Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 48 - PUBLIC HEALTH-GENERAL
Part V - Preventive Health Services
Subpart 28 - Drinking Water Laboratories
Chapter 80 - Certification of Laboratories Performing Drinking Water Analyses
Subchapter C - Criteria and Procedures for Chemical Testing and Analysis
Section V-8047 - Laboratory Facilities and Safety

A. All certified laboratories or laboratories seeking certification pursuant to this Subchapter shall have laboratory facilities and safety procedures that meet the requirements in Chapter IV of the USEPA Manual for the Certification of Laboratories Analyzing Drinking Water.

B. The analysis of compliance samples shall be conducted in a laboratory where the security and integrity of the samples and the data can be maintained.

C. The laboratory facilities must be clean, have adequate temperature and humidity control, have adequate lighting at the bench top and must meet applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.

D. The laboratory must have provisions for the proper storage and disposal of chemical wastes. The appropriate type of exhaust hood is required, where applicable.

E. There must be sufficient bench space for processing samples. Workbench space should be convenient to sink, water, gas, vacuum and electrical sources free from surges.

F. Instruments must be properly electrically grounded.

G. For safety reasons, facilities for inorganic and organic analyses shall be in separate rooms. Organic analysis and sample extraction should also be separated to prevent cross contamination.

H. The analytical and sample storage areas must be isolated from all potential sources of contamination.

I. There should be sufficient storage space for chemicals, glassware and portable equipment, sufficient floor and bench space for stationary equipment and areas for cleaning materials.

J. Volatile or corrosive chemicals and flammable solvents shall be stored in accordance with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and its attendant regulations.

K. Adequate fire precautions shall be taken including, but not limited to, having readily available a fire extinguisher rated for the types of fires that may reasonably be foreseen given the types of testing and analyses performed by and the types of materials handled by the laboratory.

L. Appropriate occupational safety and health laws and regulations shall be posted and observed.