Meeting Summary
ESS Section Conference Call
May 15, 2014 / 11:00 amET
Call in Numbers and Passcode:
Toll Free Access Number: 1-800-377-8846
Pass Code 224 5368#
Participants:Judy Morgan – Chair (Environmental Science Corporation); Allison Mackenzie (Babcock Labs); Bruce Godfrey (Curtis & Tompkins); Zoe Grosser (Horizon Technology); Joe Konschnik (Restek); Tom Hungerford (S-F Analytical); Joe Konschnik (Retlif Testing Labs); Zoe Grosser (Horizon Technology); Paul Monroy (Babcock Labs); Richard Hanson (Pace Analytical); Michael Flournoy (Microbac Laboratories); Dave Speis (QC Laboratories); Pete Unger (A2LA); Tracy Szerszen (Perry Johnson);Chris Gunning (A2LA); Phil Worby (Accutest); Milton Bush (ACIL CEO); Robert Uttenweiler (ACIL SEO).
1)The meeting was called to order at 11:02 am by Judy Morgan, Chair
2)Introduction of Members and Guests- Uttenweiler
3)ACIL Antitrust Statement
a)The Antitrust statement was accepted by all on the call
4)Review of Meeting Summaries from April 2014
[tabled]
5)ISO 17025 DiscussionBush/ Unger
a)A revision of ISO 17025 has been under discussion for the last couple of years
b)There is a need to align 17025 to other ISO standards regarding laboratory accreditation standards in other ISO documents
i)Need input from Sections on what revisions might be needed
c)ILAC is about ready to submit a new work item proposal to ISO / CASCO group for consideration
i)ILAC is putting together a New Work Item Proposal (NWIP) coupled with another NWIP from the South African Bureau of Standards to revise 17025. Assuming CASCO members vote for approval (a 60-day ballot process this summer), the working group should be formed later this year. CASCO expects ILAC to propose a co-convener of the Working Group from an AB. The ILAC Laboratory Committee Chair Steve Sidney is expected to be the laboratory co-convener. The CASCO Chair Lane Hallenbeck makes the appointments of conveners.
ii)ILAC expects to identify its nominee(s) in the next couple of weeks and then submit the NWIP accordingly. The justification for revision will be based upon the work of the ILAC Accreditation Committee working group that identified possible changes needed.
d)Action Item – Milt Bush will have a discussion with Keith Mowry at ICAC about having an ACIL representative on the working group
6)Non-Governmental Accreditation Initiative WG Report
a)Florida
i)Nothing new in Florida
(1)There was a discussion about the possibility of having Steve Arms participate in future calls with no firm decision
b)New Jersey
i)Cabot Earle and Milton Bush will be meeting with the governor’s General Counsel to review what will be proposed regarding privatization and hopefully get the NJ to more towards the Florida model
c)California – Allison Mackenzie
i)The transfer of the drinking water program will be moved to the State Water Control Board – the ELAP program
(1)The lab accreditation program has been neglected and given insufficient resources
(2)There has been no leader of the program for three years
(3)The State board is much more political
(4)There will be a subject-matter panel organized to look at the ELAP program
(a)ACIL needs to make sure that knowledgeable people are involved in that process
(5)The program on June 19, 2014 in Southern California will focus on that will focus on the ELAP issue
d)Kentucky
e)Other states
7)ELAB Report
a)No ELAB report at this time
8)NEMC Update
a)No updates and remove from the agenda until September
9)Analyst Certification/Enrichment – Update
a)Looking for someone to lead the subcommittee on this subject – Joe Konschnik,
i)Mike Flournoy from Microbac should be willing to lead -
ii)Judy Morgan has a PowerPoint presentation that could be turned into a white paper on the subject
iii)Milton Bush has extensive background in certification and will be involved in this program
b)Judy Morgan has a list of individuals who have volunteered to assist
10)China Brownfields Update
a)The Chinese government is expected to issue a grant to move this program forward
b)No new significant issues have developed
11)ILI SPE Project
a)Several issues have come up with data evaluation
i)There appear to be errors in the data received and the hope is to move forward with more testing on SPE in a more controlled way
ii)There is a need for a more accurate methodology
iii)EPA is reluctant to move forward until more accurate data is available
iv)Forward movement on the subject may be difficult because of timing and busy season – summer – for most labs
b)
12)Membership
a)Nothing new at this point on the environmental side
13)EMR Ratings
a)There is a real question on safety ratings used by engineering companies
b)The industry is having problems with risk levels being imposed from the outside
i)Higher risk labs are lumped in with lower risk labs
c)Unfair comparisons have hurt labs attempting to get contracts
d)MCCI handles this nationally for insurance brokers
e)This continues to be a structural problem for the industry and continues to become more of an administrative problem
f)Action item - White paper summary will be written by Charlie Carter
14)ESS Value Proposition
15)A.O.B.
16)Next ESScall will take place on Thursday, June 19, 2014
17)There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:09 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Uttenweiler
ACIL SEO