Standard Operating Procedures for the EPA

The EPA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were developed to ensure consistency and quality assurance in preparing and managing environmental data and materials. EPA Standard Operating Procedures cover procedures at both the technical and managerial levels, and all organizations that fall under EPA guidelines must observe these procedures. According to the EPA, the SOPs are intended “to be specific to the organization or facility whose activities are described and assist that organization to maintain their quality control and quality assurance processes and ensure compliance with governmental regulations.” EPA Standard Operating Procedures were designed to be a well-developed quality control system to avoid environmental problems.

Field Measurements and Procedures

The EPA has determined that field measurements and procedures must follow a specific format for quality assurance. Field measurements apply primarily to water quality measurements and must be observed when monitoring the turbidity, conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen. Additionally, in the case of other types of field testing, the EPA requires procedures for general sampling, equipment decontamination, stream gauge measurements, stream flow measurements, electrofishing, and the transport and operation of a boat of other water vehicle for sample collections.


Sampling and Sample Handling

The EPA provides a wide range of SOPs for a variety of samples and how they must be handled. For instance, surface water must be sampled for metal levels. Groundwater covers a larger category of samples, as the EPA also has guidelines for well installation and measurements (including water pressure and static water level). What is more, soil samples must include a sampling of volatile organic compounds, while sediment sampling does not have this requirement. All samples must be recorded in four categories that include type of sample container, volume of sample, preservation method for maintaining sample, and holding time for sample.


Documentation

The EPA requires detailed documentation for all quality assurance activities, and this documentation must include three levels of maintenance. Those responsible for the sampling must log and track the sample, and then provide information about its correct disposal. A chain of custody must be provided for each sample, to ensure that the sample is managed properly at each location and to ensure that there are appropriate levels of responsibility for sample maintenance. Finally, each location must prove document control; in other words, each location must show how it maintains its records and how it keeps track of each sample that comes through to ensure that all procedures are followed correctly.

EPA Standard Operating Procedures

The EPA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were developed to ensure consistency and quality assurance in preparing and managing environmental data and materials. EPA Standard Operating Procedures cover procedures at both the technical and managerial levels, and all organizations that fall under EPA guidelines must observe these procedures. According to the EPA, the SOPs are intended “to be specific to the organization or facility whose activities are described and assist that organization to maintain their quality control and quality assurance processes and ensure compliance with governmental regulations.” EPA Standard Operating Procedures were designed to be a well-developed quality control system to avoid environmental problems.

Clarity and Accuracy

Standard Operating Procedures can vary by industry and purpose, but one primary requirement of the EPA is that any SOP be clear and focused in its description. The EPA notes that unclear or inaccurate SOPs are of “limited value” and requires that those responsible for preparing SOPS provide focus for the procedure and an outline of steps that is simple to read and follow. What is more, the EPA requires that all Standard Operating Procedures be consistent, particularly if the details of a procedure are transferred from one source to another. Consistency ensures that all who read the procedure can follow it the same way, leaving less room for failure or inaccuracy.

Style and Organization

The EPA requires that all Standard Operating Procedures include concision in style and organization. Because the procedures themselves can often be tedious and full of steps, the EPA wants to ensure that anyone who reads the procedure can follow it without becoming confused during the process. The writing style should avoid flowery language but instead should rely on simplicity and brevity. Any SOP that contains potentially confusing elements should also include a visual, such as a chart, to aid the reader in following the steps.

Oversight and Revision

The EPA recognizes that “the best written SOPs will fail if they are not followed” and requires that all Standard Operating Procedures fall under a hierarchy of management responsibility and that management review them carefully to ensure that they are accessible to those who will be carrying out the procedures. The EPA recommends that management utilize SOPs as a part of training, because the SOPs by their very nature provide a series of steps for personnel to follow correctly. Additionally, the EPA requires that management review Standard Operating Procedures periodically to make sure that they are up to date and that management take the responsibility to complete revisions that are necessary.