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:
ce, a DIRECTED PLANNING PROCESS can be used to define the data objectives for the specific monitoring program. The DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVE (DQO) process (EPA QA/G-4-2006) provides one example of how to develop and define acceptance and performance criteria for a sample collection, measurement, and data analysis program. The QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN, which documents how data will be collected, assessed, and analyzed, can form the basis of a QA program (EPA QA/G-5, 2002). It provides a blueprint of where, when, why, and how a particular project will achieve data of the type and quality needed and expected. NUREG-1576, “Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols Manual” (hereafter referred to as MARLAP), contains guidance for developing DQOs for risk-informed decisions, and their consequent MEASUREMENT QUALITY OBJECTIVES (MQOs), in the context of radiochemical analyses of environmental samples. The same methodology can be applied in other environmental monitoring contexts. An example of a key MQO is the REQUIRED METHOD UNCERTAINTY at a specified radiation dose or radionuclide concentration. The specific dose may be a fractional amount of a radiation dose limit. The specific concentration may be a fractional amount of an effluent release or environmental radionuclide concentration. For either case, the fractional amount of the limit should be sufficiently small so that reasonable operational actions may be taken before the limit is exceeded. MARLAP recommends a PERFORMANCE-BASED APPROACH for selecting methods used to analyze samples or measure dose rates that meet the MQOs. Under this approach, the QA program should incorporate the initial (project METHOD VALIDATION) and continued (internal and external PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (PE) PROGRAMS) assessment of a method’s capability to meet the MQO specifications. Process-radiation monitoring equipment and instrumentation need to have the desired sensitivity to provide both real-time and data-trend