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EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

To provide the services necessary to ensure acceptable results, Seattle Asbestos Test, LLC maintains a high level of quality in facilities and equipment. Seattle Asbestos Test, LLC ensures that the following are maintained in the laboratory: (1) Adequate and acceptable facilities, such as lighting, ventilation, temperature, humidity (2) Adequate and acceptable utility services, such as voltage control, air, water, gas, and (3) Adequate and acceptable laboratory equipments, such as microscopes, laboratory fume hoods, analytical chemicals and fluids.

Laboratory Facilities and Capabilities

The facility used by Seattle Asbestos Test is divided into three areas: archive and office area, receiving area, and the analytical area, which is composed of two distinct areas for asbestos analysis (PLM and PCM). Adequate areas are provided within the laboratory for computer equipment.

Sample Receiving and Storage

The sample receiving area has sufficient space for the daily sample receiving activities. It includes receiving, storage, and shipping. The sample storage area is a separate area in the laboratory where excess samples may be archived for the holding period. QC samples and analytical fluids are stored in a designated cabinet. Laboratory employees monitor access to this area, maintaining the security of the Seattle Asbestos Test, LLC facility.

Microscopes

The microscopic department of the laboratory performs polarized light microscopy (PLM), and phase contrast microscopy (PCM). The PLM laboratory has three stations equipped with standard desktop laboratory fume hoods, stereomicroscopes, and polarized light microscopes with photographic capabilities. On August 11, Seattle Asbestos Test just added a state-of-the-art Olympus BHT polarizing microscope which has a 4x, a 10x, a 20x, a 40x PODPL strain free D PLAN objectives, a 10x dispersion staining objective, a circular graded centerable stage, an ABBE polarizing condenser, a rotating analyzer with a Bertrand lens attachment, and a gypsum compensation plate. The QA department conducted a check against 5.2 of Appendix C, Specific Operations Checklist, NIST Handbook 150-3, and it meets all the requirements in that Checklist. Bulk building materials, soils and dust samples are analyzed for asbestos by PLM. If necessary, the asbestos percentage in low concentration or problematic samples can be confirmed using point counts in house or gravimetric reduction or TEM analysis from outside services. Air filter samples are analyzed for fiber concentration using phase contrast microscopy. The PCM laboratory contains 5 high quality phase contrast microscopes, four Olympus Ch-2 and one Lomo.