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MERC STDN Test Plan
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blackened or white-out), and will be dated according to the date that the correction was made.
These data will include electronic data, entries in field/laboratory record books, operating data
from the MERC test facility, and equipment calibration records. Records will be spot-checked
within two weeks of the measurement to ensure that the data are recorded correctly. The checker
shall not be the individual who originally entered the data. Data entries shall be checked in
general for obvious errors and a minimum of 10 percent of all records shall be checked in detail.
Errors detected in this manner shall be corrected immediately. The person performing the
review will add his/her initials and the date to a hard copy of the record being reviewed. The
MERC staff member will place this hard copy in the files for this evaluation. In addition, data
generated by each MERC staff will be provided to the MERC Program Coordinator and
reviewed before they are used to calculate, evaluate, or report results.
9. Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Treatment performance evaluations are implemented according to the Test/QA plans and
technical documents (e.g., Standard Operating Procedures) prepared during planning of the
evaluation. Prescribed procedures and a sequence for the work are defined during the planning
stages, and work performed shall follow those procedures and sequence. Technical procedures
shall include methods to assure proper handling and care of test instruments. All implementation
activities are documented and are traceable to the Test/QA plan and SOPs and to test personnel.
Analytical Laboratory Quality Control:
The analyses for Chlorophyll, TSS and POC shall have the following Quality Controls:
a.
Blanks
Three times during the evaluation, analysis of blanks. These blanks will be collected
weekly during sampling and should include Field Blanks (see Section 7.4.2).
b.
Control Charts. Two types of control charts are used in laboratories: a mean chart
for blanks and a range chart for replicate analyses.
Quality Control for Instrument Calibration:
The test instrumentation to be used in the evaluation will be calibrated by the MERC staff
according to the SOPs for the instrumentation prior to use. A calibration log will be created for
each instrument. The logs shall include at least the following information: name of instrument,
serial number and/or identification number of instrument, date of calibration, and calibration
results. These logs shall be provided to the MERC Program Coordinator and maintained in a
master calibration file as part of the QA/QC records.
Laboratory Test Quality Control:
All analytical measurements are performed using materials and/or processes that are
traceable to a Standard Reference Material. Standard Operating Procedures are utilized to trace
all quantitative and qualitative determinations to certified reference materials. All metrology
equipment (analytical balances, thermometers, etc.) is calibrated using materials traceable to the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and maintained on a schedule to ensure
accuracy.
All volumetric glassware must be calibrated as conforming to Class A. A valid
certificate of calibration or compliance must be available for each item. If the item has been