Quality Policy

Introduction to ARPANSA 

ARPANSA is the Australian Government’s primary authority on radiation protection and nuclear safety. 

The ARPANSA program of work entails four key activities that guide our priorities and contribute to delivering radiation protection and nuclear safety outcomes to the Australian community: 

• Initiate, maintain, and promote frameworks for protection and safety
• Undertake research and provide expert evaluations, advice, and services
• Ensure effective and risk‑informed regulation
• Enhance organisational innovation and capability

In delivering these outcomes ARPANSA is committed to providing the highest quality products and services to our stakeholders and customers. 

Purpose

The Quality Policy (the policy) confirms ARPANSA’s commitment to high quality service delivery and describes the responsibilities of management and staff in achieving our quality objectives. The policy guides the development and implementation of the ARPANSA Management System (AMS) and the application of the AMS to all agency activities. 

Scope

This policy applies to all ARPANSA staff and contractors undertaking work under the direction or commission of ARPANSA. The policy applies to all ARPANSA activities which directly or indirectly support or impact on the provision of ARPANSA products and services.

Roles and responsibilities

ARPANSA’s commitment to quality is demonstrated and affirmed through the use of ARPANSA policies and procedures and the activities of staff. Quality is everyone's responsibility. The intent and application of the policy is embedded in the work of all staff across the agency.

This commitment requires involvement of all ARPANSA staff to understand their responsibility in achieving our quality objectives and to ensure processes and practices are consistent in their delivery and are subject to continual improvement. 

Customers and other stakeholders have the responsibility to ensure they provide useful and timely feedback to ARPANSA regarding its processes and practices.

The policy is authorised by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ARPANSA and must be followed by all ARPANSA staff. 

Policy commitment

ARPANSA is the Australian Government’s primary authority on radiation protection and nuclear safety. We are committed to providing the highest quality services for the purpose of protection of people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation.

This policy shows the commitment of ARPANSA’s management to: 

• comply with applicable laws, regulations, standards and codes of practice
• enhance and improve customer experience by ensuring a focus on exceptional service delivery   
• perform quality work in accordance with documented policies, processes, procedures and work instructions within the ARPANSA management system
• ensure that our scientific services meet the requirements of our ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation 
• maintain quality systems and set measurable objectives and targets to continuously improve the organisation and our outcomes
• consult with employees, customers, suppliers and stakeholders to understand their needs 
• promote a culture that supports quality and continuous improvement 
• ensure that continuous improvements are measured, evaluated and reported against the agency goals and objectives
• demonstrate strong senior management leadership and accountability for the effectiveness of the ARPANSA management system
• report, investigate and learn from all opportunities for improvement. 

ARPANSA encourages individual responsibility for quality and, while ARPANSA’s management have additional responsibilities to allocate resources, provide instruction and ensure compliance, all employees have a responsibility to meet the desired outcomes and customers’ expectations of the products and services provided by ARPANSA. To achieve this, all employees are actively engaged in identifying, implementing, and improving processes and practices that support the requirements and objectives of the ARPANSA management system.

Principles

ARPANSA’s Quality Policy is based upon five key principles as described below.

6.1 Customer and stakeholder focus

We are committed to engage with our stakeholders and customers to understand their requirements to ensure that the provision of services remains focused on our stakeholder and customer needs and expectations.

The delivery of services is consistent with the requirements of ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17020 standards including the implementation of management systems that encompass customer feedback, continual improvement and assessment of the effectiveness of our processes and services.

As a Commonwealth entity we apply the Australian Public Service Values and are committed to delivering high-quality services to our customers and stakeholders.

6.2 Continual improvement

The AMS provides the framework that ensures continual improvement of our services, high quality service delivery and customer and stakeholder’s satisfaction. ARPANSA drives continual improvement and innovation based upon efficient business processes, well-defined measurements, best practices and customer surveys. Performance of the AMS is measured and monitored through our quality objectives. Our commitment to continual improvement will ensure that our stakeholders and customers have confidence in the accuracy and integrity of our products and services. 

6.3 Involvement of people

All ARPANSA staff are responsible for the quality of their work. ARPANSA provides training and has established systems to assist all staff to achieve the standards required. While we endeavor to produce work and offer a service that we can be proud of, we have to recognise that we don’t always achieve our own standards. When a customer complains, we are committed to investigating the complaint and will do our best to put right all justified complaints.

6.4 System approach to management

The AMS will provide the overarching framework that connects existing systems for quality management and provides for continual improvement across all processes and procedures. A systems approach to management involves establishing objectives, policies and processes and periodically reviewing these for continued currency. The framework for such reviews is detailed in the AMS documentation, as well as maintaining their appropriateness against the current ARPANSA policies and strategic objectives, and complying with all applicable local, national and international laws, regulations, standards and codes of practice. 

6.5 Leadership

Key to the AMS is the support of management which is responsible for providing the internal environment that allows ARPANSA staff to contribute to achievement of ARPANSA’s strategic objectives.

Promoting an agency culture supporting quality that recognises and implements agreed business improvement initiatives. 

Terms and definitions 

Reference