RICE and AIMS
A part of being a UKAS accredited Organisation is checking your standards against your peers and competitors as a Quality Control check. G & L Consultancy Ltd participates in two schemes to ensure our Quality remains at the highest standards; RICE and AIMS.
RICE
RICE is the Regular Interlaboratory Counting Exchanges, run by the Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL). RICE assesses the proficiency of laboratories counting asbestos fibres in air. Eight test slides are sent to laboratories every three to four months. Laboratories have 7 days to analyse the samples and 14 days to report the results. Performance is categorised as A, B or C and provided more than 75% of results are in the A or B category after four rounds then a laboratory is classified as 'satisfactory'. This scheme is a round robin where sets of slides are circulated between groups of laboratories.
Further information about the RICE Scheme can be found at www.hsl.gov.uk.
AIMS
AIMS is the Asbestos In Materials Scheme, run by the HSL. AIMS assesses the performance of laboratories carrying out the identification of asbestos in bulk materials. Four samples are distributed to participants every four months. Laboratories have one month to analyse the samples and report the results. Performance is classified as 'satisfactory' or 'unsatisfactory' provided participants have completed three consecutive rounds of the scheme.
Further information about the AIMS Scheme can be found at www.hsl.gov.uk.