Why Our Laboratory is not Seeking GAI-LAP Accreditation

ATT is an independent soil mechanics, rock mechanics and geosynthetics-testing laboratory; we are not consulting engineers. Based on our experience in the geosynthetics industry, we have elected not to pursue the GAI-LAP accreditation, as currently offered by GRI. The reasons for this business decision are as follows.
Many purchasers of laboratory testing services do not clearly understand what assurances come from GAI-LAP accreditation. In particular, they do not realize that accreditations are specific to individual test protocols and cannot be generalized to other geosynthetics tests. Thus, buyers may think they are specifying a level of assurance beyond that actually provided. In this sense, GAI-LAP deviates from, for example, the explicit personnel qualifications inherent in NICET certifications. In other words, it is possible that the only technician familiar with a certain test protocol may leave the laboratory, yet the facility retains accreditation for that test.
Due to the QA requirements of many of our clients, often tens of thousands of dollars are expended in the process of QA audits, even for short-term projects. As a result of these client required audits (and given charges imposed under the GAI-LAP program, as compared to other certification programs), accreditations are not a cost-effective method for ATT to demonstrate the existence of codified procedures, appropriate training, quality assurance documentation, subcontracting procedures and the like.
ATT’s experience indicates that additional user education, a broader scope, and a costing schedule which recognizes the business realities of geosynthetics testing will be required to make GAILAP accreditation a meaningful business proposition for our laboratory. Contact: Chris Wienecke +1-303-232-8308 (vox), 1579(fax).