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A2LA’s Fetterolf: Understand Lab Vocabulary for Quality

John Wolz

“We don’t get paid by the number of deficiencies we find,” a laboratory accreditation specialist reassured participants in an American Association for Laboratory Accreditation workshop at Fastener Tech 07 .

Rather than try to “trip up” labs in the visit, the pre-assessment review of documents is in effect a “checklist” for labs to prepare for the review, Fred Fetterolf of Fettco NDE Services advised. In addition, accreditors should notify labs in advance of “glitches” found in those documents.

Fetterolf, a lead assessor for A2LA, ISO 17025 and ASNT, said the first step in qualifying for accreditation is for lab personnel to understand the vocabulary. A lab “policy” is just a statement of intent while a “procedure” involves documents which set out the specifics, Fetterolf explained. “Vendors will be approved by the quality control department based on evidence of accreditation by a mutually recognized accrediting body, completion of an on-site evaluation, evidence of continuing satisfactory performance,” Fetterolf added. “Procedure flushes out policy,” and lab documents need to provide for that. A lab with a valid “policy” may still lack a “procedure.”

There are other terms labs need to understand. “Shall” is a mandatory requirement while “ensure” is less demanding. “Evidence” is “objective documentation demonstrating.” “Records” go beyond evidence and require “actual data or documents.” That may require original observation, staff training, internal audits of test reports and preventative action.

“Seek” indicates “positive action such as the lab seeking feedback.”
Another stumbling block in accreditation is appointment of a deputy for the quality manager. “Is it the sales manager?” Fetterolf asked. “Normally the sales manager does not have the technical background.” The deputy “doesn’t have to be management. Senior lab technician?”

Among the many questions of lab accreditation: Does the receiving dock have “somebody who knows what they are looking at? Is there a receiving log? Are purchasing ‘docs’ reviewed? Is there a record of the verification process? Are results of lab’s data from a quality checklist being recorded in a way that trends are detectable?” E-mail: ffetterolf@earthlink.net Web: A2LA.org �2007 FastenerNews.com