FAQS

The pumps are calibrated for your sampling program prior to leaving our facility. Laboratory post-calibration can be done if you request it using the post-calibration stickers (placed on the pumps) when you return the samples and pumps, for an additional fee. Field calibrations are recommended over laboratory calibration.

Well, actually it isn’t just a ‘pump’ loan program. You will receive all of the accessories you need to collect the type of sample you need. You will get the tubing, sample media, sample media holders, pumps, chargers, instructions, cyclones, splitters, low flow regulators, tube breaker, tool kit, chain of custody form and calibrated field rotameter. All in a sturdy carrying case.

The pumps are pre-calibrated prior to shipment and a calibrated field rotameter is included in the sampling kit for most flow rates. The field rotameter is calibrated against a primary standard. Field rotameters are not available for flow rates below 0.1 L/min.

We use primarily Sensidyne GilAir3 and SKC AirChek 52 or AirLite sampling pumps. These pumps handle flows in the range of 25 to 3000 ml/min with a backpressure of 25″ at 2 liters. The pumps weigh 20 ounces, have a timer, flow fault feature and a NiCad battery (for GilAir and AirChek models) with a battery check feature. AirLites operate using three disposable AA batteries, and are not intrinsically safe. Other pumps are available on request.

We would appreciate at least 1 day notice prior to shipment, however, the same day is usually OK. Pumps ship by second day delivery service by default.

The pumps are available to you for the duration of your sampling project. Typically this is a day or two, but could be as long as a week. As long as you are collecting samples on a daily basis, you may continue to use the pumps. If your project is postponed you would need to call to confirm availability; depending on the length of time, we may need you to return them to us and we will re-ship them to you for your new scheduled date.

Shipping costs vary depending on how much equipment is ordered and the destination location. We always ship from the nearest office possible to save you money. If you would like a shipping estimate, please contact Client Services at 888-432-5227 or by IH Live Chat.

If there is room in the pump case, you may include your samples and chain of custody in one shipment. Otherwise a separate box may be necessary to insure secure packing. We ask that you use priority mail or a two-day shipping service to return the pumps. If the samples need to be analyzed ASAP then separate them for overnight shipment to reduce your shipping costs!

There is absolutely no catch. You get free badges from us (exclusions apply; see Media Fee Schedule for details), return them to us and pay our standard fee schedule prices and shipping. That’s it!

Yes. All badges meet and/or exceed the OSHA accuracy and precision criteria for sampling and analytical methods. Samplers have been validated for performance under a wide variety of sampling conditions.

Several large companies have performed in-house comparisons for the purpose of confirming the performance of badges. Because those comparisons have shown that badges are comparable or better than what they were using, many companies such as ChevronTexaco, Michelin, Abbott, Goodyear, Armstrong World Industries and Dow are now using badges.

The advantages are overwhelming, but we’ll tell you the primary ones. Badges require much less time to set up a sampling event and allow you to collect more samples to better characterize an exposure or verify non-exposure. They have generally lower sampling rates than active sampling which allows you to sample whole shift with one badge and one analysis compared to many active sampling methods. Badges are much less cumbersome than pumps and are greatly preferred by workers who wear them. Badges are intrinsically safe, have no possibility of failing during a sampling event and maintain a more consistent rate of sampling compared to a pump and tube method. Badges will save you money and they are the preferred method of OSHA.

Occasionally, there are instances where the characteristic of a badge is not advantageous. When you require short-term sampling for STEL the low sampling rate may not provide a low enough detection limit. The badge manufacturers have been working on increasing sampling rates to meet some of those needs – but the badge-sampling rate would never match a pump. (although some are considering putting a tiny fan inside some of their designs!). We would work with you to determine whether your STEL could be reached with one of the many badges available.

It is true that if some of the liquid material being sampled as a vapor is splashed on a badge, it will provide a high result. This would also be true of an active sampling method if the liquid material splashed on or near the active sampling tube. In both cases the results would be excessively high and immediately brought into question. The value of sampling badges is that you could place more badges in the area at very little cost to collect data so that the excessively high result would be an obvious one and the entire sampling event may not have to be repeated.

Sampling badges have been validated for a wide variety of vapors, including over 150 Organic Vapors, Aldehydes, Ethylene Oxide, Mercury, Ozone, Ammonia, and others. The list of organic vapors that are available on a badge from SGS Galson is growing every day. Our Sampling and Analysis Guide will tell you whether your compound of interest has passed the validation criteria of our laboratory. If it isn’t on the list yet, just let us know and we’ll tell you how and when we will add it. SGS Galson has the capability of validating just about any organic vapor you can think of – using our organic vapor generating chamber – through a validation procedure approved by OSHA.

The information you need to determine the sampling time can be found in our Sampling and Analysis Guide.

We accept Saturday shipments using UPS or Federal Express. We appreciate advance notice with a tracking number so that we can track your samples if necessary. Advance notice is not necessary, but samples should be marked “Saturday Delivery” and they will be delivered right to the lab. Please use our shipping address.

Yes, we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Diners Club.

Ship samples to:
SGS Galson Sample Custodian
6601 Kirkville Road
East Syracuse, NY 13057-0369

Our mailing address is:
SGS Galson
6601 Kirkville Road
East Syracuse, NY 13057-0369

Our ‘remit to’ address for payments only is:
SGS North America Inc.
PO Box 2506
Carol Stream, IL 60132-2506

There will typically be an expiration date on the media. In cases where there is no expiration date you can call us or the vendor with the media lot number and we can then provide you with the expiration date. At Galson we never send expired media – but some short-lived media could expire if your sampling event is delayed.

Yes you can, but the preferred media would be matched-weight MCE filters. See our technical bulletins for more information on collecting metals.

Simply visit our Registration page to create a basic online account. Once verified by email, log in and you will be prompted to complete our 3-in-1 Agreement with new account details.

Yes, results can be emailed to any number of addresses. The report files are in pdf file format.

We loan sampling pumps for free. All of the details and a whole set of frequently asked questions on the pump loan program may be accessed by clicking here

We loan sampling badges for free. All of the details may be accessed by clicking here.

We rent the right equipment that meets your needs with benefits to you that other programs don’t have. You can find out how we do it by clicking here.

Many analytes may be sampled together when the collection medium and desorbing solution are the same. In our Sampling and Analysis Guide, we provide codes for compatibility of analytes and also a Universal Solvent GC method table Many analytes may be compatible in different situations, so please call our client centre if you have a need and we’ll be happy to evaluate your particular situation.

The flow rate that you sample at is determined by the ability of the sampling medium to collect the sample and the concentration level at which you are trying to collect in the timeframe available. Recommended flow rates from the methods are found in our Sampling and Analysis Guide for each analyte. If you do not feel you will be able to get to the detection limit you require using the recommended sampling rate over the time period you have available, contact our client service group and they will be happy to assist you.

The volume that you sample is determined by the ability of the sampling medium to collect the sample and the concentration level at which you are trying to reach. Recommended volumes from the methods are found in our Sampling and Analysis Guide for each analyte. If you do not feel you will be able to get to the detection limit you require using the recommended volume, contact our client service group and they will be happy to assist you.

The level of quantitation (i.e. micrograms per sample) for each compound is found in our Sampling and Analysis Guide. The air concentration detection limit (i.e. mg/m3 or ppm) must be calculated using the level of quantitation and the volume of air that will be sampled. The greater the air volume sampled, the lower the concentration detection limit.

You can, if absolutely needed, get analytical results for most compounds within hours of the time they arrive at our laboratory. The more advanced notice we have the better our ability to get you your results on a rush basis. We request samples be shipped overnight early AM delivery. We charge an additional fee for rush turnaround to cover the costs of breaking our production routines in order to analyze the samples. The additional surcharges are found in the policies of our Sampling and Analysis Guide.

In most cases, it is acceptable to collect air volumes outside of the method-recommended range. Take care not to overload the sample with too much particulate, as this may affect the analysis. Modifying sampling parameters is done at your discretion and may depend ultimately on what your data will be used for.

Yes; the treated filters used in the OSHA sampling methods should be sampled open-faced in order to allow for even sample deposit across the entire filter. If these are sampled closed-faced, the isocyanate may become too concentrated in the center of the filter, which could overload the derivatizing agent on that part of the filter.

We have a convenient and free Online Chain of Custody form which you can use from any device which has an internet connection and a web browser. Simply log into our website and you can create a COC, or complete one that we have started for you if you ordered the sampling media from us.