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Blood Lead Laboratories

Current Evaluation Protocol

[Last Updated: 12/31/2016]

Programs Evaluated

  • CAP: College of American Pathologists
  • NYS: New York State Department of Health
  • WSLH: Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene

Surveys Evaluated

  • CAP: 2016 BL-A to 2016 BL-C
  • NYS: 2016, Event #1 to 2016, Event #3
  • WSLH: Event 2016-1 to Event 2016-3

Evaluation Period

12 months or equivalent time period

  • CAP: 3 surveys
  • NYS: 3 surveys
  • WSLH: 3 surveys

When new survey results are received, drop the oldest survey results and add the newest survey results to determine current status.

Evaluation Criteria

89% (or greater) acceptable sample results

  • CAP: 14 out of 15 acceptable
  • NYS: 14 out of 15 acceptable
  • WSLH: 14 out of 15 acceptable

Individual sample results are acceptable if they are within 6 µg/dL of the target value (or all-method mean) if that value is less than 40 µg/dL; or within 15% of the target (or all-method mean) if that value is greater than 40 µg/dL. ALL proficiency test (PT) samples are evaluated by OSHA.

For the CAP, WSLH and NYS surveys, OSHA will also approve laboratories that achieve 89% in the prior 4 surveys (which is approximately 12 months).

Laboratories are evaluated based on the program they have requested. CAP sends results to OSHA only at the request of the laboratory. NYS and WSLH send all results to OSHA, but coded by a laboratory code number. Laboratories must contact both OSHA and the PT program organization to be evaluated based on the NYS or WSLH program.

OSHA approval is now available to participants in the le Centre de Toxicologie du Quebec (CTQ) program. Contact OSHA and the CTQ for more information.

OSHA Limits for CAP Surveys

OSHA will evaluate ALL PT samples without regard to laboratory agreement with the consensus value. The CAP target value and acceptable limits for the current evaluation (Survey BL-A 2016 through Survey BL-C 2016) are listed below:

CAP Sample Number

Target Value (µg/dL)

OSHA Limits (µg/dL)
BL-1 2016 0.862 0.0-6.9
BL-2 6.766 0.7-12.8
BL-3 14.728 8.7-20.8
BL-4 28.652 22.6-34.7
BL-5 3.165 0.0-9.2
BL-6 5.500 0.0-11.5
BL-7 12.188 6.1-18.2
BL-8 9.412 3.4-15.5
BL-9 14.918 8.9-21.0
BL-10 19.879 13.8-25.9
BL-11 9.387 3.3-15.4
BL-12 50.464 42.8-58.1
BL-13 6.865 3.4-15.5
BL-14 11.910 5.9-18.0
BL-15 5.36 0.0-11.4
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