Use the site’s approved record system and handover procedure. The following checklist supports consistent documentation; it does not replace operating instructions or prescribe a response to an unusual result.
Identify the sample before discussing the result
Record the named collection point, date, time and relevant operating phase. Distinguish the collection time from test completion. If a different point or preparation method was used, say so explicitly rather than leaving the next shift to infer it.
Keep any deviation from the normal procedure beside the result. A sample collected under different conditions may still be useful evidence, but should not silently continue a supposedly unchanged trend.
Hand over a completed, labelled measurement set
The S3A provides MLSS first and continues the 30-minute settlement cycle. Make clear whether the record contains the rapid concentration reading or the completed settlement result. Retain the relevant SVI, settled sludge level, supernatant clarity and floating-sludge information.
Label stirred and unstirred tests separately. SSVI and stirred settled sludge level require the optional stirrer; they should not be recorded under an unqualified SVI label.
Use a practical handover checklist
Sample identity, collection time and operating phase
Completed results with their parameter names and units
Test method, including whether the optional stirrer was used
Relevant site observations and procedure deviations
Review already completed and any outstanding follow-up
Named responsibility for the next action under the site procedure
Retain results beyond the instrument when required
The S3A stores up to 28 completed results for each of three locations, with date and time information. Agree which records must be retained in the site system and when operators should record them there. Do not assume the instrument alone fulfils the site’s retention requirements.
Separate observations from conclusions. A note that a sample settled differently is not the same as a confirmed cause. The next shift should be able to see the evidence, the review undertaken and any investigation still outstanding.
Keep the measurement references accessible
Use the parameter directory for consistent result names and the SVI versus SSVI guide for method labels. The 30-minute test article explains the connected settlement cycle.
For the instrument’s capabilities and limits, read the S3A product page or contact PMA. Keep required laboratory, discharge and regulatory records within their own approved procedures.
