Tucson, Arizona - Michael Cahill presented at the 41st Stationary Source Sampling and Analysis for Air Pollutant (SSSAAP) Conference in April. This was his 4th time featured at this sold-out show, which is considered the foremost venue for sharing and advancing technical ideas in the field of air emissions measuring and monitoring.
Mr. Cahill’s’ presentation touched on his experience as a 3rd-party quality systems assessor for the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). He provided a 1st-hand view of stack testing companies (Air Emissions Testing Bodies; AETB’s) embracing the opportunities and confronting the challenges of becoming accredited to ASTM-7036/ISO-17025. He spoke to the tangible benefits of accreditation as well as the following intangibles:
- Improved data integrity (leading to less warranty work)
- More time for safety when the nimble and scalable 7036 quality management (QM) system is implemented
- ISO/ASTM recognition: global oriented end-users recognize the ISO/ASTM brands. Mike’s experience in Asia, the Middle East and South America suggests firms are speaking less of the cost of quality and instead are recognizing the paybacks of quality initiatives.
Evidence from his having audited 6 stack test companies, as well as with getting his former firm started with the 7036 process, implies the major challenge for ASTM-7036 accreditation is the cost. The estimated budget to work through the process - the QSTI exams, creation of a sufficiently rigorous quality manual and SOP’s, A2LA assessment fees, etc. is approximately $40,000 for a 10 – 20 person organization.
The systematic nature of ASTM-7036 and ISO 17025, with their culture of accountability, is a welcome logical upgrade to the source testing business sector. This regards not just quality, but safety and business development as well.
Mr. Cahill is a co-founder at BCX Energy. He’s a registered professional engineer, a Qualified Source Test Individual (QSTI), and sits on the Board of Directors for The Stack Test Accreditation Council (STAC).
