Traceability and Compliance

All reference radiation fields that are generated within our facilities are to recognised international standards. The calibrations of all these fields are directly traceable to UK or international primary standards laboratories. In addition, we have been operating a UKAS accredited gamma facility for gamma dose and dose-rate measurements since 1999.

All our calibration work follows the guidance given in NPL Good Practice Guide (GPG) 14 and GPG 113, ensuring compliance with the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017.

UKAS Accreditation

UKHSA holds UKAS accreditation for gamma dose and dose rate measurements for a selection of instrument testing facilities. We maintain a full Quality Assurance system to ensure the validity of all calibration and testing activities and to maintain the facility's reputation as an authoritative source of such work.

Our UKAS calibrations comply with BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and are also compliant with Regulations 20(3) and 20(4) of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and its associated Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) and Guidance, and national best practice, in accordance with the National Physical Laboratory Good Practice Guides.

Assured compliance

We ensure that all times we provide a high quality service to our customers and that complies with the UKAS Accreditation Standard for calibration of radiological protection-level instruments using gamma rays.

Our UKAS Quality Manager is responsible for ensuring that the requirements of BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 are met on a day-to-day basis. We continually improve the effectiveness of our management system through the use of the customer feedback, staff suggestions, auditing, analysis of data, as well as corrective and preventive action, management and document review.

Our UKAS schedule and certificate can be found on our Resources page.

Guaranteed standards

Our Qualified Persons are fully conversant with currently accepted standards and the relevant technical guidance on testing monitoring equipment. We are pleased to offer any advice and answer any queries you may.


We maintain a minimum of seven Qualified Persons to ensure the quality of our testing and efficiency of our service.

The Ionising Radiation Instrumentation Specialist (IRIS)

A number of our instrument testing staff are certificated Ionising Radiation Instrumentation Specialists (IRIS). The IRIS is a specialist qualification accredited by RPA2000 intended for those wishing to demonstrate an advanced level of expertise and competence in ionising radiation instrumentation.

An Ionising Radiation Instrumentation Specialist demonstrates significant expertise in monitoring methods, instrument limitations, calibration requirements and facilities, setting up of instruments and the provision of advice to the employer and Radiation Protection Adviser. Following the model of the Radiation Protection Adviser accreditation process, assessment is via a portfolio of evidence covering both theory and practice.

Currently two members of our Instrument Testing Service staff are also IRIS assessors.

The Ionising Radiation Metrology Forum (IRMF)

UKHSA's Instrument Testing Service is a founder member of the Ionising Radiations Metrology Forum and provides significant input into national guidance on instrument testing, including the preparation of Good Practice Guides, published by the National Physical Laboratory.