Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services 
 
About DCLS  Services  Emergency Response  News  Links  Contact Us  DCLS Home

 

Environmental Laboratory Certification

The Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (VELAP) became effective on January 1, 2009, per Virginia Regulations 1 VAC 30, Chapter 45: Certification for Noncommercial Environmental Laboratories, and 1 VAC 30, Chapter 46: Accreditation for Commercial Environmental Laboratories. Under Chapter 46, Virginia’s Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services will offer accreditation to commercial laboratories in accordance with the 2003 NELAC Standard.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

  • Review the Frequently Asked Questions document for determining whether your laboratory needs to be certified, and if your laboratory is a Chapter 45 or a Chapter 46 laboratory.
  • Download and review the Chapter 45 or Chapter 46 Regulations.
  • Download the 2003 NELAC Standard from the NELAC website if you seek Chapter 46 Accreditation.
  • Begin review of your quality manual against the Chapter 45 or Chapter 46 Quality Manual Checklists, available as downloads or within the electronic application. Update your Quality Manual if needed to comply with each requirement listed. Cite the exact location of each requirement on the checklists.
  • Determine the list of matrix / method / analyte combinations for which your laboratory will seek certification.
  • Review Chapter 45 or Chapter 46/NELAC documents for specific requirements of certification programs. Use these documents to check your laboratory for compliance to Virginia
  • MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

E-FILE Application

  • To E-FILE, your system must meet the following requirements:
    • Windows operating systems XP, or VISTA
    • MS Access 2003 or newer

If your system does not meet the minimum requirements, contact Lab_Cert@dgs.virginia.gov to request an alternate application procedure.

  • Additionally an EPA Lab ID is required to E-FILE. 
    • For applications that will include water or wastewater related tests, please contact Charles Feldman at EPA's Cincinnati office at (513) 569-7671 to obtain an EPA lab ID.  Otherwise please send an email to Lab_Cert@dgs.virginia.gov to obtain a Lab ID number to be used in lieu of the EPA Lab ID.
  • PLEASE NOTE:
    Upon E-FILEing, an email will be sent to the address entered as primary contact, confirming DCLS receipt. If you have not received this email within 24 hours after E-FILEing, please contact the DCLS Lab Certification Office at Lab_Cert@dgs.virginia.gov for assistance.
  • To E-FILE you will need to download the following documents:

  System Requirements and Download Instructions

  Environmental Lab Application Instructions

 VA Lab Certification Electronic Application (updated 01/12/12)

  • Other documents of interest that may be used when applying for certification:

ACCREDITED COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES

 VELAP Accredited Commercial Laboratories (current as of 2/23/2013)

This lists all primary and secondary laboratories accredited under 1VAC30-46 with address, accreditation status, and certificate number.

 VELAP Accredited Commercial Laboratories WITH FIELD OF ACCREDITATION (FOA) DETAIL (current as of 2/23/2013)

 VELAP Accredited Commercial Laboratories WITH FIELD OF ACCREDITATION (FOA) DETAIL (current as of 2/23/2013)

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY LARGE FILE AND SHOULD NOT BE PRINTED. SUGGESTED USES:

• Search for FOA detail of a specific lab and print that lab’s FOA report: Use Adobe® search feature (alternately, Control+F) to locate the specific lab and print only the relevant pages.

• Search by Method to find a laboratory using that specific method: Use Adobe® search feature (alternately, Control+F) to locate the specific method, repeating the search to browse the document for all search matches.

CERTIFIED NON-COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES

 VELAP Certified Non-Commercial Laboratories (current as of 1/10/2013)

This lists all laboratories certified under 1VAC30-45 with address, certification status, and certificate number.

 VELAP Certified Non-Commercial Laboratories WITH FIELD OF CERTIFICATION (FOC) DETAIL (current as of 1/10/2013)

 VELAP Certified Non-Commercial Laboratories WITH FIELD OF CERTIFICATION (FOC) DETAIL (current as of 1/10/2013)

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY LARGE FILE AND SHOULD NOT BE PRINTED. SUGGESTED USES:

• Search for FOC detail of a specific lab and print that lab’s FOC report: Use Adobe® search feature (alternately, Control+F) to locate the specific lab and print only the relevant pages.

• Search by Method to find a laboratory using that specific method: Use Adobe® search feature (alternately, Control+F) to locate the specific method, repeating the search to browse the document for all search matches.

REGULATIONS

 1 VAC 30-45: Certification for Noncommercial Environmental Laboratories ("Chapter 45")
 1 VAC 30-45: Table of Contents
 1 VAC 30-46: Accreditation for Commercial Environmental Laboratories ("Chapter 46")
 1 VAC 30-46: Table of Contents
 
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation
  Proficiency Testing (Updated 2/13/2013)
  Information and Fees for Adding Fields of Certification (Updated 9/11/12)
  DCLS Methods Update Rule (MUR) Frequently Asked Questions (4/23/13)
 
DCLS- DEQ MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
  2009 DCLS and DEQ VELAP MOU
 
NOTICES
  Immediate Analysis Testing for VPDES and VPA Compliance (04/12/12)
  Drinking Water Certification and 1VAC30-46 (4/30/12)
  Drinking Water Proficiency Test Requirements Under 1VAC30-46 (06/07/12)
  Methods Update Rule (MUR) Information Notice (06/12/12)
  Notice For Secondary Chapter 46 Labs: Quality Control Requirements (4/17/13)
 
METHODS UPDATE RULE (MUR) INFORMATION SUMMARY
  DCLS Methods Update Rule (MUR) Frequently Asked Questions (4/23/13)
  DCLS Methods Update Rule (MUR) Information Notice (06/12/12)
  DCLS Methods Update Rule (MUR) Implementation Announcement (01/28/13)
  Chapter 46 Quality Control Requirements for Testing Done By Standard Methods (03/13/13)
  Notice For Secondary Chapter 46 Labs: Quality Control Requirements (4/17/13)
  Standard Methods Naming Format Technical Assistance Document (4/15/13)
 
The NELAC Institute (TNI) has assembled an informational page about the MUR and correspondences from the EPA since the MUR’s publication date. The TNI MUR web page is a useful resource summarizing MUR updates and current information.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DOCUMENTS
  Procedures for Ensuring Traceability of Measurements (5/8/2012)
  Effective Corrective Action (04/15/2013)
  Standard Methods Naming Format Technical Assistance Document (4/15/13)
 
CORRECTIVE ACTION
 Effective Corrective Action Technical Assistance Document (04/15/2013)
 Corrective Action Form, DGS-35-192 (04/15/2013)
 Corrective Action Form, DGS-35-192 (04/15/2013)
 On-Site Assessment Corrective Action Plan Form, DGS-35-196 (Updated 05/06/2013)
 On-Site Assessment Corrective Action Plan Form, DGS-35-196 (Updated 05/06/2013)
 On-Site Assessment Corrective Action Plan Form - SAMPLE, DGS-35-196 (Updated 05/06/2013)
 
GUIDANCE AND INTERPRETATION ISSUED BY DCLS

  DCLS Transition to 2009 TNI Standards (updated 9/22/2011)

  Field Testing Interpretation
  POTWs and Industrial Users, Applicability
  PT Reporting Errors and Omissions (4/18/2012)
  PT Requirement Revision (January 2009)
  CBOD and Simple Test Procedure
  IDC Grandfather Date
  Instructions for Laboratories Rebuilt per 9VAC 25-820-70
  PT Studies: Use of  WP in lieu of DMR-QA for 2010
  PT Studies: Use of  WP in lieu of DMR-QA for 2011
  1VAC30-46: Individual Laboratory Determination
  Geotechnical and Engineering Testing Applicability
  Materials Specification (Fuel Specification) Testing for Air Quality Compliance (updated 4/26/12)

  NMOC Landfill Measurements for Air Quality Compliance (2/15/13)

  Suspension of Certification, 1VAC30-45 (5/16/2012)
  Suspension of Accreditation, 1VAC30-46 (5/16/2012)
  Chapter 46 Quality Control Requirements for Testing Done By Standard Methods (03/13/13)
  On-Site Assessment Admittance Policy (03/12/13)
 
QUALITY MANUAL TEMPLATE FOR 1VAC30-45
  Quality Manual Template for 1VAC30-45 (Updated 9/11/12)
  Quality Manual Template for 1VAC30-45 (Updated 9/11/12)
  Quality Manual Template Instructions for 1VAC30-45
  Quality Manual Template Instructions for 1VAC30-45
 
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE TEMPLATE
 Standard Operating Procedure Template 
 Standard Operating Procedure Template
 
CHAPTER 45 CHECKLISTS
  Chapter 45 Quality Manual Checklist (updated 9/11/12)
  Chapter 45 Quality Manual Checklist (updated 9/11/12)
  Chapter 45 Lab Assessment Records Review List
  Chapter 45 Air Testing  
  Chapter 45 Asbestos Testing  
  Chapter 45 Chemical Testing  
  Chapter 45 Microbiology Testing  
  Chapter 45 Quality System  
  Chapter 45 Radiochemical Testing  
  Chapter 45 Standard Operating Procedures  
  Chapter 45 Toxicity Testing  
►  Method Checklists (link)  
   
CHAPTER 46 CHECKLISTS
  Chapter 46 Quality Manual Checklist (Updated 5/16/11)
  Chapter 46 Quality Manual Checklist (Updated 5/16/11)
  Chapter 46 Lab Assessment Records Review List
  Chapter 46 Air Testing
  Chapter 46 Asbestos Testing
  Chapter 46 Chemical Testing
  Chapter 46 Microbiology Testing
  Chapter 46 Quality System
  Chapter 46 Radiochemical Testing
  Chapter 46 Standard Operating Procedure
  Chapter 46 Toxicity Testing
  Method Checklists (link)
 
FORMS
  Fee Payment Form 
  Chapter 46 Laboratory Management Qualifications Form
  Request for Additional Fields of Certification Form (Updated 9/11/12)
  Request for Additional Fields of Certification Form (Updated 9/11/12)
  Laboratory Certification Compliance Statement (Updated 8/14/12)
  List of NELAC Standard Technology Codes
 Corrective Action Form, DGS-35-192 (04/15/2013)
 Corrective Action Form, DGS-35-192 (04/15/2013)
 Documentation Requested By VELAP Prior To On-Site Assessment
 Demonstration of Capability Certification Statement
 On-Site Assessment Corrective Action Plan Form, DGS-35-196 (Updated 05/06/2013)
 On-Site Assessment Corrective Action Plan Form, DGS-35-196 (Updated 05/06/2013)
 On-Site Assessment Corrective Action Plan Form - SAMPLE, DGS-35-196 (Updated 05/06/2013)
 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

 Alternate Test Method Crosswalk (Updated 04/06/11)

 

  • Links:

The Safe Drinking Water (SDWA) and the Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation (VELAP) program forms
www.nelac-institute.org

 

 

 

 

 

Site Map | Web Policies | Start of Content | Top of Page
Copyright 2011 by Department of General Services
WIA Compliance Status