Browsing by Author "Chisari, R"

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    ISO 9001 accreditation in an R&D environment - is it possible?
    (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2004-10-24) Szymczak, R; Henderson-Sellers, A; Lowson, RT; Chisari, R
    The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is Australia's national nuclear organisation and its centre of Australian nuclear expertise. ANSTO is in the process of replacing its 1950’s, 15 MW, high flux (up to 1015 n cm-2 s-1) reactor with a new reactor which will allow it to continue its cutting edge nuclear science and radiopharmaceutical production well into the 21st century. A ministerial requirement for licensing the facility is ISO 9001 accreditation of its quality management system. The accreditation process has been staggered at ANSTO. Individual divisions are attaining ISO 9001 accreditation separately, leading up to site-wide accreditation of an overarching ANSTO Business Management System. ANSTO Environment is the largest multidisciplinary environmental research group in Australia and the largest R & D unit at ANSTO, comprising around 150 biologists, chemists, engineers, geophysicists, meteorologists, microbiologists, oceanographers, physicists, and technicians (Fig. 1). ANSTO Environment operates and maintains a wide range of advanced nuclear and analytical facilities including three particle accelerators, a 10 MV Tandem accelerator, a 3 MV Van de Graaff accelerator and a newly acquired 2MV HVEE tandetron; a high current 50 kV Metal Vapour Vacuum Arc Ion Implantation (MEVVA) Facility; a Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS); and many other laboratory and field-based facilities. The objective of ANSTO Environment is to carry out a problem-focused, balanced program of strategic and applied research and development, using its nuclear science-based core expertise and closely-related techniques, to: assist the Commonwealth Government to further its national and international initiatives, and to protect and conserve the natural environment through sustainable development; · assist industry in advancing Australia's competitive position in the world economy; · ensure that environmental monitoring of nuclear facilities is effective in assuring operational adherence to sound environmental protection principles. “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler” Albert Einstein In February 2000 ANSTO Environment successfully acquired ISO 9001:2000 accreditation of its quality management system and was amongst the first organisations to adopt the new 2000 revision of the international ISO 9001 standard. The new standard allows a much more flexible and less prescriptive format for quality management systems however, in the absence of examples of accreditation in the R & D area, presented a challenge in concept, definition of process, buy-in by staff and subsequent maintenance of the successful certification. The ANSTO Environment Manual of Good Management Practice [1] outlines our identity, our vision, our core values, our responsibilities, our operational processes and our commitment to continual improvement via internal and external review. This paper is a description and discussion of the elements, concepts and process for achieving staff buy-in in the face of initial opposition. This included identifying those necessary elements of a good management system, rejection of pejorative dogma associated with ‘Quality’ and ownership of the process by all the staff.
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    ISO 9001 accreditation in an R&D environment - is it possible?
    (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2006) Szymczak, R; Henderson-Sellers, A; Lowson, RT; Chisari, R
    The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is Australia's national nuclear organisation and its centre of Australian nuclear expertise. ANSTO is in the process of replacing its 1950’s, 15 MW, high flux (up to 1015 n cm-2 s-1) reactor with a new reactor which will allow it to continue its cutting edge nuclear science and radiopharmaceutical production well into the 21st century. A ministerial requirement for licensing the facility is ISO 9001 accreditation of its quality management system. The accreditation process has been staggered at ANSTO. Individual divisions are attaining ISO 9001 accreditation separately, leading up to site-wide accreditation of an overarching ANSTO Business Management System. ANSTO Environment is the largest multidisciplinary environmental research group in Australia and the largest R & D unit at ANSTO, comprising around 150 biologists, chemists, engineers, geophysicists, meteorologists, microbiologists, oceanographers, physicists, and technicians (Fig. 1). ANSTO Environment operates and maintains a wide range of advanced nuclear and analytical facilities including three particle accelerators, a 10 MV Tandem accelerator, a 3 MV Van de Graaff accelerator and a newly acquired 2MV HVEE tandetron; a high current 50 kV Metal Vapour Vacuum Arc Ion Implantation (MEVVA) Facility; a Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS); and many other laboratory and field-based facilities. The objective of ANSTO Environment is to carry out a problem-focused, balanced program of strategic and applied research and development, using its nuclear science-based core expertise and closely-related techniques, to: · assist the Commonwealth Government to further its national and international initiatives, and to protect and conserve the natural environment through sustainable development; · assist industry in advancing Australia's competitive position in the world economy; · ensure that environmental monitoring of nuclear facilities is effective in assuring operational adherence to sound environmental protection principles. “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler” Albert Einstein In February 2000 ANSTO Environment successfully acquired ISO 9001:2000 accreditation of its quality management system and was amongst the first organisations to adopt the new 2000 revision of the international ISO 9001 standard. The new standard allows a much more flexible and less prescriptive format for quality management systems however, in the absence of examples of accreditation in the R & D area, presented a challenge in concept, definition of process, buy-in by staff and subsequent maintenance of the successful certification. The ANSTO Environment Manual of Good Management Practice [1] outlines our identity, our vision, our core values, our responsibilities, our operational processes and our commitment to continual improvement via internal and external review. This paper is a description and discussion of the elements, concepts and process for achieving staff buy-in in the face of initial opposition. This included identifying those necessary elements of a good management system, rejection of pejorative dogma associated with ‘Quality’ and ownership of the process by all the staff.
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    Tracing the age, origins and hydrodynamics of groundwater and surface water exchange in river banks
    (International Association of Hydrogeologists, 2013-09-17) Unland, NP; Cartwright, I; Cendón, DI; Chisari, R
    It is common for groundwater-surface water assessments to be conducted within streams at discrete time intervals in order to characterise the gaining or losing nature of a stream and the volumetric flux of water between the two reservoirs. While these studies offer sound scientific information for one point in time, they often overlook the dynamics of groundwater and surface water interaction under changing hydrologic conditions. This study couples discrete sampling for hydrochemical parameters with the continuous monitoring of physical parameters at multiple locations. in taking this approach the interaction between river water and groundwater stored in river banks can be assessed over space and time, allowing for both the qualitative and quantitative impacts of water exchange to be assessed. Continuous analysis of groundwater head levels and electrical conductivity indicates the presence of a semi conned aquifer of increased salinity underlying an unconfined aquifer of lower salinity in the region. Carbon-14 and tritium results indicate that groundwater in the underlying aquifer is significantly older than that of the unconfined aquifer, with variable mixing between the two resulting a range of intermediate ages. While discrete sampling and temperature profiling of river water indicates a predominantly gaining system, reversal of hydraulic gradients during periods of increased rainfall and river discharge indicates a change to losing conditions. Although this indicates the occurrence of bank infiltration, an initial increase in groundwater electrical conductivity during increased river discharge suggests that increased leakage from the semi-confined aquifer dominates groundwater chemistry at these times. The degree to which this occurs varies between locations and the scale of discharge events. This study illustrates the complexity and variability by which groundwater-surface water interactions can occur within river banks.