Impartiality policy
It is laboratory policy that laboratory activities are undertaken impartially and are structured so as to safeguard impartiality. The laboratory recognises that it is responsible for the impartiality of its laboratory activities and ensures that commercial, financial, or other pressures do not compromise its impartiality. It is policy that members of staff reflect the management’s commitment to impartiality in all aspects of their work.
Confidentiality policy
The laboratory understands that it is legally responsible, through legally enforceable commitments such as Irish and European Regulations, contracts with suppliers, service contracts, service level agreements, memoranda of understanding, and contracts established by the acceptance of samples, for the management of all information obtained or created during the performance of laboratory activities. It is the policy of the laboratory that it shall inform the customer, in advance, of the information that it intends to place in the public domain. Except for information that the customer makes publically available, or when agreed between the laboratory and the customer (e.g. for the purpose of responding to complainants), all other information is considered proprietary information and shall be regarded as confidential.
Notification of customers
When the laboratory is required by law (See Note 1) or authorised by contractual arrangements to release confidential information, the customer or individual concerned shall, unless prohibited by law, be notified of the information provided. Information about the customer obtained from sources other than the customer (e.g. a complainant or regulator) shall be confidential between the customer and the laboratory. The provider (source) of this information shall be confidential to the laboratory and shall not be shared with the customer unless agreed by the source.
Note 1 - e.g. Section 50 of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act, 1998 reads: (1) ‘Without prejudice to the provisions of any food legislation, an authorised officer may, for the purpose of obtaining any information which may be required in order to enable the Authority to exercise its functions under this Act ... - (a) require any employee ... of an official agency, ... to produce to him or her such records, ... or to give to him or her such information, as the officer may reasonably require in relation to any entries in such records’.
The laboratory does not perform sampling. Samples are analysed as received. This report relates only to the item(s) tested. Any communication relating to the report should be addressed to the relevant signatory.
This report may not be used for the purposes of advertising or publicity. This report may not be reproduced, except in full, without the approval of the testing laboratory.
The samples mentioned in this report will be disposed of according to laboratory policy which is available at www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/public-analyst-laboratory.
For further information please contact the laboratory. Every possible care is taken in issuing any advice herein, but no liability whatsoever is accepted in connection with it.
A report on a proprietary article is given on the understanding that no attempt will be made to reproduce the article by a person other than the manufacturer.
The Public Analyst’s Laboratory is accredited to ISO 17025:2017. The laboratory INAB Registration Number is 099T and the laboratory Scope of Accreditation is available on the INAB website.
Where any test result(s) is(are) accredited, the accreditation status is indicated by the inclusion of the INAB logo on the report. If both accredited and non-accredited test results are included on the report, the non-accredited test results are indicated by a # symbol. Where a report includes no accredited test results, the INAB logo is not included on the report.
Where a report includes an accredited result, any opinions and interpretations expressed in the report do not form part of the Scope of Accreditation.
In the event of an investigation, for legal purposes, it may be a requirement that the laboratory share analytical results with the Department of Health, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland or other Official Agencies.
Last updated 21/07/21
