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Standard Interpretation



Standard: 2003 NELAC
Section: 5.5.8.3.2
Link to relevant standard

REQUEST:

Is the sample acceptance plan required to be communicated to clients at any particulary frequency, i.e. annually?

TNI FINAL RESPONSE:

(Quality Systems Expert Committee / NELAP Board, 10-11-09)

5.5.8.3.2 states that the "sample acceptance policy shall be made available to sample collection personnel." The introduction included in 5.5.8 states "the following are essential to ensure the validity of the laboratory's data," which would mean that the laboratory can't invoke 5.1.2, which states "When a laboratory does not undertake one or more of the activities covered by this Standard, such as sampling and the design/development of new methods, the requirements of those clauses do not apply" to avoid having such a policy. However, the Standard makes no mention of any period under which the acceptance policy must be communicated to clients.