The following terms and conditions shall be binding upon Hurst Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Inc., located at 2111 West Euless Blvd., Euless, Texas 76040, hereafter referred to as “HurstLab,” and its customers with respect to laboratory activities performed by HurstLab, including activities performed under HurstLab’s scope of accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017.

1. Responsibility for Information
   HurstLab shall be responsible, through legally enforceable commitments, for the management of all information obtained or created during the performance of laboratory activities.

2. Confidentiality of Customer Information
   Except for information that the customer makes publicly available, or when otherwise agreed between HurstLab and the customer, all information obtained or created during the performance of laboratory activities shall be considered proprietary and confidential.

   HurstLab shall not intentionally make such information publicly available without prior notification to the customer, except where disclosure is required by law or otherwise authorized by agreement.

3. Use of Service Providers and Business Technology
   In the normal course of business, HurstLab may utilize third-party service providers and technology systems necessary to support its operations, including information technology providers, cloud-based business applications, electronic document-management systems, data-storage and backup services, communication platforms, and approved business or enterprise-grade artificial intelligence and automated data-processing tools.

   Such tools and services may be used for functions including error checking, proofreading, formatting, document review, summarization, administrative support, and similar business or quality-support activities.

   HurstLab shall use such services only where it determines that appropriate confidentiality, information-security, and data-protection safeguards are maintained. Customer confidential information will not knowingly be used for general-purpose model training or unrelated independent use by the service provider.

   Use of such service providers does not transfer ownership of customer information to the applicable service provider and does not relieve HurstLab of its confidentiality obligations. AI and automated processing tools are assistive only, and HurstLab personnel remain responsible for all final reports, test results, findings, conclusions, interpretations, and technical decisions.

4. Existing Contractual Restrictions
   Where a separately executed confidentiality agreement, non-disclosure agreement, contract, purchase order, or other written agreement expressly imposes more restrictive requirements regarding third-party or AI-assisted processing, HurstLab shall comply with those requirements.

5. Legally Required Disclosure
   When HurstLab is required by law or authorized by contractual arrangement to release confidential information, the customer or individual concerned shall, unless prohibited by law, be notified of the information provided.

6. Information Obtained from Other Sources
   Information about the customer obtained from sources other than the customer, including complainants or regulatory authorities, shall be treated as confidential between the customer and HurstLab.

   The identity of the source shall remain confidential to HurstLab and shall not be disclosed to the customer unless agreed by the source or required by law.

7. Personnel and Other Parties Acting on HurstLab’s Behalf
   HurstLab shall ensure that personnel, contractors, consultants, committee members, personnel of external bodies, and other individuals or organizations acting on HurstLab’s behalf maintain the confidentiality of information obtained or created during the performance of laboratory activities, except as required by law or otherwise authorized by agreement.

8. Conflict with Other Agreements
   These Terms and Conditions are intended to supplement HurstLab’s contractual obligations to its customers. If a separately executed agreement between HurstLab and the customer contains confidentiality requirements that conflict with these Terms and Conditions, the requirements of the separately executed agreement shall govern to the extent of the conflict.