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Proficiency Testing for Treated Timber

Chemical analysis of treated timber is generally dependent on a treatment plant’s own laboratory staff and, in some instances, that of independent testing laboratories. The reliability of these results can be difficult to assess in-house, and participation in a Global Proficiency's Treated Timber Inter-Laboratory Comparison Programme (ILCP) can alert you to potential problems, and assist you to gauge your performance against other laboratories.

Analytical testing of treated timber assists with:

quality control in treatment process
meeting product specifications
process improvement
export certification
regulatory requirements

About the Global Proficiency Timber PT Scheme

Chemical analysis of treated timber is generally dependent on a treatment plant’s own laboratory staff and, in some instances, that of independent testing laboratories. The reliability of these results can be difficult to assess in-house, and participation in an Inter-Laboratory Comparison Programme (ILCP) can alert you to potential problems, and assist you to gauge your performance against other laboratories.

Treated Timber Samples & Schedule

Two sets of timber samples are despatched twice per year – May and November (refer timetable). Each sample set consists of three sub-samples that enable labs to test for CCA, LOSP, and Boron & Bifenthrin (see below).

Participants are given two weeks to examine the samples and return results to the organisers.

For on-line data entry please go to Global Proficiency's Virtual Proficiency

Treated Timber Test Details

Laboratories submit proficiency results for tests (from the following list) that they routinely carry out in-house:

CCA

Arsenic (% m/m)
Chromium (% m/m)
Copper (% m/m)

LOSP

Permethrin (% m/m)
Propiconazole (% m/m)
Tebuconazole (% m/m)

Other

Boron (BAE % m/m)
Bifenthrin (% m/m)

Timber PT Reporting

Within three weeks from the date the results are due, participants are emailed a comprehensive report with a summary of their performance and ratings. The graphical report shows a histogram and scatter plot of results for the round, and a control chart summarising results for the previous year. A rating is given as an interpretation of performance using set criteria for both bias and ‘repeatability’. A score of Good, OK or Alert is issued for every test giving each customer prompt feedback on their accuracy and precision for each test performed.

Reference materials are available for troubleshooting, as are additional samples from previous rounds which can be tested and submitted as late results, or used to clear alerts incurred in a proficiency round.

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