Environmental Health and Analytical Services

Laboratory Investigations
Microbiology:

Coliforms, yeast and mould, TAPC, listeria, salmonella, Legionella

Physical and Bulk Property Analyses:

total, settleable, dissolved and suspended solids, conductivity, salinity, hardness, acid neutralizing capacity

Chemical Analyses:

pH, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, major cations and anions (nutrients), phenols, metals

Pollution Prevention and Control:

Audits and assessments of wastewater treatment plants,
construction monitoring,
remediation for petroleum and chemical contamination,
hazardous materials management,
compliance plans,
fugitive emissions, stack testing and air dispersion modelling, and training

Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety:

indoor and ambient air quality assessment,
mould remediation,
odour investigation and training

Food Safety Management:

Audits and assessment of food safety systems, development of FSMS and training

Welcome to ESL’s Quality and Environmental Health Laboratory (QEHL)

We are Jamaica’s first private ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited lab and the only private lab to currently boast an accreditation scope encompassing microbiology, chemistry and physical tests. As an internationally recognized testing laboratory we have established our competence. In keeping with our promise of continual improvement of service to our customers, we have made it even easier for you to become a client, and to submit samples.

Each client is assigned their very own Client Manager. Your client manager is a trained analytical chemist or microbiologist who will have the responsibility of guiding you through the analytical process, beginning from sample collection and handling through to the submission of your test report.

Your feedback is important to us, so please take a few minutes to complete our customer survey so we can continue to serve you better.

ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation

What is the ISO 17025 standard?
The ISO/IEC 17025 standard is an international standard for testing and calibration laboratories. It has two major requirements for assuring quality: management requirements and technical requirements.

These two together create a framework for the analysis of your samples that allow for traceability, proven analytical competence and an international level of quality assurance.

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is the process by which a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) such as ESL-QEHL is granted a formal recognition of competence by an authority such as the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), based on a standard such as the ISO/IEC 17025 for testing laboratories.

JANAAC, since August 2013, has been a signatory to the Inter American Accreditation Cooperation’s (IAAC’s) Multilateral Recognition Arrangements (MLA) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation’s (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

ILAC is the international authority on laboratory accreditation to which JANAAC is a member. JANAAC, having signed these Arrangements has now been accepted internationally as an organization capable of granting internationally recognized accreditation.

What does this mean to you?

The results from a JANAAC Accredited laboratory such as ESL-QEHL will be accepted not just locally, but in every country under the ILAC MRA. A test with us will not have to be repeated inin any other signatory country.

Accredited parameters

Becoming a client

Congratulations on your decision to join the Quality and Environmental Health Laboratory clientele. As an ISO 17025 Accredited laboratory we have to fulfill certain requirements to guarantee you the level of service you require and expect. Getting started is as easy as following the 3 steps below. Please take the time to go through the information and fill out our New Client Information Form so that we can better provide the level of service you demand.

STEP 1 Choosing Tests
Many clients have food, water and/or environmental samples they are required to analyze (whether because of regulation or internal quality controls) but are not clear on what test parameters to request. We will be happy to assist you with deciding on the parameters you need to analyze in order to meet your specific requirements.

Our team is familiar with local NEPA, BSJ and EHU regulations as well as entry requirements for products into the global market. We will be very happy to discuss these with you in assisting you to select your test parameters.

We will even help you with developing sample plans and sample collection.

Simply contact us. (Link to contact info page)

STEP 2 Collect and Submit Samples

If you are going to collect samples yourself for submission, please contact us to verify your sampling protocol. Once you are ready to take in the sample, please take the time to complete our Sample Submittal Chain of Custody form to submit with samples. This is required to aid in identification and samples and test parameters. By taking in a completed form with samples, wait time at our offices will be significantly reduced.

STEP 3 Payment and delivery of report.

Our turn time for analytical work is ten (10) business days and a Client Manager will keep you informed of your job’s status if it is projected to take a longer time to produce your report. A rush analysis can be requested, however, this is at an addition charge. Please also note that the minimum time for producing ‘rushed’ reports is one (1) business day post submission of sample and it depends heavily on the parameter(s), please contact us to know more.

There may be instances where ESL-QEHL is unable to provide all the analytical services requested by a client. In such an instance, we would subcontract the affected test parameters. We at ESL-QEHL pride ourselves with having the largest scope of accredited parameters in the country and we have excellent partnerships with approved or otherwise certified laboratories to which we subcontract tests. We accept full responsibility for the quality of the data produced by our subcontractors and as such you can relax knowing that you data quality is assured.

Your Client Manager will be happy to tell you more.

Client Manager

Clients are assigned a member of the ESL-QEHL team who will be your point person for addressing all queries and concerns. They shall be responsible for ensuring the quality of and timeliness of the delivery of your results, collection of samples and keep you informed of changes to our operations.

PICTURES OF PROJECT OFFICERS (or we can list names and areas and have a link to the profiles on the ESL page)

Report
Your results shall be presented to you in a standard electronic ESL-QEHL Certificate of Sample Analysis (CSA) or Detailed Analytical Report (DAR). This will include your results with the relevant standard cited if available and where applicable. If you have a particular standard that your industry uses, please provide a copy of this to your client manager for inclusion in your report. Your report will also comprise of a Certificate of Quality with details attesting to the quality of the data that we provide for you.

If you have a unique format required, this can be requested.

We can, with your permission, highlight parameters that are not in compliance with the relevant standard (if available).

If you would like a hardcopy of the COA, a written request must be made. This is at an additional cost of $500.00 +GCT. Please check the appropriate box at the end of the agreement.

Revision of the COA for reasons other than ESL-QEHL culpability shall attract an administrative fee of $750.00 + GCT.

Sample collection and handling

We are Jamaica’s only laboratory accredited for carrying out sampling exercises and our sampling officers are certified by the Ministry of Health and Environment – Environmental Health Unit. We recognize the tedious nature of sample collection and as such, ESL-QEHL will be happy to collect samples for you. If you would like to collect you own samples, we are more than happy to advise you and supply you with the necessary sampling containers.

If a client chooses to use their own bottles, we ask that they speak with their Client Manager or any senior analyst to ensure the appropriate volume and containers are selected. We also offer training to help you with the appropriate methods which should be employed when collecting, handling and transporting samples.

If the client wishes to use the laboratory’s bottles, they only need to give a notice of 24hrs (ideally in writing) and the Client Manager shall have the items ready for pick up at the agreed upon time. A Sampling Items Disbursement Log shall be signed by the client upon receipt of the items and again when they are returned. Missing items shall be invoiced to the client.

We also service the entire Caribbean; please contact us.