In 2009, AIHA LAP achieved international recognition when it signed the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA). International recognition was a game-changer as AIHA LAP demonstrated that its testing program conformed to ISO/IEC 17025, Testing and Calibration Laboratories, and was equivalent to accreditation offered by other recognized accreditation bodies around the world. The certificates issued by AIHA LAP now include the ILAC mark, for which every accredited laboratory should feel pride.

A timeline below identifies several AIHA LAP milestones. Below, I’ve highlighted a few recent achievements: Online data management system. LAP moved from accepting and processing paper applications when the program launched fifty years ago to an electronic data management system (DMS) that was significantly overhauled in 2020. The upgraded system allows laboratories to go online to complete accreditation applications, submit laboratory responses to findings, access LAP resources, and pay laboratory invoices. Increased functionality was added to the platform, which included push notifications and multi-step instructional guides to assist laboratories and better communicate important information. In 2023, the Proficiency Testing Submission System was launched, enabling LAP to process PT report submissions in real time, displaying results to the lab’s PT history after a quality review by staff. New brand. In 2022, AIHA LAP announced its new brand identity. A modern-looking logo was designed to reflect the anticipated growth of AIHA LAP into new areas while allowing us to continue to operate with the same level of excellence. More importantly, we adopted a new vision and mission statement: “The primary mission of AIHA LAP is to establish high standards of performance for laboratories that promote the production of quality data for use in evaluating exposures that impact public health, the environment, and natural resources.” This statement concisely explains AIHA LAP’s function of supporting the health and safety missions of laboratories and their clients through a suite of programs that assess and affirm the performance of accredited testing laboratories. FDA recognition under food analysis program. In June 2022, AIHA LAP was formally recognized to accredit laboratories for the Food and Drug Administration’s Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF) Program. The FDA program was established to support accredited laboratory testing as part of the agency’s response to food safety issues. All LAAF-accredited labs, including those accredited by AIHA LAP as well as other FDA-approved accreditation bodies, are allowed to test food under certain circumstances, usually related to food recalls. AIHA LAP is now accepting applications from labs that want to be accredited to LAAF so they can conduct food testing on behalf of FDA. Laboratories already accredited under AIHA LAP’s food program (FoodLAP) can add LAAF to their scopes and may not need another on-site assessment. Mobile accreditation. In partnership with the Beryllium Health and Safety Committee, AIHA LAP developed a conceptually different kind of accreditation program for the analysis of beryllium. In May 2023, AIHA LAP adopted a new policy, known as Module 2G, that describes the requirements of the Beryllium Field/Mobile Accreditation Program (BeFAP). Under BeFAP, accredited mobile and field units, while demonstrating their competency and proficiency, can rely on quality management systems from affiliated fixed-site laboratories. Each mobile and field unit will be audited and will receive a certificate with its own lab identification number. AIHA LAP accredited its first mobile laboratory in 2023 and is actively encouraging laboratories that operate mobile units to seek accreditation under the legacy programs when they can demonstrate compliance with ISO/IEC 1725:2017 and AIHA LAP policies, including proficiency testing requirements.

Sampling accreditation. AIHA LAP is conducting research to better understand sampling, the role it plays in analytical testing, and more importantly, how best to accredit this activity as either a field of testing or a standalone activity. By the end of the year, LAP will have identified technical experts, best practices, and assessment techniques along with program requirements for sampling accreditation under both approaches.

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