Implementing quality assurance in an R & D environment at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre - SCK center dot CEN

If we agree that quality assurance (QA) in R&D indeed provides added value, just how do we show the public that such a QA system is operating well? At the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKObullet CEN), where a QA system ha s been implemented by various laboratories in accordance with the EN 45001 standard within the general framework of ISO 9001 at the institutional leve l, several laboratories have already been accredited. At the request of one of our customers the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (NIRA S/ONDRAF), we implemented a quality system for research projects related to the characterization, treatment and processing of radioactive wastes in vi ew of disposal. We obtained accreditation for this research in 1999. In thi s paper, we discuss the implementation of our QS and important issues relat ed to the overall management of the QA system, broken down into three parts : organizational, technical and project-specific quality elements such as t he QA plan and internal communication.