Welcome

Administered by the Office of Corporate Safety Programs, HS-31, the DOE Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) is responsible for implementing performance standards for DOE contractor external dosimetry and radiobioassay programs through periodic performance testing and on-site program assessments. The performance testing function is carried out by the Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory, located at the Idaho National Laboratory. The DOELAP Administrator, following consideration of the external dosimetry and radiobioassay oversight boards' recommendations that are based on their review of performance testing and program assessment results, issues accreditation certificates to those programs that successfully met the performance criteria. Accreditation must be renewed on a biennial basis.

DOE has a long history of active participation to improve personnel dosimetry and in the development of national consensus standards for evaluating performance of personnel dosimetry systems. Technical studies and staff, supported by DOE programs, were instrumental in defining and testing personnel dosimeter performance criteria at least as early as 1962 when the existing Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was contracted to conduct a national intercomparison test. DOE programs continue to support technical evaluations of national personnel dosimetry standards. Ongoing revisions to American National Standards Institute personnel dosimetry standards are anticipated in response to technological improvements and to efforts to improve consistency between U.S. and international personnel dosimetry performance testing criteria.

DOELAP allows DOE to ensure that radiation exposure monitoring at any of its sites is consistent, accurate, and conforms to national and international performance and quality assurance standards.

Steven Zobel
DOELAP Administrator