This guide can be used to evaluate the performance of a laboratory with regards to its adherence to established laboratory quality practices for the essential elements of managing a well-performing laboratory. The suggested scoring system can be used to identify the laboratory areas which need improvement in performance.

The assessment guide (Table 1) should be adjusted or modified to reflect the specific laboratory quality system that the laboratory follows. This guide is based on Practice D6792.

5.3 Similar but more generic schemes can be found in other ASTM standards such as Guide E548, E882, E994, and E1323. But this guide is the first one to attempt a numerical evaluation for the petroleum products and lubricants testing laboratories in the oil industry.

TABLE 1 Laboratory Assessment Guide to Good Laboratory Practices

Note 1-When the sampling is within the control of the laboratory, documents other than quoted above may detail the sampling process (not only ASTM). For example, company procedures. These should be assessed as well to check compliance to industry standards and then to ensure the laboratory complies with these procedures.

Note 2-Samples, when received by the laboratory from customers, should question the integrity of the sample and make some reference on the final test report to the fact that tests were completed on samples as received. If sample container was not appropriate, a similar caveat should be included. Instruction/procedure on how to deal with these situations should be documented and the laboratory assessed against it.

Note 3-In-house instructions/operating procedures also need to be assessed where used/written for each test method.

^A In some organizations, the sampling activity may be outside the control of the laboratory unit. For some products these standards may not be applicable.

^B If these specific products are not analyzed in the lab, these questions do not apply.

^C If the lab has not modified any of the test methods, credit should be given for that. If the laboratory has modified test methods, questions 3.5 and 3.6 would be pertinent.

^D At least 5 % of the samples analyzed should be QCs. However, in each batch QC should accompany the samples.

^E This is an informational question. Either answer is satisfactory.

^F Control charts should be plotted by the person who performs the analysis.

^G It is preferable that the charts be displayed near the test station, if possible.

^H Ideally 4 to 5 run rules should be used. See Practice D6792 for details.

^I The same material should not be used for both calibration and QC.

^J The sample results should not be reported to the customers if QC is out of control.