Value of HPS Accreditation to Providers and Users of NIST-Traceable Radioactivity Sources
D.M. Montgomery (Analytics, Inc)
The need for NIST-traceable radioactivity sources for calibration of radiation monitoring and/or measurement systems has long been recognized. Requirements or recommendations to use NIST-traceable standards can be found in Regulatory Guides, National and International Standards for Quality Assurance, and Contractual Requirements. The Health Physics Society Laboratory Accreditation program provides a mechanism for providers to be accredited as suppliers of NIST-traceable standards by meeting ANSI N42.22-1995, "Traceability of Radioactivity Sources to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Associated Instrument Quality Control", and ANS/ISO/IEC 17025-2000, General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the advantages and benefits of accreditation for users and suppliers of radioactivity sources, as well to address the requirements for suppliers to perform proficiency tests with NIST under specific acceptance criteria. If necessary, corrective actions for non-conforming results are required.