Establishing an Internationally recognized Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) laboratory network is long process and it includes various steps related to human resource development in terms of gaining expertise, establishing demanding laboratory infrastructure and validating competencies for providing service.

The Institute of Metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina started establishing of this laboratory through the regional national IPA project 2008, which was implemented during 2014 and 2015, despite numerous problems and obstacles. This € 500,000 European Commission program provided irradiation equipment including a Cs-137 source and a calibration X-ray (40-320 kV). This essential equipment for achieving SSDL status was insufficient for the full realization of dosimetric quantities, and the Institute of Metrology of B&H in cooperation with the State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SRARNS B&H) was granted participation in technical cooperation projects with the International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAEA), which provided missing equipment and further  development of this laboratory:

·         2016: BOH6015 ˝Establishing National Diagnostic Reference Levels in Diagnostic Radiology˝, 

·         2018: BOH9009 ˝Sustaining an Integrated Management System and Capabilities in the Regulatory Body and Strengthening Capabilities of the Dosimetry Laboratory˝, 

·         2020: BOH1001 ˝Strengthening the Use of Radiation Processing Applications and Upgrading the Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratory˝.

These bi-annual technical cooperation projects with the IAEA provided additional equipment to the Laboratory for ionizing radiation of the Institute of Metrology of B&H for the establishing radiation qualities in the field of radiation protection and part of diagnostic radiology. In addition to the equipment, the project provided training for experts from the Institute of Metrology of B&H in SSDL laboratories in Greece, Serbia, Norway and in the IAEA laboratory in Austria, where the International Agency is seated.

In addition to technical cooperation projects, the development of IMIBiH Laboratory for Ionizing Radiation (with SSDL status in the IAEA network) was made possible through participation in a number of scientific research projects EMPIR (European Metrology Program for Innovation and Research) implemented within EURAMET and supported by the European union through Horizon 2020, and bilateral projects with other European Institutes. We highlight some of the most important projects:

·         14RPT04 – Absorb ˝Absorbed dose to water˝ (2015.-2017.) whose activities were completed in November 2017. Within this project, in addition to the technical activities of the laboratory audit and the development of calibration methods, the RMG (Research Mobility Grant) of the laboratory employee at the French national laboratory Henri Becquerel was realized for a period of 3 months.

·         17RPT01 – DOSEtrace ˝Calibration capabilities for radiation protection dosimeters˝ (2018.-2021.) coordinated by an expert from IMBiH. This project stands out as a very important project for the development of radiation protection and relevant quantities. As part of the project, a laboratory employee started RMG for 3 months in IST (Portugal).

·         19 NET03 - supportBSS ˝Support for European Metrology Network on reliable radiation protection regulation˝ (2020.-2024.) – in which IMBiH coordinates the work package for identifying the needs of end users for calibration and training services in the field of radiation protection, and participates and in a number of other technical activities.

·         Bilateral project with CMI Institute, National Metrology Institute of the Czech Republic and PTB, National Metrology Institute of Germany.

·         The Laboratory for Ionizing Radiation of the Institute of Metrology of B&H (with the status of SSDL in the IAEA network) became a member of the European Metrology Network "EMN on radiation protection" which was approved in 2021 within EURAMET, and whose aim is to create a sustainable protection structure from radiation which is an area of ​​strategic importance for the future of European metrology.

Representatives of the Laboratory for ionizing radiation of the Institute of Metrology of B&H actively participate in the work of technical committees for the field of ionizing radiation in regional metrological organizations EURAMET, COOMET and GULFMET.

The Laboratory for Ionizing Radiation of the Institute of Metrology of BiH fulfilled all the requirements and officially became a member of the IAEA / WHO SSDL Network on November 7. 2018, and confirmed its International recognition.

According to the IAEA, a Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) which is a member of the Network is a laboratory designated by the competent national authority and whose duty is to provide metrological traceability for dosimetry quantities in that country. Its standards are traceable to primary standards and SI units as shown in the traceability chain:

The goal of participation in IAEA/WHO SSDL Network is to ensure Internationally recognized metrological traceability, i.e. link to International system of units through IAEA, or recognized SSDL laboratory to end users.  In addition, this Network obliges SSDL to regularly participate in bilateral intercomparisons conducted by the IAEA, whereby the laboratory continuously confirms its metrological competencies. IMBIH laboratory has so far had a total of three successful participations in IAEA intercomparisons.

Laboratory for ionizing radiation of the Institute of Metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina is located at Jovana Dučića 23a in Banja Luka.

The Institute of Metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina realizes significant cooperation with the State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SRARNS B&H) and meets all requirements under the Regulation on notification and authorization of activities with ionizing radiation sources ("Official Gazette of B&H" No. 66/10).

Accordingly, this laboratory is licensed by SRARNS B&H to perform activities with ionizing radiation sources.

This laboratory provides services in the field of ionizing radiation to clients from Bosnia and Herzegovina from the public / health and industrial sectors. The importance of this laboratory is recognized by the health sector, which can now calibrate their measuring devices in Bosnia and Herzegovina which they previously had to send abroad, which is a long and expensive procedure. Some of the first clients of our laboratory were: Institute of Public Health of FBiH, Institute of Public Health of RS, C.I.B.O.S, MEDPOINT, BERG, etc.

Details on the measurement capabilities of the laboratory can be found at: https://met.gov.ba/bs-Latn-BA/laboratories/2/laboratorija-za-jonizirajuce-zracenje/10/kalibracije-i-ozracivanja.