The Brazilian Experience on the Integrated Authorization of Individual Monitoring Systems and Calibration Laboratories of Equipment used in Radiation Protection

摘要

In Brazil, the National Commission for Nuclear Energy gives formal authorization of operation forIndividual Monitoring Services and for Calibration Facilities for Equipment Used in Radiation Protection. Theresponsibility for recommending these authorizations has been delegated to the Institute for Radiation Protectionand Dosimetry which, until 2005, had two separate committees operating in each area of authorization, namelyIMS and calibration laboratories. Both committees had the responsibility of defining the requirements forauthorization, auditing the laboratories, organizing inter-comparison exercises, certifying the heads of thelaboratories and of recommending the authorization or cessation of laboratories activities to the direction of theinstitute. In the year 2005 a single integrated committee was formed to perform both kinds of authorization, whichwas named Committee for the Evaluation of Services of Essays and Calibration (CASEC). With a differentphilosophy in mind, this new group focuses only on the certification of compliance with the authorizationregulation, leaving the definition of these rules to independent groups named technical chambers that should beformed by experts, who are not necessarily staff, according to specific needs. At present, CASEC is starting torequire accreditation on ISO standard 17025 for both kinds of laboratories as a prerequisite for the authorization.This paper presents the difficulties faced during the process of transition from one system of authorization to theother, the present status of the system of individual monitoring systems and calibration facilities and results ofinter-laboratory comparison exercises.