Analysis of the percentage of asbestos in bulk materials

A laboratory that determines the percentage of asbestos in bulk materials and that has been chosen as service provider for this type of analysis must participate in an interlaboratory quality control program. The IRSST establishes a list of laboratories participating in this type of control.

Recognized interlaboratory quality control programs

• When a laboratory uses IRSST analytical method 244 – Characterization of fibres in deposited dusts or in bulk materials by polarized light microscopy, it must participate in one of the following interlaboratory studies:
  • Bulk Asbestos Proficiency Analytical Testing (BAPAT) Program
  • Asbestos Fiber Analysis Laboratory Accreditation Program (LAP) by PLM of the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP)
• When a laboratory uses the ELAP 198.4 method - Transmission Electron Microscope Method for Identifying and Quantitating Asbestos in Non-Friable Organically Bound Bulk Samples, it must participate in the following interlaboratory study:
  • Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP) of the Wadsworth Center for the Solid and Hazardous Waste / Asbestos in Non-Friable Material-TEM category

Initial registration in the recognition program

The information on the laboratory that wants to register, as well as the proficiency certificate issued for the final round by the program's manager, must be forwarded to the IRSST by:

Email: [email protected]
or
Fax: 514 288-9632, to the attention of CQ Vrac

Registration is free.

Maintaining recognition

For each participation in one of the interlaboratory study programs mentioned above, a laboratory registered in the IRSST recognition program must submit the proficiency certificate issued by this program's manager, within two weeks of the date of result delivery specified on the calendar. Failure to comply will result in one's name be removed from the IRSST's site. The means of document transmission are the same as for the initial registration.