24 February 2016

Enquin achieve top score in latest AIMS round

Enquin Environmental has achieved the top score once again in the latest round of the Asbestos in Materials Scheme (AIMS). This top score has consistently been achieved in each round over the past five years.

What is AIMS?

AIMS is an external quality control scheme run by the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL). Participation in the Scheme is a precondition for UKAS accreditation for bulk sample analysis to ISO17025.

How the scheme works

Four samples are distributed to Scheme participants three times a year. Each Laboratory is given 20 working days to analyse samples and report the results. Each sample needs to be qualitatively assessed and the type of asbestos, if found, identified.

After the most recent round of results, round 58 (January 2016), HSL stated “There were a number of errors concerning sample 2. This was a manufactured plaster sample containing actinolite. With actinolite being one of the rarer types of asbestos, analysts will seldom see it as part of their day to day activities.  With this in mind, any asbestiform fibres seen during analysis of samples, should always be analysed thoroughly, considering all six asbestos types and comparing to the reference materials as necessary.”

Steve Jones, Technical Manager for Enquin Environmental comments:

“Having a consistent score of zero demonstrates our commitment to quality and reassures our clients that their samples are analysed to a consistently high standard. The latest round was clearly a challenge for some laboratories; however we can be confident that our analysts are well trained with many years of experience which assists when identifying the rarer types of asbestos”

To view a copy of our latest AIMS certificate and our other accreditations, please click here.