Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: a5cfec96-8785-464b-ada8-dc4424b90606
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Quality Assurance for Radiological Monitoring Programs
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 4
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML0630/ML063060429.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-4.15
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
that could affect performance (ASTM D7282-2006). In addition, MARLAP Sections 15.2 and 15.3 present general guidance regarding calibrations of instruments. Chapter 15 of MARLAP also presents guidance specific to calibrations of different instrumentation types. The continuing validity of calibrations should be checked periodically as specified in a laboratory’s quality manual (MARLAP, Chapter 18). Quality control checks of radioanalytical instrument calibration parameters, such as detector response or energy and resolution calibrations for spectrometers, should be performed by measuring the response of each radiation detection system to appropriate CHECK SOURCES. Instrument QC frequencies are generally performed daily for systems used continually or before use for those systems periodically employed, but frequencies may vary by instrument type. Instrument QC checks should meet predefined acceptable criteria for the respective calibration parameter and should ensure that conditions have not significantly changed since initial calibration (ASTM D7282-2006). Instrument-calibration QC check results should be tracked, trended, and compared with predetermined ranges of acceptable performance. For example, if a monitor’s response to a daily check source showed a trend that may lead to a condition outside of established acceptance criteria, a calibration may be needed to reestablish acceptable operation. Section 18.5 of MARLAP and ASTM D7282-2006 discuss radioanalytical instrument-calibration QC parameters. Additional method-specific quality controls (e.g., chemical yield, spectral quality, resolution) may apply to certain methods and should be tracked and trended using control or tolerance charts to identify conditions that could be adverse to quality. The laboratory quality manual and standard operating procedures should address the use, calibration, maintenance, and QC of all nonradiological instruments, measuring devices, and test equipment used for measuring or