Setting the Standard - Chuka Univeristy

To enhance the quality and safety of laboratory operations, Chuka University conducted a comprehensive in-house training for its laboratory technologists in collaboration with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). The specialized program was organized as a follow-up to an earlier visit during which the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Henry Mutembei requested technical capacity-building for laboratory staff. The week-long training aimed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to align laboratory practices with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards, improve safety, and prepare the institution for future accreditation.

Key objectives of the training included improving equipment maintenance and calibration, promoting safer laboratory environments, enhancing documentation and standard operating procedures (SOPs), and strengthening understanding of institutional obligations under the Nuclear Regulatory Act (Cap. 243). Experts from KEBS, the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA), and the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) facilitated sessions covering ISO standard implementation, equipment handling, radiation safety, and waste management.

The practical sessions guided participants through topics such as uncertainty measurement, calibration, preventive maintenance, and the safe use of nuclear technologies in agricultural and scientific applications. A total of 24 technologists drawn from various disciplines, including chemistry, biological sciences, physics, plant and animal sciences, and public health, benefited from the training. Each participant received dual certification upon completion.

Beyond the scheduled sessions, and as part of ongoing efforts to position Chuka University laboratories for accreditation and mapping as KEBS reference laboratories to ensure efficient and uninterrupted technical support, Dr. Joshua Njiru and Ms. Grace Ateka, under the guidance of Prof. Paul Kamweru and Prof. Joel Gichumbi, toured several laboratory facilities. The visit covered the Analytical and Characterisation Chemistry Laboratories, the Geophysics Laboratory, and the Physics Characterisation Laboratory, which houses advanced instrumentation, including the Kelvin Probe Microscopy system.

The training underscored Chuka University’s commitment to advancing research integrity, safety compliance, and quality assurance in laboratory operations while preparing its facilities for national and international accreditation.