N.J. Admin. Code § 7:18-6.7

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 7:18-6.7 - Requirements for records and data reporting

(a) The laboratory shall retain records concerning radiochemical analyses. The records to be retained include raw data records, quality control data records (including records of all quality control checks under 7:18-6.6(c) ) , chain-of-custody forms, laboratory reports, and the information required under (d) below. The laboratory shall retain each record for at least five years after the date of the analysis, provided however, that the laboratory shall retain records of analyses for 10 years if the person requesting the analyses has informed the laboratory that the analyses were to be performed because of epidemiological or public health concerns.

(b) The laboratory shall file and maintain data and other records in an accessible location on the laboratory's premises for one year after the date of analysis so that reviews can be conducted during on-site audits.

(c) The laboratory shall not accept custody of regulatory samples unless a chain-of-custody form is submitted with the samples, in accordance with 7:18-9.3(b).

1. Before accepting custody of a regulatory sample, the laboratory shall determine that the sample is properly labeled and has met the handling and preservation requirements. If the sample fails to meet those requirements, the laboratory shall indicate that failure on the chain-of-custody section of the sample request form or the chain-of-custody form;

2. The laboratory's sample custodian accepting responsibility for the sample shall sign the chain-of-custody form;

3. The laboratory shall have an internal chain-of-custody procedure or an alternate sample tracking procedure which establishes a sample's integrity and completely tracks its custody during its lifetime in the laboratory; and

4. If the analysis was not performed at the laboratory that first received the sample, the chain-of-custody form shall include the name, address and identification number of the New Jersey certified environmental laboratory to which the sample was forwarded.

(d) The laboratory shall retain the following information as part of the records of analysis:

1. The assigned laboratory sample number or other unique form of identification;

2. The date, specific place, and time of the sampling;

3. The name and signature of the person who collected the sample;

4. Identification of sample as a routine distribution sample, check sample, raw or process water sample, or other special purpose sample;

5. The date that the laboratory received the sample;

6. The date and time of sample preparation and analysis;

7. The name and signature of the person or persons who performed the analysis;

8. For radon/radon progeny-in-air samples taken by a certified radon measurement specialist or certified radon measurement technician, a chain-of-custody form indicating the sampling device/technique that was used and whether the authorized measurement protocols were followed;

9. The type of analysis performed and the DSAM used; and

10. The results of the analysis and raw data generated by the analysis.

(e) The laboratory may transfer all information described in (d) above to tabular summaries, except for:

1. Information regarding compliance check samples as detailed in 40 CFR 141.33(b); and

2. The chain-of-custody forms described in (d)8 above.

(f) Upon completion of the analysis, the laboratory shall supply the original or a true duplicate of the results of the tests or analyses to the client. The laboratory shall include the following information in reporting the results:

1. The certified environmental laboratory name and New Jersey laboratory identification number;

2. The date, time, and location of sample analysis;

3. The name of the person or persons who performed the analysis;

4. The type of analysis performed and the analytical method employed;

5. The results of the analysis; and

6. The name and signature of the environmental laboratory manager or designee identified pursuant to 7:18-2.11(a)1 iii.

(g) The laboratory shall not refer samples to another laboratory for analysis, unless the other laboratory is also a certified environmental laboratory. The laboratory requesting the analysis shall provide the results to the client, on the original or true duplicate forms from the certified environmental laboratory that performed the analysis, containing the New Jersey environmental laboratory identification number of the certified environmental laboratory that performed the analysis.

(h) If the laboratory discovers an error in the analysis of a regulatory sample, and the error may affect the validity of the reported analytical result, the environmental laboratory manager shall report the error to the regulatory program for which the analysis was conducted, and to the client. The laboratory shall make this notification within 72 hours after discovery of the error.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:18-6.7

Administrative change.
See: 28 New Jersey Register 4098(a)