Laboratory quality assurance and its role in the safeguards analytical laboratory evaluation (SALE) program

Conference · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6310909

Delvin, W. L.; Pietri, C. E.

Since the late 1960's, strong emphasis has been given to quality assurance in the nuclear industry, particularly to that part involved in nuclear reactors. This emphasis has had impact on the analytical chemistry laboratory because of the importance of analytical measurements in the certification and acceptance of materials used in the fabrication and construction of reactor components. Laboratory quality assurance, in which the principles of quality assurance are applied to laboratory operations, has a significant role to play in processing, fabrication, and construction programs of the nuclear industry. That role impacts not only process control and material certification, but also safeguards and nuclear materials accountability. The implementation of laboratory quality assurance is done through a program plan that specifies how the principles of quality assurance are to be applied. Laboratory quality assurance identifies weaknesses and deficiencies in laboratory operations and provides confidence in the reliability of laboratory results. Such confidence in laboratory measurements is essential to the proper evaluation of laboratories participating in the Safeguards Analytical Laboratory Evaluation (SALE) Program.

• Research Organization: Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (USA); Department of Energy, Argonne, IL (USA). New Brunswick Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC14-76FF02170
• OSTI ID: 6310909
• Report Number(s): HEDL-SA-2432; CONF-810738-1; ON: DE81027890
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400100 -- Analytical & Separations Chemistry
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CONTROL
EVALUATION
OPERATION
PERSONNEL
QUALITY ASSURANCE
QUALITY CONTROL
SAFEGUARDS