New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chapter 18 - REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CERTIFICATION OF LABORATORIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS
Subchapter 5 - CHEMICAL TESTING
Section 7:18-5.6 - Requirements for records and data reporting

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 7:18-5.6

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024

(a) The laboratory shall retain records concerning chemical analyses. The records to be retained include raw data records, quality control data records (including records of all quality control checks under 7:18-5.5(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)4.

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 environmental 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 and time of sample preparation and analysis;

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

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

5. The results of the analysis and the raw data generated by the analysis, including any correction factors; and

6. The results of the initial calibrations, calibration check standards, and method quality control requirements.

(e) The laboratory shall check all results reported on final report forms against original data to make sure there are no transcription errors.

(f) 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.

(g) The laboratory shall not report results of analyses to the Department or to any other person unless the original or true duplicate of the results is sent to the client. The report shall be signed by the laboratory manager or designee identified pursuant to 7:18-2.11(a)1 iii.

(h) 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.

(i) When the laboratory determines that the concentration of nitrate, nitrite, or nitrate/nitrite in a regulatory drinking water sample exceeds the MCL, the laboratory shall notify the affected parties as follows:

1. For non-transient non-community and transient non-community water systems, the laboratory shall notify the water purveyor and the municipal health agency (or, if there is no municipal health agency for the municipality in question, the county health agency) and the Department within 24 hours. Notice to the Department shall be by telephone in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:10-2.6(d);

2. For community water systems, the laboratory shall notify the water system's superintendent and the Department within 24 hours. Notice to the Department shall be by telephone in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:10-2.6(d); or

3. For testing conducted in conformance with the PWTA, the laboratory shall notify both the client requesting such analysis and the local health authority within 24 hours or during the next business day, whichever is sooner.

(j) The laboratory shall include at least the following information in reporting analyses for the Safe Drinking Water Program or the Water Pollution Program:

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

2. The date and time of sampling, sample preparation and analysis;

3. Specific and unique identification of the sample;

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

5. The name of each parameter;

6. The dilution factor (DF), if the sample was diluted (for example, to reduce matrix interference);

7. The sample MDL. If the sample was diluted, the laboratory shall adjust the MDL to reflect the dilution. To calculate the adjusted MDL, the laboratory shall multiply the reagent water MDL by the DF;

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

9. The results generated by the analysis, reported as a quantitative number with units of measurement (such as mg/L, micrograms/L, or micrograms/kg) or as "not detected" (ND).

(k) In addition to the information required under (j) above, the laboratory may report an extended list of target compounds if it meets the standardization and quality control requirements of the applicable DSAM and 7:18-5.5 for the additional parameters on the extended list.

(l) The laboratory shall include at least the following information in reporting analyses for the Solid/Hazardous Waste program, the CERCLA-CLP program, or the Clean Air Program:

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

2. The date and time of sampling, sample preparation and analysis;

3. Specific and unique identification of the sample;

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

5. The name of each parameter;

6. The dilution factor (DF), if the factor was diluted (for example, to reduce matrix interference);

7. The sample MDL. If the sample was diluted, the laboratory shall adjust the MDL to reflect the dilution. To calculate the adjusted MDL, the laboratory shall multiply the reagent water MDL by the DF. MDL values are not required for CLP reporting;

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

9. The results of the analysis, to be reported as specified in the DSAM.

(m) In addition to the information required under (l) above, the laboratory may report an extended list of target compounds if it meets the standardization and quality control requirements of the applicable DSAM and 7:18-5.5 for the additional parameters on the extended list.

(n) Laboratories shall not report analyte concentrations for the Clean Air Program that are below clean canister certification levels, artifact levels for sorbent tubes, or any other blank level as specified in the test method.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Jersey may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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