ASME NQA-1, “Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications,” has just been updated. The new 2015 Edition is available from Document Center Inc. and is expected to start shipping late next week. It is one of the most frequently used quality standards for the nuclear industry.
NQA-1 stands for Nuclear Quality Assurance 1. The revised 2015 Edition replaces the previous 2012 Edition. The document is actually on a two-year revision cycle, but expected release in 2014 was delayed to work through some of the issues that are facing the industry. The next revision will occur at the beginning of 2017.
The NQA-1 addresses the need for a strong quality assurance program throughout the entire life-cycle of a nuclear facility. The goal? To assure the safe, reliable and efficient use of nuclear energy and the proper handling of radioactive materials. It is used for certification purposes, with any of the editions from 2008 forward being acceptable for NRC requirements.
With over 300 changes, users of the publication will be interested in the main updates that are in this new release. Introductions to the document and to Parts I, II, III and IV have been revised. New terminology and definitions have also been added. And terminology conflicts in Requirements 2, 18, and Appendix 18A-1 have been resolved.
However, you’ll be most interested in the guidance you’ll now receive regarding audits. Audit frequency is addressed, for both internal and external audits. And there’s also new material on an acceptable approach to classifying and handling various audit issues. And Part I requirements for Lead Auditor qualification expiration and records has also been updated.
One reason for the delay in publication is the addition of a new Section 705 for Part III. This new section on determining authenticity covers the timely topic of counterfeit or fraudulent goods and how to reduce the risk they pose.
The committee has also provided you with new information on software, including consolidated and reconciled software-related requirements. Graphical tools and flowcharts to aid in the understanding of software aspects of the standard have also been added.
Lastly, you’ll be pleased to find a side-by-side comparison of the NQA-1 with ANSI/ANS 15.8 (the 1995 Edition).
Now to get your copy of this new release! Head to Document Center’s webstore at www.document-center.com and order online. Or contact our staff by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). We’ll help you get your copy and notify you in the future as it changes. Why leave compliance to chance? Make Document Center Inc. your Standards Experts!
