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:
ine, format, and content established in the plan. Only qualified QA staff (see Section C.2), supported as needed by experts in the technical areas under evaluation, should conduct assessments, audits, and surveillances. (See NQA-1-1994, Supplement 2S.) Deficiencies, areas for improvement, and observations noted should be incorporated into the corrective action program and tracked. Section 18 of ASME NQA-1-1994 and Section 4.10 of ISO/IEC 17025-2005 provide guidance on establishing and conducting an audit program. When the monitoring program will depend upon the services of a radioanalytical laboratory, prior onsite audits of the laboratory may be conducted to ensure that the laboratory is capable of fulfilling the project criteria in accordance with the APS (including MQOs) outlined in a statement of work (MARLAP Chapter 5 and Appendix E). The ongoing evaluation of the laboratory’s QUALITY SYSTEM and operations is accomplished through onsite audits and desk audits. These audits are focused more on whether the laboratory is meeting project or program specifications than whether the laboratory has the capability to meet monitoring program or project criteria. Chapter 7 of MARLAP provides guidance and statistical tests to determine whether a laboratory is meeting the MQOs, especially the REQUIRED METHOD UNCERTAINTY. Section 5.2.10 of ANSI N42.23-2003 provides additional guidance for radioanalytical laboratory assessments. Audits of the QA programs of contractors providing materials, supplies, or services affecting the quality of the laboratory’s operations should be performed periodically (ISO/IEC 17025-2005, Section 4.6). DG-4010, Page 16 10. Preventive and Corrective Actions Integral components of a QA program include identifying areas for improvement, defining performance or programmatic deficiencies, and initiating appropriate corrective or preventive actions. The QA program for radiological effluent and environmental monitoring programs should contain both a