1.1This guide covers the establishment and maintenance of a quality assurance (QA) program for analytical laboratories within the nuclear industry. References to key elements of ASME NQA-1 and ISO 9001 provide guidance to the functional aspects of analytical laboratory operations. When implemented as recommended, the practices presented in this guide will provide a comprehensive QA program for the laboratory. The practices are grouped by functions, which constitute the basic elements of a laboratory QA program.

1.2The essential, basic elements of a laboratory QA program appear in the following order:

	Section
Organization	5
Quality Assurance Program	6
Training and Qualification	7
Procedures	8
Laboratory Records	9
Control of Records	10
Control of Procurement	11
Control of Measuring Equipment and Materials	12
Control of Measurements	13
Deficiencies and Corrective Actions	14