Supplier qualification
A recognised basis for qualification by nuclear operators and EPC contractors.
Certification support
ISO 19443 Nuclear Supply Chain Quality
Current edition: ISO 19443:2018
The quality management standard for organisations that supply products and services important to nuclear safety. It builds on ISO 9001 with nuclear-specific requirements, including nuclear safety culture and a graded approach to controls.
What the standard covers
What ISO 19443 adds to ISO 9001
ISO 19443 keeps the ISO 9001 structure and adds requirements that reflect the consequences of failure in nuclear applications.
Nuclear safety culture
Leadership and behaviours that put nuclear safety first.
ITNS identification
Products and services important to nuclear safety identified and communicated.
Graded approach
Controls proportionate to the safety significance of each item.
Requirement flow-down
Nuclear safety requirements passed through every tier of the supply chain.
Counterfeit and suspect items
Prevention and detection of counterfeit, fraudulent and suspect items.
Special processes
Qualification and control of welding, heat treatment and other special processes.
Traceability
Identification and traceability through manufacture and delivery.
Nonconformity reporting
Nonconformities affecting nuclear safety reported to the customer.
Why organisations implement it
What ISO 19443 delivers
Fewer customer audits
One certified system answers many customer quality audits.
Safety culture evidence
Demonstrable behaviours and controls customers can verify.
Supply chain control
Requirements flowed down to your own suppliers.
Lower risk of CFSI
Controls that keep counterfeit and suspect items out.
Built on ISO 9001
Your existing quality system is the foundation.
How we work
Path to certification
One AEC methodology from first assessment to certificate, delivered by registered lead auditors.
- AssessGap assessment against ISO 19443, scope and roadmap
- DesignProcesses, risk register, policy and documented information
- ImplementProcesses embedded with coaching for process owners
- TrainAwareness for all staff and internal auditor development
- VerifyInternal audit, management review and mock certification audit
- Certify & sustainStage 1 and Stage 2 support, then surveillance readiness
Full implementation
No existing system. We design and implement from the ground up.
Typically 9 to 12 monthsGap remediation
Some documentation in place. We close the gaps and prove effectiveness.
Typically 6 to 9 monthsUpgrade & integration
We add the nuclear requirements to your ISO 9001 system.
Typically 4 to 6 months
Who certifies
Independent certification, chosen to fit your market
Your ISO 19443 certificate is issued by an independent certification body accredited by UKAS, DAkkS or an equivalent national accreditation body. AEC prepares you for that audit; the certification decision is theirs.
CB-neutral
We are not tied to one certification body and help you select one to suit your stakeholders and markets.
Audit-ready
Mock certification audit and closed corrective actions before Stage 1 and Stage 2.
No guarantees
We prepare you thoroughly and never promise an outcome only an independent auditor can decide.
Where it applies
ISO 19443 by industry
Power & utilities · nuclear generation supply chains
Manufacturing · components, valves and instrumentation
Construction · civil and mechanical works
Government · research and defence nuclear programmes
Related standards
Questions
ISO 19443 FAQ
Does AEC issue the ISO 19443 certificate?
No. Certificates are issued by independent certification bodies accredited for ISO 19443 by a national accreditation body. AEC prepares your organisation for that audit.
Who needs ISO 19443?
Organisations in the nuclear supply chain that provide products or services important to nuclear safety, where operators or contractors require it.
We hold ISO 9001. How much more work is ISO 19443?
Your ISO 9001 system is the base. The work is in nuclear safety culture, the graded approach, flow-down and CFSI controls, typically 4 to 6 months.
Does ISO 19443 replace nuclear regulatory requirements?
No. National nuclear regulations and customer-specific requirements still apply. ISO 19443 provides the quality system that helps you meet them.
Start your ISO 19443 programme
Tell us your products, customers and current quality system. We reply with a proposal covering gap assessment, implementation and certification support.
Certification decisions are made by independent, accredited certification bodies. AEC prepares organisations for certification and does not guarantee certification outcomes.