ACCREDITATION OF THE RADIONUCLIDE METROLOGY LABORATORY

1. ACCREDITATION OF THE RADIONUCLIDE METROLOGY LABORATORY Maria Sahagia, A.C.Razdolescu, A.Luca, S.Brancovici “Horia Hulubei” National Institute of R&D for Physics and Nuclear Enginnering, IFIN-NN

2. 1.Presentation of the Laboratory Our Laboratory was created in 1960; its fouder is Dr.E.L.Grigorescu. The main goals of the Laboratory are: • Development of methods for preparation and standardization if radioactive sources and solutions, • Commissioning of the equipment for preparation and standardization of the prepared sources and solutions

3. The most important results are: • A numerous list of scientific papers, published in the ISI reviewed international and Romanian journals, or presented at international and national conferences, were elaborated. The most recent publications are presented on thr CIPM-CCRI(II) web site: http// www1.bipm.org/en/committees/cc/ccri/CCRI section2. • The Laboratory participated in international comparisons, regarding standard sources and solutions, starting with 1962. They were organized by: BIPM, the executive body of the CIPM, IAEA-Vienna, 2000 and 2001, NPL-UK, 1995 and 2004, former COMECOM,1979-1987, and bilateral comparisons. • Capabilities for preparation and standardization , as well as for metrological legal check were developed: at present, the Laboratory satisfies more than 90% from the national requirements of standards, and more than 70% of metrological services; it is the only producer of radioactive standards, recognized by the IAEA-Vienna, since 1983, in Romania.

4. National Recognition : • Our Laboratory was authorized by the BRML as a Secondary Activity Standard, by taking into account the international comparison results, in 1986. • Our Institute was dessigned to represent Romania, in the field of Ionizing Radiations, in the CIPM-MRA and in the IR-TC of the EUROMET. • Our Institute, and the National Institute of Metrology, concluded a Collaboration Protocol, recognizing our Laboratory as the owner of the Primary Activity Standard of Romania, at the beginning of the year 2005.

5. International recognition: • As dessigned Laboratory, CIPM-MRA, Annex A, and as a result of the scientific work and of the continuous participation in international comparisons, our Institute and Laboratory were accepted as full members of the CIPM-CCRI(II); a presentation of the Laboratory was done at the 18-th meeting, BIPM, 23-25 May 2005. • The Laboratory has 19 results (17-CIPM and 2-EUROMET), regarding Key comparisons, in the CIPM-MRA, Annex B, Key comparisons, Data Base. • 21 CMC, relying on the key comparisons results, were submitted to the EUROMET , beig under evaluation at the JCRB, for their introduction into the CIPM-MRA, Annex C. • In 1980, our Laboratory became a member of the International Committee for Radionuclide Metrology (ICRM), being an active member

6. 2. The status of the accreditation of the Laboratory • Quality System presentation at the EUROMET • As a part of the National Metrology System, we presented the Quality System, • according to the EN/ISO/CEI 17025-2000, in the frame of the IFIN-HH Quality System and as a component part of the IFIN-HH Ionizing Radiations Metrology Laboratory, at the 12-th EUROMET Quality System Forum, held in Bucharest, February 2005; • RENAR accreditation • A research contract, sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Research, in the • frame fo the PNCDI-INFRAS Program, has as object the RENAR accreditation of the Laboratory. The fields of activity for which the accreditation is aimed to be obtained, are the followings: • Certification of the installations for the absolute (direct) standardization • Standardization/calibration, certification, and metrological check of the installations for the relative (indirect) standardization • Standardization and certification of the radioactive standard sources, emitters of alpha, beta, gamma radiations • Organization of inter-laboratory comparisons (ILCs) and proficiency tests for the testing and calibration laboratories, accreditated, or in the process of accreditation, according to the standard SR-EN/ISO/CEI 17025-2001.

7. The steps to be followed are the followings: • At the first step, a preliminary study was issued, defining the fields of activities under accreditation • The second activity was the issue of the Procedures. The referentials are: SR-EN/ISO/CEI-17025-2001, and the Ouality Manual of the IFIN-HH. • The following types of procedures were written: • One Organization Procedure, to be aplied at the Laboratory level • A number of 13 System Procedures, corresponding to the requirements of the Chapter 4 of the Standard and some general requirements from chapter 5, such as: Instruction of personel, Enviroment conditions, etc. • A number of Work Procedures, describing the specific work for the 4 types of actions, and for various types of installations. • A number of 11 Work Instructions, applied for three WP were also written. • At the present date, they were approved at the IFIN-HH level, and are submitted for analyze to the expert team from RENAR. • The third step consists from the issue of the Laboratory Quality Manual, while the fourth is dessigned for the implementation of the Quality System, the evaluation, by the expert team, and finally the accreditation of the laboratory.