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1. Technical leader, authorized signatory: What are the differences between a technical leader and an authorized signatory in terms of job qualification requirements and scope of responsibilities? In other words, what is the difference in essence between these two positions? Can the technical director also serve as the authorized signatory? Answer: The mandatory requirements are the same; the requirements regarding work experience, length of service, and professional titles remain unchanged. However, the authorized signatory must also pass assessments conducted by relevant departments and obtain recognition from external organizations. The requirements regarding qualifications, job responsibilities, etc., are determined by the laboratory itself; however, they must be no less stringent than the mandatory requirements—they cannot be lower than those stipulated. The specific scope of job responsibilities should be determined by the laboratory itself. The difference in essence is that the authorized signatory holds a purely technical position and is only responsible for the data in the reports, while the technical supervisor, in addition to technical aspects, may also be involved in technical management tasks such as the management of equipment and quality control. Under normal circumstances, the technical supervisor can serve as the authorized signatory, but the authorized signatory is not necessarily the technical supervisor. 2 Personnel supervision: For personnel working on new projects, should supervision be carried out for each standard or for each project? Or supervise everyone? Answer: It is necessary to supervise each person in applying each method. If a method involves multiple project parameters, and the operations related to these parameters are similar to one another, it is sufficient to choose representative cases for supervision. 3 How to conduct supervision: In what aspects should supervisors oversee laboratory sampling and sample preparation personnel? Answer: There are many ways to carry out supervision, such as practical supervision, question-and-answer supervision, reviewing past records, observing previous performance, and checking the records of sampling and sample preparation this time. It is also possible to evaluate the parallelism of samples by having one person collect multiple samples, and so on. Do not forget to supervise the preservation of records and the evaluation and confirmation of supervision contents. 4 Staffing: What is the minimum number of staff required for CMA and CNAS respectively? Which functions can be done part-time? Will both check employees’ social insurance? Answer: There are no specific requirements, but when applying for initial approval, an initial assessment is carried out to determine whether the applicant’s capabilities match the available resources. In a laboratory, multiple people can hold the same position, or one person can hold multiple positions. Generally, there is only one top manager, one technical supervisor, and one quality officer in a laboratory, but these roles can be held concurrently. CMA inspections are definitely carried out, and CNAS inspections are also usually conducted; the focus is on whether there are any unauthorized personnel working in the laboratory – it is required that only those who are part of our laboratory may work there. Generally, when conducting an external audit to check whether an auditor holds multiple jobs, the best way is to verify their social security records, as each person can only be registered under one social security scheme. 5 Reference materials: How to distinguish between reference materials CRM and RM? Do quality control samples purchased from proficiency testing providers, such as those for peroxide value and total colony count, fall under CRM or RM? To which category do Dr. standard substances such as chloramphenicol belong? Answer: It is generally believed that CRM allows for traceability, while RM does not. If CRM can be used, it is recommended to prefer using CRM. CRM is a certified reference material, while RM is a reference material. The quality control materials provided by proficiency testing providers do not indicate whether they are CRM or RM, so one has to make the determination themselves. Generally, proficiency testing providers act merely as intermediaries; they are not necessarily the manufacturers. Our certified reference materials are typically produced by certain authorized institutions—for example, the National Institute of Metrology of China, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, etc. The reference materials produced by these organizations usually bear codes such as GBW (primary reference materials) or GBWE (secondary reference materials), as well as GSB (standard samples). Additionally, reference materials produced by laboratories accredited under ISO 17034 are also traceable and fall under the category of CRM. However, such producers have a defined scope of accreditation and can only produce materials within that scope. To determine whether it’s a CRM or an RM, one should mainly check if there’s any indication on the certificate. Dr. standard materials generally indicate on their certificates that they have passed ISO17034 accreditation, so we consider them to be CRM. If the standard purchased starts with the code BW, it is generally RM, not CRM. Try to purchase reference materials through official channels; this makes it easier to obtain CRM. Examples include research institutes under the National Institute of Metrology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Central Iron and Steel Research Institute, and the Geological and Mineral Research Institute, etc. 6. Periodic verification: According to clause 5.5.2 of the reference material GL035, periodic verification should be conducted for opened reference materials. For those without a specified expiration date, it is necessary to determine their expected expiration date through stability testing first. How is such stability testing carried out? How is the expected shelf life determined? Answer: Generally, standard samples in the geology and mineralogy field do not have an expiration date; as long as the environmental conditions are suitable, they are considered stable. Stability tests can be conducted several times at regular intervals. Then, a T-test is used to determine whether there is a significant difference between the T-values obtained from two test results. The validity period is determined either through experience or through continuous experimentation or periodic checks. For the first time, you can set a date first, then check whether it works, and make adjustments as needed. 7 Standard material number: One of the acceptance criteria for standard material RM is the “number”. What does this number refer to? Reference answer: The numbers are defined by oneself; one type is the number of a standard material, and it could also be a number assigned by the laboratory. In such cases, it is recommended that the laboratory establish certain requirements for filling out the form documents, providing guidance on what should be entered. You can write “Notes” below the table. 8 Subcontracting and sampling: Must the name of the subcontracting company be included in the subcontract project report? In microbial testing (such as air sediment bacteria), samples must be sent to the laboratory for cultivation within 4 hours after sampling. What should be done if the distance is too great and it’s not possible to deliver them within 4 hours? Is it possible to borrow an incubator? How should quality control of instruments and equipment be handled? Reference answer: Generally, it will indicate the names of the subcontracting companies, specifying which projects were carried out by each subcontractor. If delivery isn’t possible, it should be known at the time of accepting the order. If the standards cannot be met, then it is considered a deviation. It is necessary to clarify this with the client at the time of commissioning, to see if they can accept such a deviation. If the client agrees, both parties sign the document, and this deviation should also be mentioned in the report; if necessary, the potential impact on the validity of the results should be indicated as well. If there will be a deviation over the long term, it is better to use non-standard methods to deal with it. It’s not allowed to borrow an incubator.