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Program News ORELAP and the NELAC StandardsORELAP has begun the process of adopting new National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) Standards. The proposal to amend the Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) that states the NELAC Standard to which ORELAP will accredit laboratories (OAR 333-064-0025), has been published in the April edition of the Oregon Bulletin. (Last day for public comment is 5:00 p.m., April 22, 2004.) It is expected that the new Standards will be adopted on July 1, 2004, as required by NELAC. However, this year, ORELAP will be adopting various Chapters from two different sets of Standards, Chapters 3 (On-Site Assessment), 4 (Accreditation Process), 5 (Quality Systems) and 7 (Field Activities) of the 2002 Standards and Chapters 1(Program Policy and Structure), 2 (Proficiency Testing) and 6 (Accrediting Authority) of the 2003 Standards. In regards to the evaluation of testing laboratories, only the 2002 Standards will directly impact testing laboratories. Additionally, because ORELAP will be adopting the new Chapter 7, it does not mean that ORELAP will be offering accreditation for field activities as of July 1, 2004. If and when ORELAP decides to expand its scope of accreditation to include this parameter, all ORELAP accredited laboratories will be notified. |
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