NP 071-18 PDF

Full title and description

NP 071-18 — Federal rules and regulations in the field of the use of atomic energy: "Conformity assessment rules of products for which statutory requirements related to safety in the field of atomic energy use are established, and of processes of their design (including surveys), production, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, storage, transport, sale, utilization and disposal." This national regulatory document sets mandatory requirements for how conformity of products and related processes is demonstrated for use in nuclear facilities and other activities involving atomic energy.

Abstract

NP 071-18 establishes procedures, forms and conditions for assessment of conformity of products and of processes across their life cycle where safety requirements in the field of atomic energy apply. The document defines the scope of products and processes covered, the classification by safety significance, the roles and responsibilities of manufacturers, suppliers, conformity assessment bodies and regulators, and the documentation, testing and certification steps required to demonstrate compliance. NP 071-18 replaces and expands earlier national rules (partially superseding NP-071-06) and includes later amendments to clarify implementation and recordkeeping.

General information

• Status: Active (national federal rules/regulation for use in the Russian Federation; implemented and in force with subsequent amendments).
• Publication date: 18 March 2018 (approved 6 February 2018; registered with the Ministry of Justice 7 March 2018; came into effect 19 March 2018).
• Publisher: Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor) — national regulatory authority for atomic energy safety.
• ICS / categories: 27.120 (Nuclear energy engineering); 03.120.20 (Product and company certification — Conformity assessment).
• Edition / version: NP 071-18 (2018 edition); includes amendments (notably amended 5 April 2020 and other editorial updates).
• Number of pages: 19 pages (official published edition; vendor listings may show alternative page counts for translated or combined publications).

Scope

NP 071-18 applies to products, equipment, materials and supplies, and to processes related to their design, manufacture, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, storage, transport, sale, utilization, disposal and burial, when statutory safety requirements in the field of atomic energy apply. It is intended for use at nuclear power plants, research reactors, critical and subcritical test stands, non-destructive testing systems, physical protection systems for nuclear materials, storage points and other nuclear installations. The document covers the forms of conformity assessment applicable at different life‑cycle stages and the responsibilities of economic operators and conformity assessment bodies.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and principles of conformity assessment in the nuclear sector, including life‑cycle coverage (design, production, installation, operation, maintenance, transport, disposal).
• Classification of products/processes by safety significance and assignment of assessment levels accordingly.
• Approved forms and procedures for conformity assessment (type testing, inspection, quality assurance audits, certification, laboratory testing and documentation review).
• Requirements for competence, independence and accreditation/recognition of conformity assessment bodies and testing laboratories used for nuclear safety items.
• Documentation, records and marking required to demonstrate conformity (technical documentation, test reports, certificates, protocols of acceptance).
• Rules for handling nonconforming products and corrective measures, and conditions for suspension or withdrawal of conformity evidence.
• Interactions between manufacturers/suppliers, operators and the regulator (roles, notification and reporting obligations).
• Reference to safety-classification systems and cross-references to other national nuclear safety requirements (e.g., requirements for categorizing equipment by safety class).

Typical use and users

NP 071-18 is used by national regulators, nuclear facility operators, engineering and design organizations, equipment manufacturers and suppliers to the nuclear sector, conformity assessment bodies and accredited testing laboratories, procurement and quality assurance managers, and construction/installation contractors who supply safety‑related products and services for atomic‑energy facilities. It is applied when planning conformity assessment activities, preparing technical dossiers, specifying supplier requirements in procurement documentation, and when regulators review evidence of compliance.

Related standards

NP 071-18 is used alongside or with reference to other national and international documents such as earlier national NP-series rules (e.g., NP-071-06 where partially replaced), NP-001-15 (classification by safety classes), other NP and RB safety guides, IAEA safety standards and SSR/SSG publications, and international conformity‑assessment and laboratory standards (ISO/IEC 17000 series, ISO/IEC 17025, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO 9001) and nuclear‑specific technical standards (for example IEC and IAEA documents on instrumentation, quality assurance and safety classification).

Keywords

conformity assessment; nuclear safety; product certification; testing; accreditation; Rostekhnadzor; NP-071-18; life cycle; nuclear installations; safety classification; supplier quality; inspection; laboratory testing.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: NP 071-18 is a Russian federal rules/regulations document that sets mandatory procedures and requirements for assessment of conformity of products and processes where atomic‑energy safety requirements apply. It defines how compliance must be demonstrated for safety‑related items used in nuclear facilities.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers forms and procedures of conformity assessment across the product life cycle — design (including surveys), production, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, storage, transport, sale, utilization and disposal — for products and processes subject to statutory nuclear safety requirements.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Regulators (Rostekhnadzor), nuclear plant operators, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, conformity assessment bodies, accredited testing laboratories, designers, constructors and QA managers involved in nuclear‑sector procurement, acceptance and regulatory compliance.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: NP 071-18 was published in March 2018 and is the 2018 edition (NP 071-18). It replaced or partially repealed earlier rule NP-071-06. Amendments and corrections have been issued (notably an amendment dated 5 April 2020 and editorial updates in 2018). Users should always confirm whether more recent amendments or replacement documents have been issued by the national regulator before relying on any single copy for compliance.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. NP 071-18 is part of the national NP (federal norms and rules) series covering various regulatory aspects of atomic energy use. It cross‑references other NP documents and RB (safety guides) documents that together form the national regulatory framework for nuclear safety.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Conformity assessment, nuclear safety, product certification, testing, accreditation, safety class, Rostekhnadzor, life cycle, inspection, NP‑071‑18.