Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 17, § 1220.3 - Quality Control Program

(a) Methods for forensic alcohol analysis shall be performed in accordance with the following quality control program:

(1) For each method of forensic alcohol analysis it performs, each forensic alcohol laboratory shall make or acquire a suitable quality control reference material containing alcohol, a sample of which it shall analyze along with each set of samples; the alcohol concentration in the reference material shall be between 0.08 and 0.20 grams per 100 milliliters of liquid;

(A) If the quality control reference material is NIST traceable, and has been verified against a NIST SRM, and the quality control reference material is from a different lot than the secondary standards, then 1220.3(a)(2) is not required.

(2) For each lot of quality control reference material, the laboratory shall determine a mean value of at least 20 replicate analyses to three decimal places, at a rate of no more than 2 analyses per day, with the method used for analysis of samples for forensic alcohol analysis;

(3) Acceptable limits of variation for the method shall be set as follows:

(A) The lower limit shall be calculated by subtracting, from the mean value, 0.010 grams per 100 milliliters;

(B) The higher limit shall be calculated by adding, to the mean value, 0.010 grams per 100 milliliters;

(4) At least one sample of the quality control reference material shall be analyzed at the beginning and end of each set of samples analyzed for the purpose of forensic alcohol analysis;

(5) Whenever analysis of the quality control reference material is outside the acceptable limits, the method shall be regarded to be in error, and a forensic alcohol analyst shall take remedial action to investigate and correct the source of error; and

(6) Until such time as the error has been corrected, as shown by return of the analysis of the quality control reference material to values within the acceptable limits, no samples shall be analyzed for the purpose of forensic alcohol analysis.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 17, § 1220.3

1. Amendment filed 11-24-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No. 48).
2. Amendment of section and new NOTE filed 1-26-2017; operative 4-1-2017 (Register 2017, No. 4).

Note: Authority cited: Section 100703, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Section 100700, Health and Safety Code.

1. Amendment filed 11-24-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No. 48).
2. Amendment of section and new Note filed 1-26-2017; operative 4/1/2017 (Register 2017, No. 4).