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

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

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/ilac-mra-and-signatories/benefits/ 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. Learn more.

[[File:Certificate.png|link=http://wiki.gccollab.ca/File:Certificate.png|thumb|Certificate of accreditation for CNSC laboratory issued by SCC and NRC CLAS]]

One reason that the CNSC pursued this recognition for the laboratory is because [https://www.iso.org/standard/39883.html ISO/IEC 17025:2005] is an internationally accepted standard. Accreditation to such a standard provides formal recognition of competent laboratories throughout the world.

One reason that the CNSC pursued this recognition for the laboratory is because [https://www.iso.org/standard/39883.html ISO/IEC 17025:2005] is an internationally accepted standard. Accreditation to such a standard provides formal recognition of competent laboratories throughout the world.

==== '''What were the challenges the laboratory faced while preparing for accreditation?'''[edit | edit source] ====

==== '''What were the challenges the laboratory faced while preparing for accreditation?'''[edit | edit source] ====

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!

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.