Safeguards Analytical Laboratory
Quality Assurance and Computer Services Group
Major routine tasks
- maintencance and development of the Quality Management System according to ISO-9001:2000 requirements
- supervision of QA and QC measures
- evaluation of QC charts; observations recording, follow-up and corrective actions
- measurement and evaluation of service performance
- in particular, assessment of analytical uncertainties and throughput times
- investigation of customer requirements and organization of management review
QC relevant reference information
History of the SAL Quality Management System
All analytical work at SAL was done with QA and QC measures in place from the very beginning of SAL's operation in 1975. The major milestones of the SAL Quality Management System - in reverse order - were:
2003 - transition to ISO-9001:2000 (registration no. AT-1784/0)
2000 - certification with respect to ISO-9002:1994
1998 - performance of gap analysis: identify deficiencies with respect to ISO-9002:1994
1997 - comprehensive customer audit
1997 - new Clean Laboratory Unit in operation with specific quality documentation
1995 - self-assessment, review of status-quo
1993 - formal quality system defines organization, procedures, resources and other managerial aspects to facilitate effective QA/QC
Major features added:
- Quality Manual and Standard Operating Procedures
- definition of roles, responsibilities and organization
- definition of a quality plan and allocation of resources
- built on Ratliff's 27-element model system
1987 - systematic QA plan defines complementary activities, such as data-recording, documentation and performance evaluation
Major features added:
- two types of QC measurements and samples: for calibration and for procedure or process control
- computer generated QC charts and procedure for evaluation and follow-up of corrective actions
- collection of all analyses results (QA, QC and routine samples) in a central computer database ("LIS" - Laboratory Information System)
- built according to Delvin's model system (a nine element quality system. The nine elements were: Organization / QA Program / Training and Qualification / Procedures / Records / Records Control / Equipment and Materials Control / Measurement Control / Deficiencies and Corrective Actions)
1976 - introduction of a QC program defining the operational techniques and activities for measurement control purposes.
The major features were and are still:
- all final measurements are calibrated against internationally recognized and certified primary reference materials like those supplied by NIST, IRMM, CETAMA (Commission d'Etablissement des Méthodes et d'Analyses du Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, France), KRI (Khlopin Radium Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia) and NBL.
- participation in international proficiency testing schemes
- recording of control measurements in QC charts