ABSTRACT
The approach to laboratory accreditation used the environmental testing laboratory as a model template. Due to the complexity of the analyses provided by the environmental laboratory, it functions as an ideal model for development of the proposed approach to laboratory accreditation. Moreover, the environmental testing laboratory embodies all facets of the laboratory community. Recognizing the critical nature of analytical data and the similarities to a broad array of laboratory types inherent in the products of the environmental testing laboratory, it is prudent to suggest that the proposed laboratory accreditation process can be successfully applied to all laboratory types. Briefly, the proposed third party approach to laboratory accreditation embodies the attributes required to evaluate any laboratory type. It is important to point out that many testing laboratories are currently utilizing multiple systems for the purposes of ascertaining if the quality of data produced by the various types of testing laboratories are of sufficient quality.
