions may be
recommended. 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 us at
828-296-4677.
Sincerely,
G c��
Gary Francies
Certification Unit Supervisor
Laboratory Section
Enclosure
cc: Jason Smith
Chet Whiting
Master File
DENR DWo Laboratory Section NC Wastewater,Groundwater Laboratory Certification Branch
1623 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1623
Location: 4405 Reedy Creek Road. Raleigh, North Carolina 27607-6445
Phone: [phone] \ FAX: [phone]
Internet: www.dwglab.org
One
worth Carolina
pit r
An Equal Opportunity \ Affirmative Action Employer

LABORATORY NAME:
NPDES PERMIT #:
ADDRESS:
CERTIFICATE #:
DATE OF INSPECTION:
TYPE OF INSPECTION:
AUDITOR(S):
LOCAL PERSON(S) CONTACTED:
INTRODUCTION:
On -Site Inspection Report
General Electric
NCO076643
1223 Fairgrove Church Road
Conover, NC 28613
5033
August 29, 2012
Field Maintenance
Jason Smith
Ray Penley and Alan Fisher
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 analyses. Records are well organized and
easy to retrieve.
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 Analytical Services, Inc. (Certification #381).
The requirements associated with Findings A and B are new policies that have been implemented by our
program since the last inspection.
Documentation
A. Finding: The laboratory is not documenting Proficiency Testing (PT) sample analyses in the
same manner as environmental samples.
Requirement: All PT sample analyses must be recorded in the daily analysis records as for any
environmental sample. This serves as the permanent laboratory record. Ref: Proficiency
Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2.
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.

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#5033 General Electric
B. 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 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.
Comment: The laboratory had been recording all of the required items except vendor and lot
number.
i+ li. riI dI•n�. r._VIColreCa:U_, are no' performed properly. .U.0Ut U
Requirement: 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. Ref: Quality Assurance Policies for
Field Laboratories.
Comment: Some overwriting was observed.
2H — Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000
D. Finding: Values were reported that exceed the method specified accuracy (0.1 units) for the
analysis of pH.
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).
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 General Electric (NPDES permit #NC0076643) for May, June, and July, 2012. No
transcription errors were detected. The facility appears to be doing a good job of accurately
transcribing data.

M
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#5033 General Electric
CONCLUSIONS:
Correcting the above -cited findings will help this la
Report prepared by: Jason Smith
Report reviewed by: Todd Crawford
b
Date: September 11, 2012
Date: September 14, 2012