A2LA Receives Full TNI Recognition to Accredit Field Sampling and Measurement Organizations (FSMOs)
Frederick, MD (PRWEB) February 03, 2014 -- The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) is pleased to announce that it has received full recognition by The NELAC Institute’s National Environmental Field Activities Program to provide accreditation to Field Sampling and Measurement Organizations (FSMOs). This accreditation program is specifically designed for organizations engaged in environmental sampling and field measurement activities such as testing laboratories, engineering firms, environmental consulting organizations and government agencies. Upon receiving this final recognition, A2LA has issued two Scopes of Accreditation to accredited FSMOs and is currently accepting new applications.
A2LA’s preliminary recognition to accredit FSMOs was granted in 2011. In order to achieve full recognition, A2LA underwent a review of its FSMO accreditation program documents as well as an on-site technical evaluation of an FSMO assessment. Several of A2LA’s environmental assessors successfully completed TNI’s NEFAP Assessor Training course and Mr. Richard Sheibley, veteran assessor, served as the Lead Assessor during A2LA’s on-site evaluation. Mr. Sheibley lent his years of experience and technical knowledge to this evaluation, resulting in a final evaluation report with zero non-conformities identified.
FSMO accreditation is based on A2LA’s assessment of an environmental organization’s performance including their quality system, procedures, staff competence and reporting of sampling and testing performed on matrices such as water, soil, and air. The FSMO requirements specifically address challenges and circumstances unique to organizations that perform fieldwork. The accreditation is granted based on a two-year cycle.
Interested parties may contact Lauren Smith (lsmith(at)A2LA(dot)org) for more information regarding the FSMO accreditation program.
ABOUT A2LA:
A2LA is a nonprofit, non-governmental, public service, membership society. A2LA provides world-class accreditation and training services for testing and calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers, reference material producers and product certifiers. Services are available to any type of organization.
Lauren Smith, American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), +1 2405757482, [email protected]
Share this article