Public health laboratory - schedule of charges

Water Testing Analytes

Water Testing Analytes	Method	Standard	Min.Time	Cost
* Sterility - Contact/Exposure/Vial/Air	Incubation	Customer media	2 days	$15
* Marine Colony Count (MCC)	Pour Plate	DPIPWE Protocol	2 days	$45
Heterotrophic Colony Count (HCC)	Pour Plate	AS4276.3	2 days	$45
Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC)	HPC for Quantitray	PHL 11.3	3 days	$45
Coliforms	MF, Colilert	AS4276.5 / AS4276.21	1 day	$45
Thermotolerant Coliforms (TC)	MF, Colilert	AS4276.5 / AS4276.21	1 day	$45
Escherichia coli	MF, Colilert	AS4276.5 / AS4276.21	1 day	$45
Enterococci	MF, Enterolert	AS4276.9, PHL 8.4	1 day	$45
Pseudomonas aeruginosa	MF	AS4276.13	2 days	$45
Legionella spp.	Spread Plate	AS3896	7 days	$55
Salmonella spp. - Presence/Absence	Enrichment	AS4276.14	3 days	$72
* Listeria spp. - Presence/Absence	Enrichment	PHL 13	5 days	$72

Sample Type - Grouped Tests

Water Testing Analytes. MR = Membrane Filtration. MPN = Most probable Number. Note: all prices are GST inclusive.

Sample Type – Grouped Tests	Method	Standard	Min. Time	Cost
Potable - Coliforms, E. coli	MF, Colilert	AS4276.5 / AS4276.21	1 day	$50
Natural - Thermotolerant Coliforms, E. coli	MF, Colilert	AS4276.7	1 day	$50
Factory - Coliforms, TC, E. coli	MF, Colilert	AS4276.5 / AS4276.21	1 day	$75
Environment - Coliform/E. coli/Enterococci	Colilert, Enterolert	AS4276.5/.21, PHL8.4	1 day	$75
Natural/Effluent - TC, E. coli, Enterococci	MF, Coli/Enterolert	AS4276.7, PHL 8.4	1 day	$75
Irrigation - HCC, Coliforms, E. coli	Pour, MF, Colilert	AS4276.3, AS4276.21	2 days	$75
Regulated – HCC, Legionella	Spread / Pour	AS3896, AS4276.3	7 days	$80
Pool - HCC, E. coli, Ps. aeruginosa	Pour, MF, Colilert	AS4276.3/ .7 / .13	2 days	$85

NATA Scope of Accreditation

The Laboratory has NATA accreditation (Accreditation Number: 1785) for all the tests listed above, except those indicated by asterisk (e.g. *Marine Colony Count).

Sample Submission

The Laboratory is open 8:45 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday, but samples should not be submitted after 2:00 pm on Friday without prior notification. Large numbers of samples, or complex testing (e.g. Food, Legionella in water) should also be notified to confirm media availability.

Confidentiality

The Public Health Laboratory is accredited against ISO 17025, which requires that all customer information should be treated as confidential, except where required by law. The laboratory is legally required to notify the Director of Public Health of notifiable contaminants under the Guidelines to the Public Health Act 1997.

Time Required

Test duration varies with method – the minimum time indicated is for a negative result, however, any confirmation testing required to confirm suspect growth will extend the duration.

Methods

MF and MPN are different methods for the same analyte, but give equivalent results, and are used interchangeably by the Laboratory. The respective units; CFU/100mL and MPN/100mL, are not analytes and do not affect the result. If a customer requires that a result be in a specific unit, they must request this on their submission.

Food Testing Analytes

MPN = Most Probable Number. P/A = Presence/Absence . Note: All prices are GST inclusive

Food Testing Analytes	Method	Standard	Min.Time	Cost
Simple preparation	Homogenisation	AS5013.11.1	-	-
Complex preparation - shucking, composite	Multiple Processing	AS5013.11.2/.3/.4	-	$28
Standard Plate Count	Pour Plate	AS5013.1/.5	3 days	$50
* Yeasts & Moulds	Spread Plate	AS5013.29	7 days	$50
Coliforms	Pour Plate, MPN	AS5013.3	3 days	$50
Coliforms (rapid 24-hour method)	Pour Plate, MPN	AS5013.4	1 day	$50
Escherichia coli	MPN	AS5013.15	4 days	$50
Escherichia coli (rapid 24-hour method)	Spread Plate	AS5013.19.1	1 day	$50
Bacillus cereus	Spread Plate	AS5013.2	2 days	$50
Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus	Spread Plate/MPN	AS5013.12.1/.2/.3	3 days	$50
* Clostridium perfringens	Spread Plate	AS5013.16	2 days	$50
* Campylobacter	Spread Plate	AS5013.6	5 days	$72
Salmonella spp. - P/A	Enrichment	AS5013.10	4 days	$72
Salmonella spp. - P/A	Enrichment	PHL 1.13	2 days	$72
Listeria spp. (incl. L. monocytogenes) - P/A	Enrichment	AS5013.24.1/PHL 1.17	2 days	$72
Listeria spp. Enumeration	Enrichment/Spread	AS5013.24.2	5 days	$90
Listeria monocytogenes - P/A	Enrichment	PHL 1.15 / PHL 1.18	2 days	$72
Vibrio parahaemolyticus	MPN	AS5013.18	7 days	$135

NATA Scope of Accreditation

The Laboratory has NATA accreditation (Accreditation Number: 1785) for all the tests listed above, except those indicated by asterisk (e.g. * Yeasts & Moulds). Not all food methods included in the scope are performed routinely and may require notice for media preparation (e.g. Campylobacter and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) – please contact the PHL to discuss food testing needs before sending samples.

Sample Transport from Launceston

The Public Health Laboratory has an account with Jet Couriers in Launceston (Ph: 6343 5033). Samples may be delivered to 9/1 Pipeworks Road, South Launceston, up to 5:30 pm Monday to Thursday. Samples should be packed in Eskis, with ice-bricks to keep them refrigerated during overnight transport. Jet Couriers will charge the PHL $11 (GST-incl) per package, which will be added to the testing invoice.

Packages/Eskis for delivery to the PHL should be marked as follows:

To: Public Health Laboratory
18 St Johns Avenue
NEW TOWN TAS 7008

Jet Couriers  -  Account Code : PHL              

Eski Return

Eskis/ice-bricks can be returned via Australia Post, at a cost of $6 per package. To be returned, eskis should be permanently marked with the customer’s address or have a rotatable label. The eski or submission form should include a request that the eski be returned.

Documentation

Submission forms, accreditation details and other documents can be found at Public Health Laboratory.

Opening Hours

The door to reception is open between 8.45 am and 5.00 pm.

Contact the laboratory on (03) 61661107 to discuss any testing issues not covered above.

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