DEFINITIONS

DUST RESULTS AS µg/ft²:  Federal and state standards for lead-contaminated dust are generally defined in micrograms per square foot. It can save time and reduce errors if the laboratory calculates your results to these units with the measurements you provide.

FLOOR TEMPLATE:  A stencil that can be place on the floor that outlines a standard area to measure, usually one square foot. Using a template reduces the chances of making a measuring mistake and getting an inaccurate result.

NLLAP: The National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program. A program established by the EPA to recognize laboratories that demonstrate the ability to accurately  analyze  paint chip, dust, or soil samples for lead. The two accrediting agencies are AIHA (the American Industrial Hygiene Association) and A2LA (the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation). Proficiency in testing water samples for lead is not overseen by this program.

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE:  Professional liability errors and omission insurance covers errors made in the analysis of a sample.

REPORTING LIMIT: The lowest lead value that a laboratory can confidently report for the sample type. This value must be higher than the LSD (lowest standard determined) which is the lowest non-zero concentration standard used in the instrument calibration process.

FIELD QUALITY CONTROL SAMPLES:  Samples with a known quantity of lead and that prepared and analyzed by the same methods as the samples that are submitted for analysis. The results produced by the lab can be compared with the known quantity of lead in the quality control sample. This allows the laboratory customer to monitor and check the accuracy of results produced by a specific laboratory. Monitoring a lab in this way may not be practical for homeowners and others submitting a few samples, but is an important tool for lead professionals and other individuals who submit large numbers of samples.

TURNAROUND:  The amount of time needed by a laboratory to analyze a sample and produce the result. This does not include the time to ship the sample to the laboratory.