Equipment inventory guidelines
I’m often asked what equipment is required to be maintained in a laboratory’s QMS inventory. To answer this question let’s take a look at the guidelines of AASHTO R18, section 6.1.1.
It is stated that a laboratory shall maintain an inventory of major sampling, calibration, standardization, check equipment and measurement standards. Major equipment is defined as normally being amortized by the laboratory. Generic examples are given in the standard.
This equipment inventory list shall also give a general description that includes detailed written procedures for all in-house calibrations, standardizations, checks and maintenance procedures. When adding equipment into the R18LabQMS application you are guided through this process.
The standard also states that a laboratory shall have a system in place for performing regular maintenance on any equipment or test system in which repeated use could degrade the equipment’s or test system’s ability to produce repeatable results. When adding maintenance procedures to equipment and setting the next due date, they will appear on your dashboard including weekly email reminders.
If a laboratory chooses to add equipment that is not required by the standard and used as an inventory management tool, this can easily be done by not including the cal/check/standard and maintenance procedures and placing in a category that would indicates miscellaneous equipment.
Upcoming events
R18LabQMS will be a sponsor of AAPT at their 91st Annual Meeting and Technical Sessions in Indianapolis, March 13-16, 2016. Please contact us if you would like to meetup and discuss opportunities for your laboratory.
The Asphalt Institute Marketing and R18LabQMS team will be exhibitors at the World of Asphalt March 22-24, 2016. Please contact us if you would like to meet up and discuss opportunities for your laboratory.
Please contact us if you are considering R18LabQMS for your laboratory and would like more detailed information including a one-on-one WebEx overview.
– Gary Irvine