Quality assurance growing pains: a state perspective on implementing an organizational-wide quality system in environmental laboratories.

To implement an effective and efficient quality system in a network of established environmental testing laboratories requires a committed long-term effort that is potentially fraught with multiple obstacles. This presentation discusses one state's ongoing efforts at implementing such a system. First is the need to convince management of the rationale for a quality systems-based approach versus the traditional QA/QC program. Once development of a quality system has been sanctioned, a team-based approach utilizing project planning tools is a good way to approach the effort. Resources are assigned to the development of key quality system components, and generally a phased-deployment or roll-out works best. Once implementation is underway, assuring operational utilization and compliance with the quality system are vital steps in the process. Important to successful implementation is ongoing assessment and refinement of the quality system. Fundamental and key elements of the laboratory quality system are numerous and need to work in concert with each other. Quality system elements to be discussed in the presentation range from management and QA roles and functions to the typical documentation of laboratory policies and procedures. Numerous QA assessment tools and other vital quality system practices that play an important role in making a complete quality system are addressed. In addition, efforts must be undertaken to integrate the laboratory quality system with other management systems within the organization. The bottom line is that all environmental laboratories need a quality system more now than ever. Data users need it. Customers' expectations for data quality are high. USEPA policy and/or programs call for it. Additionally, good quality systems can benefit the organization in multiple ways and help avoid the "pay-me-now or pay-me-later" syndrome. In conclusion, all environmental testing laboratories (i.e., academic, private, commercial and especially governmental) need to invest in and implement a quality system based on a recognized standard (e.g., NELAC, ISO 17025, ANSI/ASQC E-4). The author recommends pursuing NELAP laboratory accreditation with a NELAP-recognized accrediting authority.