Quality Control Program:

All laboratories retained by Echelon perform the following proven standard analytical techniques. To insure the highest quality of analytical data, we have developed an in-house Quality Assurance/Quality Control Program with the following features:

Compliance with approved EPA and NIOSH methods for sample collection, preservation, storage, analysis and disposal.

Chain of Custody Records (COCR) is maintained on all samples, both during the collection phase of the work, and during the laboratory analysis.

Participation in the Proficiency Analytical Testing (PAT) Program.

Request for statistical parameters or control charts to monitor accuracy of analyses and overall laboratory effectiveness of analytical laboratories used.

The foremost analytical instruments available are used for analysis.  Instrument operators have received formal and on-the-job training, and are certified in their competence to use the instruments.

Monthly audits of equipment condition, procedures, project record keeping and reference materials.

Requirement of matrix spikes to be analyzed at a rate of at least one or 5% of the samples in a sample set with the same or similar matrix from the analytical laboratory used.  Each type of matrix in a set is spiked at least once.

Requirement from the analytical laboratory used of reagent water blanks will be analyzed at a rate of one for every sample set.

Requirement of complete files to be maintained for analytical sample certificates of analysis, reagent certificates and sample container certificates.

Complete hard copy QA/QC files are maintained for customer examination for each analysis.