Verifying the Test Results

Test Results are usually presented by way of a Test Certificate.

A Test Certificate should be easy to read and understand. Every laboratory and test facility has its own format for the presentation of the test results. Here is a short list of information that a Test Certificate ought to include:

1. Name of laboratory or facility and contact details
2. Date of the report / certificate (and usually a report number)
3. Name of the client and contact details
4. A clear description of what was tested
5. The reference standard(s) and or criteria and any building code requirement
6. Any special considerations pertaining to the samples supplied
7. The test method conditions including sample sizes
8. Any adaptation of the test method and explanation
9. The test results – usually in tabular format for ease of understanding
10. Comments on the results, particularly where some results do not appear consistent with other results. It may be that some results need to be ignored.

The reviewer of a test report / certificate needs t be able to understand whether or not the testing (or calculation result) verifies compliance with the relevant criteria or performance requirement or not.