Rule 3745-89-01 | Laboratory certification definitions.
Except as follows, the definitions of "director," "gross alpha particle activity," "gross beta particle activity," "total trihalomethanes," and all other terms defined in rules 3745-81-01 and 3745-90-01 of the Administrative Code shall apply to this chapter.
(A)
(1) "Acceptance of certification" means a document identifying a specific laboratory to perform specific drinking water analyses based on their compliance with rule 3745-89-12 of the Administrative Code.
(2) "Analyte" means a substance which is undergoing analysis. Analyte may be identified as, but is not limited to the following: contaminant, cyanotoxin, disinfectant, disinfectant residual, disinfection by product, haloacetic acid, inorganic chemical, metal, microbial contaminant, organic chemical, parameter, particle, operational requirement testing as prescribed in rule 3745-83-01 of the Administrative Code, radionuclide, trace metal, volatile organic chemical or water quality parameters as prescribed in rule 3745-81-87 of the Administrative Code.
(B) [Reserved.]
(C)
(1) "Certificate" means a document identifying an individual approved to perform specific drinking water analyses at a specific laboratory. The certificate indicates the effective period and is non-transferable to another laboratory or another analyst.
(2) "Certificate of Accreditation" means a certificate issued by an environmental laboratory accreditation program for the analysis of environmental samples to a laboratory demonstrating compliance to a set of standards.
(D) [Reserved.]
(E) [Reserved.]
(F) "Fields of Accreditation" means the categories identified on a certificate of accreditation for which a laboratory has demonstrated compliance with a set of standards determined by the accrediting program issuing the certificate for the examination of environmental samples. These categories may be identified as, but not limited to the following: "Drinking Water, Non-Potable Water or Solid and Chemical Materials."
(G) [Reserved.]
(H) [Reserved.]
(I)
(1) "Interim authorization for plant control tests or MMO-MUG (SM 9223 B)" means granting an analyst operational approval to conduct certain plant control tests for those parameters defined in rule 3745-89-09 of the Administrative Code pending an on-site survey approval.
(2) "Interim authorization for new contaminants and new methods" means granting a laboratory certification to perform drinking water analyses using new methods or for new contaminants pending implementation of new or amended regulations.
(J) [Reserved.]
(K) [Reserved.]
(L) [Reserved.]
(M)
(1) "Media" means nutrient and mineral complexes used in the growth and identification of microorganisms.
(2) "Method detection limit" or "MDL" means either the minimum measured concentration of a substance that can be reported with ninety-nine per cent confidence that the measured concentration is distinguishable from method blank results, or, for analyses performed in accordance with Chapter 3745-90 of the Administrative Code, the minimum concentration of a substance that can be measured and reported with ninety-nine per cent confidence that the analyte concentration is greater than zero and is determined from analysis of a sample in a given matrix containing the analyte.
(N) [Reserved.]
(O)
(1) "Operational certification" means certification granted by the director for an analyst to perform one or more of the plant control tests for alkalinity, alkalinity stability, chloride, chlorine, chlorite, chlorine dioxide, fluoride, hardness, pH, or turbidity, including daily calibration and standardization, but neither including the preparation of standards or reagents nor the required monthly or quarterly calibration and standardization; or for an analyst to perform MMO-MUG (SM 9223 B) and Quanti-Tray (SM 9223 B), limited to set up and interpretation of samples, including positive and negative controls..
(2) "On-site survey" means a scheduled or unannounced on-location evaluation and review of a laboratory and its personnel to determine compliance with this chapter.
(P)
(1) "Plant control test" means measurement of any or all of the following parameters that are used to monitor or control drinking water plant treatment processes: alkalinity; alkalinity stability; chloride, chlorine, chlorite, chlorine dioxide and other disinfectants; fluoride; hardness; pH; total phosphorus; total dissolved solids; turbidity; copper; iron; manganese; and nitrate.
(2) "Proficiency test" (PT) means a sample or a group of samples provided to a laboratory by an approved provider of the national environmental laboratory accreditation program (NELAP), used for the purpose of determining the ability of a laboratory and its analysts to successfully perform analyses within acceptable limits specified by the United States environmental protection agency. The director may designate other acceptable providers of proficiency test samples for analysis to meet this requirement.
(Q) [Reserved.]
(R) "Reporting limit" means the numerical value at and above which a laboratory is required to quantify a contaminant.
(S)
(1) "Standard operating procedure" or "SOP" means a document written by a laboratory that details the prescribed techniques and steps necessary for the performance of a specific method by that laboratory.
(2) "State Principal Laboratory" means the laboratory designated by the director as required by the United States environmental protection agency under 40 C.F.R. 142.10 (10/13/2005 edition) and certified by the United States environmental protection agency.
(3) "Subcontract" means an arrangement whereby a laboratory or facility obtains drinking water samples from a public water system and directly provides the samples to a laboratory that is certified to perform the required analyses.
(T) [Reserved.]
(U) "Unacceptable data" means data that does not meet quality control acceptance limits referenced in each approved analytical method or as referenced in the "Ohio EPA Laboratory Manual for the Microbiological Analyses of Public Drinking Water 2020" and the "Ohio EPA Laboratory Manual for the Chemical Analyses of Public Drinking Water 2020."
(V) "Violation" means any non-compliance with laboratory certification requirements, which cover the physical facility, testing equipment, analytical method, reporting, and all quality control requirements whether they are in the method, the laboratory certification manuals for chemical and microbiological analyses of public drinking water or Chapter 6109. of the Revised Code, and rules adopted thereunder.
(W) [Reserved.]
Supplemental Information