Laboratory quality control ensures accurate and reliable results, manages costs and employee hours, and includes internal and external audits. Technicians follow strict procedures, calibrate equipment, and keep records. Forensic labs have extra precautions to protect evidence and follow evidence rules.
Laboratory quality control is the practice of testing procedures in a laboratory to make sure that the results generated by the laboratory are accurate and complete. The goal is to maintain high quality and reliability. Labs can also use quality control to effectively manage costs and employee hours. This includes internal and external audits for added security and assurance. Companies that specialize in laboratory quality control make their services available to laboratories in a variety of settings.
Individual lab technicians must follow very strict procedures when performing and reporting tests. This is a key part of quality control for consistency. They also regularly calibrate and check laboratory equipment to make sure it is working properly, as well as keep records to prove this has been done and provide insight into the results. Lab employees can also record the testing process so that documentation is available in case of an audit.
Laboratory quality control internal audit procedures may include repeating tests to see if the results are the same, reviewing records to determine whether employees are conducting the tests correctly, and checking laboratory equipment to make sure that they work properly. These can be performed by a supervisor or a quality control worker. Internal safeguards also include issuing clear and detailed employee manuals for use by laboratory personnel.
External audits can involve repeating tests at different facilities, hiring technicians to calibrate and check equipment, and asking quality assurance workers to review laboratory records and procedures. This process may include using a consultant to ensure that a laboratory uses the most up-to-date standards for all of its testing and reporting practices. The law may require laboratories to undergo inspections by government agencies for laboratory quality control purposes. The inspector will note any violations and potential concerns, identifying areas where the laboratory needs improvement.
Laboratory quality control at laboratories handling forensic evidence also includes an extra layer of precautions to protect the integrity of the evidence. Not only must these labs perform the tests accurately, but they must also follow the rules of evidence to prevent a situation where the evidence and test results could be disqualified by the court because the lab failed to follow procedure. This includes training staff in chain of custody procedures, having a secure area for evidence storage, and using clear labeling and tracking systems to monitor laboratory evidence at all times.
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