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'''<big>Written by: Aslam Ibrahim</big>'''

'''<big>Written by: Aslam Ibrahim</big>'''

On November 16, 2016, the CNSC laboratory was granted accreditation to [https://www.iso.org/standard/39883.html ISO/IEC 17025:2005], a standard used throughout the world to evaluate testing and calibration laboratories<ref>https://cala.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ilac_why_become_accred_lab.pdf</ref>. The [https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/calibration-laboratory-assessment-service/directory-accredited-calibration-laboratories/clas-certificate-number-2016-05 accreditation scope] includes the calibration of working measurement standards, gamma survey meters, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_personal_dosimeter personal electronic dosimeters] – in short, a significant part of the CNSC laboratory’s calibration services.  

On November 16, 2016, the CNSC laboratory<ref>[https://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/resources/cnsc-laboratory/index.cfm]</ref> was granted accreditation to [https://www.iso.org/standard/39883.html ISO/IEC 17025:2005], a standard used throughout the world to evaluate testing and calibration laboratories<ref>https://cala.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ilac_why_become_accred_lab.pdf</ref>. The [https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/calibration-laboratory-assessment-service/directory-accredited-calibration-laboratories/clas-certificate-number-2016-05 accreditation scope] includes the calibration of working measurement standards, gamma survey meters, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_personal_dosimeter personal electronic dosimeters] – in short, a significant part of the CNSC laboratory’s calibration services.  

Accreditation was granted by the Standards Council of Canada [https://www.scc.ca/en/accreditation/programs/laboratories#:~:text=The%20Standards%20Council%20of%20Canada%20%28SCC%29%20offers%20internationally,for%20the%20competence%20of%20testing%20and%20calibration%20laboratories. (SCC)], under the Program for the Accreditation of Laboratories – Canada [https://www.scc.ca/en/agl-palcan (PALCAN)] and the National Research Council of Canada Calibration Laboratory Assessment Service [https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/calibration-laboratory-assessment-service/about-calibration-laboratory-assessment-service (NRC CLAS)].  

Accreditation was granted by the Standards Council of Canada [https://www.scc.ca/en/accreditation/programs/laboratories#:~:text=The%20Standards%20Council%20of%20Canada%20%28SCC%29%20offers%20internationally,for%20the%20competence%20of%20testing%20and%20calibration%20laboratories. (SCC)], under the Program for the Accreditation of Laboratories – Canada [https://www.scc.ca/en/agl-palcan (PALCAN)] and the National Research Council of Canada Calibration Laboratory Assessment Service [https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/calibration-laboratory-assessment-service/about-calibration-laboratory-assessment-service (NRC CLAS)].  

It is notable that the CNSC laboratory is the first of its kind In Canada that the SCC has accredited for calibration of working measurement standards and survey instruments for gamma measurement.  

It is notable that the CNSC laboratory is the first of its kind In Canada that the SCC has accredited for calibration of working measurement standards and survey instruments for gamma measurement.  

=== '''What is accreditation and why is it important?''' ===

=== '''What is accreditation and why is it important?''' ===

[[File:Certificate.png|thumb|Certificate of accreditation for CNSC laboratory issued by SCC and NRC CLAS]]

[[File:Certificate.png|thumb|Certificate of accreditation for CNSC laboratory issued by SCC and NRC CLAS|left|500x500px]]

Laboratory accreditation is a formal process of recognition by a third party organization to establish that a laboratory is technically competent and impartial. The CNSC laboratory was required to demonstrate its ability to produce precise and accurate test and calibration data, and to show the technical competence of staff. [https://ilac.org/publications-and-resources/ilac-promotional-brochures/ Learn more].

Laboratory accreditation is a formal process of recognition by a third party organization to establish that a laboratory is technically competent and impartial. The CNSC laboratory was required to demonstrate its ability to produce precise and accurate test and calibration data, and to show the technical competence of staff. [https://ilac.org/publications-and-resources/ilac-promotional-brochures/ Learn more].

=== '''What were the challenges the laboratory faced while preparing for accreditation?''' ===

=== '''What were the challenges the laboratory faced while preparing for accreditation?''' ===

Adapting all in-house MS Excel  spreadsheets, writing procedures and work instructions to comply with all the  [https://www.iso.org/standard/39883.html ISO/IEC 17025:2005] standard requirements was certainly a big challenge. There  are a lot of documents!

Adapting all in-house MS Excel  spreadsheets, writing procedures and work instructions to comply with all the  [https://www.iso.org/standard/39883.html ISO/IEC 17025:2005] standard requirements was certainly a big challenge. There  are a lot of documents!

[[File:Clifford.png|thumb|Instrumentation Technologist Clifford Chouinor sets up working standard for calibration at the CNSC laboratory]]

[[File:Clifford.png|thumb|Instrumentation Technologist Clifford Chouinor sets up working standard for calibration at the CNSC laboratory|400x400px]]

Another significant  challenge was to find proficiency testing (PT) providers with appropriate  measurement capabilities to meet ISO compliance requirements. The capabilities  of the few established and reputable PT providers, such as the National  Research Council of Canada (NRC), the National Institute of Standards and  Technologies (NIST) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), are  limited to their well-characterized artefacts consisting of working measurement  instruments for air kerma measurements. Their PT capabilities do not extend to field  instruments such as personal dosimeters and gamma survey equipment.

Another significant  challenge was to find proficiency testing (PT) providers with appropriate  measurement capabilities to meet ISO compliance requirements. The capabilities  of the few established and reputable PT providers, such as the National  Research Council of Canada (NRC), the National Institute of Standards and  Technologies (NIST) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), are  limited to their well-characterized artefacts consisting of working measurement  instruments for air kerma measurements. Their PT capabilities do not extend to field  instruments such as personal dosimeters and gamma survey equipment.

=== '''What’s next?''' ===

=== '''What’s next?''' ===

The [https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/calibration-laboratory-assessment-service/directory-accredited-calibration-laboratories/clas-certificate-number-2016-05 current scope of accreditation] includes working measurement standards for air kerma measurements, gamma survey meters, and personal electronic dosimeters. The CNSC laboratory has prepared a project management plan to extend the scope to include electronic and radiological calibrations of survey meters for gamma, neutron, alpha and beta radiation measurements, as well as energy calibrations of the spectrometers used for gamma and neutron measurements. There’s lots more to do!  [[File:Typical_equipment.png|thumb|Typical instruments that the CNSC laboratory calibrates under the scope of accreditation]]

The [https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/calibration-laboratory-assessment-service/directory-accredited-calibration-laboratories/clas-certificate-number-2016-05 current scope of accreditation] includes working measurement standards for air kerma measurements, gamma survey meters, and personal electronic dosimeters. The CNSC laboratory has prepared a project management plan to extend the scope to include electronic and radiological calibrations of survey meters for gamma, neutron, alpha and beta radiation measurements, as well as energy calibrations of the spectrometers used for gamma and neutron measurements. There’s lots more to do!  [[File:Typical_equipment.png|thumb|Typical instruments that the CNSC laboratory calibrates under the scope of accreditation|400x400px]]

=== '''How can CNSC staff members suggest improvements to the laboratory?''' ===

=== '''How can CNSC staff members suggest improvements to the laboratory?''' ===

Through annual customer satisfaction surveys that the CNSC laboratory conducts, CNSC staff members who have used the laboratory services in the previous year can provide feedback on their quality, including suggestions for improvement. The CNSC laboratory has been conducting such surveys since 2015, and has taken action to address comments from its customers to meet its commitment to provide a high service level and meet customer expectations. One such action was to respond to the suggestion to provide links to instrument manuals from the laboratory’s Web page.

[[File:Control_room.png|thumb|Control room for remote handling of equipment and sources during calibration |400x400px]]Through annual customer satisfaction surveys that the CNSC laboratory conducts, CNSC staff members who have used the laboratory services in the previous year can provide feedback on their quality, including suggestions for improvement. The CNSC laboratory has been conducting such surveys since 2015, and has taken action to address comments from its customers to meet its commitment to provide a high service level and meet customer expectations. One such action was to respond to the suggestion to provide links to instrument manuals from the laboratory’s Web page.

The CNSC laboratory gamma calibration service now operates within a quality management system that complies with the requirements of [https://www.iso.org/standard/39883.html ISO/IEC 17025:2005]. As specified in the quality management system, the laboratory implements mechanisms including, but not limited to, proficiency testing, customer satisfaction surveys, internal reviews, management reviews, and corrective and preventative actions to drive continual improvement, which is the true intention of the ISO/IEC standard.

The CNSC laboratory gamma calibration service now operates within a quality management system that complies with the requirements of [https://www.iso.org/standard/39883.html ISO/IEC 17025:2005]. As specified in the quality management system, the laboratory implements mechanisms including, but not limited to, proficiency testing, customer satisfaction surveys, internal reviews, management reviews, and corrective and preventative actions to drive continual improvement, which is the true intention of the ISO/IEC standard.

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