Proficiency testing 2016

Dear employees of the testing laboratories,

We would like to inform you about the upcoming proficiency testing programmes, designed as interlaboratory comparisons, and we hereby invite you to participate. These PT programmes are intended for testing laboratories that conduct tests on solid fossil fuels, specifically lignite, black coal, and biofuels. The programmes are open to all laboratories within the energy, mining, and metallurgical industries, as well as research and service facilities.

The Proficiency Testing Group is a proficiency testing provider No. 7014, accredited by the Czech Accreditation Institute (ČIA) in accordance with ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17043:2010. Testing laboratories now have a unique opportunity to participate in an accredited proficiency testing programme from a domestic provider. This is in line with the Czech Accreditation Institute’s (ČIA) recommendation to prioritise proficiency testing programmes that adhere to the ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17043 standard and are organised by accredited providers whose compliance has been verified through accreditation.

This year, we are offering one accredited programme (ZZ/UHLI/A,S,Q/2016) and two non-accredited programmes (ZZ/UHLI/C,H,N,V/2016; ZZ/BIO/A,S,Q,C,H,N/2016).

Based on the evaluation of customer satisfaction surveys, we have made the following changes for 2016:

• The determined parameters will be expanded to include volatile combustible matter (ZZ/UHLI/C,H,N,V/2016).
• Participants will receive samples from the proficiency testing programmes to be used as control reference materials (50 g).
• Improved labelling will be introduced for the samples.
• Forms used for proficiency testing (registration and results) will be made available for download on the ORGREZ, a.s. website.

Some participant suggestions will not lead to changes:

• The list of participants will not be published to prevent disclosure of personal information.
• The achieved z-score will not be shown on the Certificate of Participation. The z-scores will be published in the final Programme Report, which is included with the Certificate of Participation. Each laboratory may use a different method for assessing participant performance, depending on its specific needs and the services it provides to its customers.

Update from 29 July, 2016

As part of our new services, we are offering a unique opportunity to register for the ZZ/BIO/A,S,Q,C,H,N/2016 proficiency testing programme free of charge. This offer is available to all laboratories, including those that have already registered. We are thus extending the registration deadline until 7 August, 2016.

Detailed information about the upcoming proficiency testing programmes can be found in the attached documents: