Reference laboratory

Scientific interface and operational technique recognised among the different stakeholders and partners involved in the characterisation of the environment (water, air, waste/soil): the Walloon region’s administration, public and private laboratories, and research centres.

Missions:

– “to assist the administration with its technical missions relating to laboratory approvals and analysis methods” (Decree 9/4/98, art. 2) – and notably the transposition, within laboratories, of current regulations with suitable validated technologies and methods;

– “to assist laboratories with the implementation of reference methods and a quality system” (Decree 9/4/98, art. 2), which is to say for the effective and evolving use of sampling, analysis, and data processing methods, with quality guarantees concerning technical competencies (via accreditation) and the results (via interlaboratory tests).

The AGW of 27/5/99 specifies the mission in 10 points which can be combined to meet targets and guarantee the effectiveness and sustainability of the reference laboratory.

In the context of this mission, the institute is responsible for:

  1. developing, keeping up-to-date and distributing a manual of the reference methods;
  2. performing an audit and subjecting the laboratories requesting accreditation to a technical study;
  3. evaluating the quality of the work of the laboratories approved by the Walloon region using intercomparison tests;
  4. testing the implementation conditions for the analytical methods;
  5. developing and updating a database of the composition of the most common samples;
  6. providing technical support to laboratories approved by the Walloon region for the development of reference methods and a quality assurance system;
  7. participating in national or international working groups concerning methods and sampling techniques, in situ measurements and analyses;
  8. developing, improving, and testing sampling, in situ measurement and analysis methods;
  9. providing the administration with technical support;
  10. executing missions on behalf of the administration in relation to those of the reference laboratory;

 

The reference laboratory’s mission also concerns samples, in situ measurements and analyses in the aforementioned sectors.

To perform its mission, the reference laboratory is based on the ISSeP’s analysis laboratory management.

Contact: Xavier Veithen – 04 229 83 71