This ensures that our knowledge of the industry and the directives that govern it is kept up to date so we are better placed to support our customers.
BOC is accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to ISO/IEC 17025 as a Calibration Laboratory (0408) and as such can produce a range of accredited gas standards for use in QAL 2 and AST (Annual Surveillance Testing) specified under BS EN 14181 and MCerts. In addition to this BOC is accredited as a reference material producer under ISO 17034.
MCerts: The Environment Agency’s Monitoring and Certification Scheme. MCerts sets out the framework for meeting the quality requirements of emissions monitoring and covers all aspects including instrumentation, individuals and laboratories.
Continuous Emissions Monitoring
BS EN 14181 is in place to ensure that continuous emissions monitoring systems are working correctly and within the allowed uncertainty for all machines in use. BOC can provide calibration gases at each stage of testing:
QAL 1
- Covered by BS EN 15267 rather than BS EN 14181.
- Carried out to ensure that the CEM (Continuous Emissions Monitor) is suitable for the intended use BEFORE it is installed via MCerts Product Certification.
- Ensures the correct measurement range for application.
- BOC provides Beta certificate gas mixtures with analytical uncertainty of +/-2.
QAL 2
- Calibration of the CEM against analytical methods applied by a test organisation accredited to ISO 17025, and recognised under MCerts.
- Measurements are taken using standard reference methods.
- Carried out when: CEM is installed.
- Every 3 years (under Waste Incineration Directive) 5 years (under Large Combustion Plant Directive).
- Significant change in Plant Operation.
- After CEM failure.
- BOC provides ISO 17025 accredited gas standards.
QAL 3
- Ensures the CEM remains within the required specifications.
- Requires regular checks of zero and span gas readings.
- BOC provides Beta certificate gas mixtures with analytical uncertainty of +/-2% and ISO. 17025 accredited gas standards for CEM re-calibration if required.
AST
- Similar to QAL 2, verifies that the calibration of the CEM is still valid and within the required limits. Generally carried out by a test organisation accredited to ISO 17025, and recognised under MCerts.
- BOC provides ISO 17025 accredited gas standards.
Ambient Air Quality
BOC provide gases for use in Air quality monitoring with analytical uncertainties up to +/-1%. This uncertainty is coupled with our SPECTRA-SEAL treatment process to guarantee a 3 year shelf life on low level mixtures such as:
- 20ppm Carbon Monoxide (CO) balance Nitrogen (N2)
- 450ppb Nitric Oxide (NO) balance Nitrogen (N2)
- 450ppb Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) balance Air
- 450ppb Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) balance Air