NQA-1

ASME NQA-1 (Nuclear Quality Assurance-1) is a regulatory standard created and maintained by ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). The current version was released in 2013 (NQA-1-2012), however the most commonly used version is NQA-1-2008 with the NQA-1a-2009 addendum. This is the case because these are the versions endorsed by the NRC.^[1]

ASME now offers an NQA-1 Certification Program. The ASME NQA-1 Certification program provides a means for an organization supplying items or services which provide a safety function for nuclear facilities to have its Quality Assurance Program recognized by ASME as having had its Quality Assurance Program audited and verified to be in conformance with the requirements of the ASME NQA-1 Standard. It provides a foot in the door to the industry; however, it does not relieve the buying organization from going through its vendor qualification process. At the time of this update there were two companies that are now NQA-1 Certificate Holders. Those two companies are Premier Technology in Blackfoot, ID and Metallix Technologies in Irving, TX. Metallix Technologies is the first material supply company to receive the ASME NQA-1 certificate.

Part 1 of the NQA standard provides requirements that prescribe the extent of controls needed in specific areas of a nuclear quality program (an ASME NQA program). The 18 requirements are as follows:^[2]

• 1 Organization
• 2 Quality Assurance Program
• 3 Design Control
• 4 Procurement Document Control
• 5 Instructions, Procedures and Drawings
• 6 Document Control
• 7 Control of Purchased Material, Equipment and Services
• 8 Identification and Control of Materials Parts and Services
• 9 Control of Special Processes
• 10 Inspection
• 11 Test Control
• 12 Control of Measuring and Test Equipment
• 13 Handling, Storage and Shipping
• 14 Inspection, Test and Operating Status
• 15 Nonconforming Items
• 16 Corrective Action
• 17 Quality Assurance Records
• 18 Audits

Additionally, Parts 2 to 4 of the Standard provide mandatory and non-mandatory subparts that contain further guidance and more in-depth discussion on certain aspects (e.g. commercial grade dedication).

The historical versions of ASME NQA-1 Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications are:

• NQA-1-2012
• NQA-1b-2011 (no more addendum will be issued)
• NQA-1a-2009
• NQA-1-2008
• NQA-1b-2007
• NQA-1a-2005
• NQA-1-2004
• NQA-1-2000
• NQA-1a-1995
• NQA-1-1994
• NQA-2a-1990
• NQA-1-1989
• NQA-1-1986

Other applicable standards and regulations pertaining to Quality Assurance in nuclear facilities are:

• 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B (NRC)
• DOE O 414.1D (DOE)
• ASME Section III Quality Requirements Articles 3800 and 4000 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC)
• N45.2 (predecessor of NQA-1)

References