Safety through international standards
“Governments, regulatory bodies and operators everywhere must ensure that nuclear material and radiation sources are used beneficially, safely and ethically. The IAEA safety standards are designed to facilitate this, and I encourage all Member States to make use of them.”
Yukiya Amano Director General
IAEA Safety Standards
for protecting people and the environment
General Safety Requirements
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VIENNA
ISBN 978–92 –0–108815–4 ISSN 1020–525X
No. GSR Part 1 (Rev. 1)
Governmental, Legal and Regulatory
Framework for Safety
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IAEA SAFETY STANDARDS AND RELATED PUBLICATIONS
IAEA SAFETY STANDARDS
Under the terms of Article III of its Statute, the IAEA is authorized to establish or adopt standards of safety for protection of health and minimization of danger to life and property, and to provide for the application of these standards.
The publications by means of which the IAEA establishes standards are issued in the IAEA Safety Standards Series. This series covers nuclear safety, radiation safety, transport safety and waste safety. The publication categories in the series are Safety Fundamentals, Safety Requirements and Safety Guides.
Information on the IAEA’s safety standards programme is available on the IAEA Internet site
http://www-ns.iaea.org/standards/
The site provides the texts in English of published and draft safety standards. The texts of safety standards issued in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish, the IAEA Safety Glossary and a status report for safety standards under development are also available. For further information, please contact the IAEA at: Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria.
All users of IAEA safety standards are invited to inform the IAEA of experience in their use (e.g. as a basis for national regulations, for safety reviews and for training courses) for the purpose of ensuring that they continue to meet users’ needs. Information may be provided via the IAEA Internet site or by post, as above, or by email to Offi cial.Mail@iaea.org.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
The IAEA provides for the application of the standards and, under the terms of Articles III and VIII.C of its Statute, makes available and fosters the exchange of information relating to peaceful nuclear activities and serves as an intermediary among its Member States for this purpose.
Reports on safety in nuclear activities are issued as Safety Reports, which provide practical examples and detailed methods that can be used in support of the safety standards.
Other safety related IAEA publications are issued as Emergency Preparedness and Response publications, Radiological Assessment Reports, the International Nuclear Safety Group’s INSAG Reports, Technical Reports and TECDOCs. The IAEA also issues reports on radiological accidents, training manuals and practical manuals, and other special safety related publications.
Security related publications are issued in the IAEA Nuclear Security Series.
The IAEA Nuclear Energy Series comprises informational publications to encourage and assist research on, and the development and practical application of, nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. It includes reports and guides on the status of and advances in technology, and on experience, good practices and practical examples in the areas of nuclear power, the nuclear fuel cycle, radioactive waste management and decommissioning.
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GOVERNMENTAL, LEGAL
AND REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK FOR SAFETY
AFGHANISTAN ALBANIA ALGERIA ANGOLA
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA ARGENTINA
ARMENIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRIA AZERBAIJAN BAHAMAS BAHRAIN BANGLADESH BARBADOS BELARUS BELGIUM BELIZE BENIN
BOLIVIA, PLURINATIONAL STATE OF
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA BOTSWANA
BRAZIL
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM BULGARIA
BURKINA FASO BURUNDI CAMBODIA CAMEROON CANADA
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC CHADCHILE CHINA COLOMBIA CONGO COSTA RICA CÔTE D’IVOIRE CROATIA CUBACYPRUS CZECH REPUBLIC DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO DENMARK DJIBOUTI DOMINICA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ECUADOR
EGYPT EL SALVADOR ERITREA ESTONIA ETHIOPIA FIJIFINLAND FRANCE GABON
GEORGIA GERMANY GHANA GREECE GUATEMALA GUYANA HAITI HOLY SEE HONDURAS HUNGARY ICELAND INDIA INDONESIA
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAQIRELAND
ISRAEL ITALY JAMAICA JAPAN JORDAN KAZAKHSTAN KENYA
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF KUWAIT
KYRGYZSTAN
LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
LATVIA LEBANON LESOTHO LIBERIA LIBYA LIECHTENSTEIN LITHUANIA LUXEMBOURG MADAGASCAR MALAWI MALAYSIA MALIMALTA
MARSHALL ISLANDS MAURITANIA MAURITIUS MEXICO MONACO MONGOLIA MONTENEGRO MOROCCO MOZAMBIQUE MYANMAR NAMIBIA NEPAL NETHERLANDS NEW ZEALAND NICARAGUA NIGER NIGERIA NORWAY
OMANPAKISTAN PALAU PANAMA
PAPUA NEW GUINEA PARAGUAY PERUPHILIPPINES POLAND PORTUGAL QATAR
REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA ROMANIA
RUSSIAN FEDERATION RWANDA
SAN MARINO SAUDI ARABIA SENEGAL SERBIA SEYCHELLES SIERRA LEONE SINGAPORE SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA SOUTH AFRICA SPAIN SRI LANKA SUDAN SWAZILAND SWEDEN SWITZERLAND SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC TAJIKISTAN
THAILAND
THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA TOGOTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TUNISIA
TURKEY UGANDA UKRAINE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNITED KINGDOM OF
GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND UNITED REPUBLIC
OF TANZANIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA URUGUAY
UZBEKISTAN VANUATU
VENEZUELA, BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF
VIET NAM YEMEN ZAMBIA ZIMBABWE The following States are Members of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
The Agency’s Statute was approved on 23 October 1956 by the Conference on the Statute of the IAEA held at United Nations Headquarters, New York; it entered into force on 29 July 1957. The Headquarters of the Agency are situated in Vienna. Its principal objective is “to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world’’.
IAEA SAFETY STANDARDS SERIES No. GSR Part 1 (Rev. 1)
GOVERNMENTAL, LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR SAFETY
GENERAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
This publication includes a CD-ROM containing the IAEA Safety Glossary:
2007 Edition (2007) and the Fundamental Safety Principles (2006), each in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish versions.
The CD-ROM is also available for purchase separately.
See: http://www-pub.iaea.org/books
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VIENNA, 2016
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All IAEA scientific and technical publications are protected by the terms of the Universal Copyright Convention as adopted in 1952 (Berne) and as revised in 1972 (Paris). The copyright has since been extended by the World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva) to include electronic and virtual intellectual property. Permission to use whole or parts of texts contained in IAEA publications in printed or electronic form must be obtained and is usually subject to royalty agreements. Proposals for non-commercial reproductions and translations are welcomed and considered on a case-by-case basis. Enquiries should be addressed to the IAEA Publishing Section at:
Marketing and Sales Unit, Publishing Section International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre PO Box 100
1400 Vienna, Austria fax: +43 1 2600 29302 tel.: +43 1 2600 22417
email: sales.publications@iaea.org http://www.iaea.org/books
© IAEA, 2016 Printed by the IAEA in Austria
February 2016 STI/PUB/1713
IAEA Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Names: International Atomic Energy Agency.
Title: Governmental, legal and regulatory framework for safety / International Atomic Energy Agency.
Description: Vienna : International Atomic Energy Agency, 2016. | IAEA safety standards series, ISSN 1020–525X ; no. GSR Part 1 (Rev. 1) | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: : IAEAL 16-01015 | ISBN 978–92–0–108815–4 (paperback : alk. paper) Subjects: Radioactive substances — Safety measures. | Nuclear facilities — Safety
measures. | Radiation protection — Government policy. | Radiation protection — Law and legislation. | Radioactive waste management — Safety measures.
Classification: UDC 620.267:006.88 | STI/PUB/1713
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All IAEA scientific and technical publications are protected by the terms of the Universal Copyright Convention as adopted in 1952 (Berne) and as revised in 1972 (Paris). The copyright has since been extended by the World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva) to include electronic and virtual intellectual property. Permission to use whole or parts of texts contained in IAEA publications in printed or electronic form must be obtained and is usually subject to royalty agreements. Proposals for non-commercial reproductions and translations are welcomed and considered on a case-by-case basis. Enquiries should be addressed to the IAEA Publishing Section at:
Marketing and Sales Unit, Publishing Section International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre PO Box 100
1400 Vienna, Austria fax: +43 1 2600 29302 tel.: +43 1 2600 22417
email: sales.publications@iaea.org http://www.iaea.org/books
FOREWORD by Yukiya Amano
Director General
The IAEA’s Statute authorizes the Agency to “establish or adopt…
standards of safety for protection of health and minimization of danger to life and property” — standards that the IAEA must use in its own operations, and which States can apply by means of their regulatory provisions for nuclear and radiation safety. The IAEA does this in consultation with the competent organs of the United Nations and with the specialized agencies concerned. A comprehensive set of high quality standards under regular review is a key element of a stable and sustainable global safety regime, as is the IAEA’s assistance in their application.
The IAEA commenced its safety standards programme in 1958. The emphasis placed on quality, fitness for purpose and continuous improvement has led to the widespread use of the IAEA standards throughout the world. The Safety Standards Series now includes unified Fundamental Safety Principles, which represent an international consensus on what must constitute a high level of protection and safety. With the strong support of the Commission on Safety Standards, the IAEA is working to promote the global acceptance and use of its standards.
Standards are only effective if they are properly applied in practice.
The IAEA’s safety services encompass design, siting and engineering safety, operational safety, radiation safety, safe transport of radioactive material and safe management of radioactive waste, as well as governmental organization, regulatory matters and safety culture in organizations. These safety services assist Member States in the application of the standards and enable valuable experience and insights to be shared.
Regulating safety is a national responsibility, and many States have decided to adopt the IAEA’s standards for use in their national regulations. For parties to the various international safety conventions, IAEA standards provide a consistent, reliable means of ensuring the effective fulfilment of obligations under the conventions. The standards are also applied by regulatory bodies and operators around the world to enhance safety in nuclear power generation and in nuclear applications in medicine, industry, agriculture and research.
Safety is not an end in itself but a prerequisite for the purpose of the protection of people in all States and of the environment — now and in the future. The risks associated with ionizing radiation must be assessed and controlled without unduly limiting the contribution of nuclear energy to equitable and sustainable development. Governments, regulatory bodies and operators everywhere must ensure that nuclear material and radiation sources are used beneficially, safely and ethically. The IAEA safety standards are designed to facilitate this, and I encourage all Member States to make use of them.
PREFACE
The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan followed the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 11 March 2011.
The IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety (GOV/2011/59-GC(55)/14) was developed in response to the Fukushima Daiichi accident1 and was approved by the IAEA Board of Governors and endorsed by the IAEA General Conference in September 2011 (GC(55)/RES/9). It includes an action headed: Review and strengthen IAEA Safety Standards and improve their implementation.
This action called upon the Commission on Safety Standards (CSS) and the IAEA Secretariat to review, and revise as necessary, the relevant IAEA safety standards in a prioritized sequence, and called on Member States to utilize the IAEA safety standards as broadly and effectively as possible.
This review covered, among other topics, the regulatory structure, emergency preparedness and response, and nuclear safety and engineering aspects (site selection and evaluation, assessment of extreme natural hazards, including their combined effects, management of severe accidents, station blackout, loss of heat sink, accumulation of explosive gases, the behaviour of nuclear fuel and the safety of spent fuel storage).
In 2011, the Secretariat commenced such a review of Safety Requirements publications in the IAEA Safety Standards Series on the basis of information that was available on the Fukushima Daiichi accident, including two reports from the Government of Japan, issued in June 2011 and September 2011, the report of the IAEA International Fact Finding Expert Mission conducted in Japan from 24 May to 2 June 2011, and a letter from the Chair of the International Nuclear Safety Group (INSAG) to the Director General dated 26 July 2011. As a priority, the Secretariat reviewed the Safety Requirements publications applicable to nuclear power plants and to the storage of spent fuel.
The review consisted first of a comprehensive analysis of the findings of these reports. In the light of the results of this analysis, the Safety Requirements publications were then examined in a systematic manner in order to decide whether amendments were desirable to reflect any of these findings.
On that basis, the CSS approved, at its meeting in October 2012, a proposal for a revision process by amendment for the following five Safety Requirements publications: Governmental, Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safety (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 1, 2010); Safety Assessment for Facilities and Activities (GSR Part 4, 2009); Safety of Nuclear
1 For further information, see INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, The Fukushima Daiichi Accident: Report by the Director General, IAEA, Vienna (2015).
Power Plants: Design (SSR-2/1, 2012); Safety of Nuclear Power Plants:
Commissioning and Operation (SSR-2/2, 2011); and Site Evaluation for Nuclear Installations (NS-R-3, 2003).
Additional inputs were considered in preparing the draft text of the proposed amendments to these five safety standards in 2012 and 2013, including the findings of the IAEA International Experts Meetings and presentations made at the Second Extraordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, in August 2012. Several national and regional reports were also considered.
On the review of the Safety Requirements, the Commission’s conclusion, reflected in a letter from the CSS Chair to the Director General dated 6 January 2014, was that:
“the review has confirmed so far the adequacy of the current Safety Requirements. The review revealed no significant areas of weakness, and just a small set of amendments were proposed to strengthen the requirements and facilitate their implementation. The CSS believes that the IAEA Safety Standards should be enhanced mainly through the well-established review and revision process that has been in use for some years. At the same time, CSS members highlighted that the basis for the review and revision of the IAEA Safety Standards should not be limited to the lessons of the Fukushima Daiichi accident. This basis should also include other operating experience from elsewhere as well as information gained from advances in research and development. The CSS also stressed that greater attention needs to be paid to the implementation of IAEA safety standards by and in Member States.”
The draft amendments were reviewed by the Secretariat in consultants meetings, as well as by the Nuclear Safety Standards Committee, the Radiation Safety Standards Committee, the Transport Safety Standards Committee and the Waste Safety Standards Committee, in the first half of 2013. They were also presented for information to the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee in 2013. The draft amendments were then submitted to IAEA Member States for comment and revised in consultants meetings in the light of comments received.
The proposed amendments were then approved by all four Safety Standards Committees at their meetings in June and July 2014, and were endorsed by the CSS at its meeting in November 2014.
The revisions to GSR Part 1 relate to the following main areas:
— Independence of the regulatory body;
— Prime responsibility for safety;
— Emergency preparedness and response;
— International obligations and arrangements for international cooperation;
— Liaison between the regulatory body and authorized parties;
— Review and assessment of information relevant to safety;
— Communication and consultation with interested parties.
Amendments have been made to specific paragraphs, as outlined below.
New paragraphs have been added; these are indicated by means of an uppercase letter (A, B, …). In addition, where a paragraph has been deleted, this is indicated in the text.
The following requirements and paragraphs have been amended or added in this revised edition: 2.8, 2.15A, 2.23, 2.24A, 2.24B, Requirement 14, 3.2, 3.2A, 3.4, 3.5A, 4.24, 4.39A, 4.43, 4.67 and 4.68. Some amendments of an editorial nature have also been made.
A table of changes made is available upon request to the IAEA (Safety.Standards@iaea.org).
The Board, at its meeting starting on 2 March 2015, established as an IAEA safety standard — in accordance with Article III.A.6 of the Statute of the IAEA
— the draft of this revised Safety Requirements publication, and authorized the Director General to promulgate these revised safety requirements and to issue them as a Safety Requirements publication in the IAEA Safety Standards Series.
The 59th IAEA General Conference, in September 2015, encouraged Member States to implement measures nationally, regionally and internationally to ensure nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety, as well as emergency preparedness, taking full account of IAEA safety standards; requested the IAEA to continuously review, strengthen and implement as broadly and effectively as possible the IAEA safety standards; and supported the CSS and the Safety Standards Committees in their review of the relevant safety standards in the light of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, as well as the lessons identified in the IAEA report on the Fukushima Daiichi accident1.
The General Conference requested the Secretariat:
“to continue its close cooperation with the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and other relevant organizations in the development of safety standards, including, but not limited to, the protection of the environment”.
The 59th IAEA General Conference also encouraged Member States to use the IAEA safety standards in their national regulatory programmes, as appropriate, and noted the need to consider the periodic review of national regulations and
guidance against internationally established standards and guidance, and to report on progress in appropriate international fora such as review meetings under the terms of the relevant safety conventions.
The General Conference further encouraged Member States to ensure regular self-assessments of their domestic nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety, as well as emergency preparedness, using the IAEA self-assessment tools and taking into account relevant IAEA safety standards.
THE IAEA SAFETY STANDARDS
BACKGROUND
Radioactivity is a natural phenomenon and natural sources of radiation are features of the environment. Radiation and radioactive substances have many beneficial applications, ranging from power generation to uses in medicine, industry and agriculture. The radiation risks to workers and the public and to the environment that may arise from these applications have to be assessed and, if necessary, controlled.
Activities such as the medical uses of radiation, the operation of nuclear installations, the production, transport and use of radioactive material, and the management of radioactive waste must therefore be subject to standards of safety.
Regulating safety is a national responsibility. However, radiation risks may transcend national borders, and international cooperation serves to promote and enhance safety globally by exchanging experience and by improving capabilities to control hazards, to prevent accidents, to respond to emergencies and to mitigate any harmful consequences.
States have an obligation of diligence and duty of care, and are expected to fulfil their national and international undertakings and obligations.
International safety standards provide support for States in meeting their obligations under general principles of international law, such as those relating to environmental protection. International safety standards also promote and assure confidence in safety and facilitate international commerce and trade.
A global nuclear safety regime is in place and is being continuously improved. IAEA safety standards, which support the implementation of binding international instruments and national safety infrastructures, are a cornerstone of this global regime. The IAEA safety standards constitute a useful tool for contracting parties to assess their performance under these international conventions.
THE IAEA SAFETY STANDARDS
The status of the IAEA safety standards derives from the IAEA’s Statute, which authorizes the IAEA to establish or adopt, in consultation and, where appropriate, in collaboration with the competent organs of the United Nations and with the specialized agencies concerned, standards of safety for protection of health and minimization of danger to life and property, and to provide for their application.
With a view to ensuring the protection of people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation, the IAEA safety standards establish fundamental safety principles, requirements and measures to control the radiation exposure of people and the release of radioactive material to the environment, to restrict the likelihood of events that might lead to a loss of control over a nuclear reactor core, nuclear chain reaction, radioactive source or any other source of radiation, and to mitigate the consequences of such events if they were to occur.
The standards apply to facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks, including nuclear installations, the use of radiation and radioactive sources, the transport of radioactive material and the management of radioactive waste.
Safety measures and security measures1 have in common the aim of protecting human life and health and the environment. Safety measures and security measures must be designed and implemented in an integrated manner so that security measures do not compromise safety and safety measures do not compromise security.
The IAEA safety standards reflect an international consensus on what constitutes a high level of safety for protecting people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation. They are issued in the IAEA Safety Standards Series, which has three categories (see Fig. 1).
Safety Fundamentals
Safety Fundamentals present the fundamental safety objective and principles of protection and safety, and provide the basis for the safety requirements.
Safety Requirements
An integrated and consistent set of Safety Requirements establishes the requirements that must be met to ensure the protection of people and the environment, both now and in the future. The requirements are governed by the objective and principles of the Safety Fundamentals. If the requirements are not met, measures must be taken to reach or restore the required level of safety. The format and style of the requirements facilitate their use for the establishment, in a harmonized manner, of a national regulatory framework. Requirements, including numbered ‘overarching’ requirements, are expressed as ‘shall’ statements. Many requirements are not addressed to a specific party, the implication being that the appropriate parties are responsible for fulfilling them.
1 See also publications issued in the IAEA Nuclear Security Series.
With a view to ensuring the protection of people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation, the IAEA safety standards establish fundamental safety principles, requirements and measures to control the radiation exposure of people and the release of radioactive material to the environment, to restrict the likelihood of events that might lead to a loss of control over a nuclear reactor core, nuclear chain reaction, radioactive source or any other source of radiation, and to mitigate the consequences of such events if they were to occur.
The standards apply to facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks, including nuclear installations, the use of radiation and radioactive sources, the transport of radioactive material and the management of radioactive waste.
Safety measures and security measures1 have in common the aim of protecting human life and health and the environment. Safety measures and security measures must be designed and implemented in an integrated manner so that security measures do not compromise safety and safety measures do not compromise security.
The IAEA safety standards reflect an international consensus on what constitutes a high level of safety for protecting people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation. They are issued in the IAEA Safety Standards Series, which has three categories (see Fig. 1).
Safety Fundamentals
Safety Fundamentals present the fundamental safety objective and principles of protection and safety, and provide the basis for the safety requirements.
Safety Requirements
An integrated and consistent set of Safety Requirements establishes the requirements that must be met to ensure the protection of people and the environment, both now and in the future. The requirements are governed by the objective and principles of the Safety Fundamentals. If the requirements are not met, measures must be taken to reach or restore the required level of safety. The format and style of the requirements facilitate their use for the establishment, in a harmonized manner, of a national regulatory framework. Requirements, including numbered ‘overarching’ requirements, are expressed as ‘shall’ statements. Many requirements are not addressed to a specific party, the implication being that the appropriate parties are responsible for fulfilling them.
1 See also publications issued in the IAEA Nuclear Security Series.
Safety Guides
Safety Guides provide recommendations and guidance on how to comply with the safety requirements, indicating an international consensus that it is necessary to take the measures recommended (or equivalent alternative measures). The Safety Guides present international good practices, and increasingly they reflect best practices, to help users striving to achieve high levels of safety. The recommendations provided in Safety Guides are expressed as ‘should’ statements.
APPLICATION OF THE IAEA SAFETY STANDARDS
The principal users of safety standards in IAEA Member States are regulatory bodies and other relevant national authorities. The IAEA safety standards are also used by co-sponsoring organizations and by many organizations that design, construct and operate nuclear facilities, as well as organizations involved in the use of radiation and radioactive sources.
Part 1. Governmental, Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safety Part 2. Leadership and Management
for Safety Part 3. Radiation Protection and
Safety of Radiation Sources Part 4. Safety Assessment for
Facilities and Activities Part 5. Predisposal Management
of Radioactive Waste Part 6. Decommissioning and
Termination of Activities Part 7. Emergency Preparedness
and Response
1. Site Evaluation for Nuclear Installations 2. Safety of Nuclear Power Plants
2/1 Design 2/2 Commissioning and Operation
3. Safety of Research Reactors
4. Safety of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities 5. Safety of Radioactive Waste
Disposal Facilities 6. Safe Transport of Radioactive Material General Safety Requirements Specific Safety Requirements
Safety Fundamentals Fundamental Safety Principles
Collection of Safety Guides
FIG. 1. The long term structure of the IAEA Safety Standards Series.
The IAEA safety standards are applicable, as relevant, throughout the entire lifetime of all facilities and activities — existing and new — utilized for peaceful purposes and to protective actions to reduce existing radiation risks. They can be used by States as a reference for their national regulations in respect of facilities and activities.
The IAEA’s Statute makes the safety standards binding on the IAEA in relation to its own operations and also on States in relation to IAEA assisted operations.
The IAEA safety standards also form the basis for the IAEA’s safety review services, and they are used by the IAEA in support of competence building, including the development of educational curricula and training courses.
International conventions contain requirements similar to those in the IAEA safety standards and make them binding on contracting parties.
The IAEA safety standards, supplemented by international conventions, industry standards and detailed national requirements, establish a consistent basis for protecting people and the environment. There will also be some special aspects of safety that need to be assessed at the national level. For example, many of the IAEA safety standards, in particular those addressing aspects of safety in planning or design, are intended to apply primarily to new facilities and activities.
The requirements established in the IAEA safety standards might not be fully met at some existing facilities that were built to earlier standards. The way in which IAEA safety standards are to be applied to such facilities is a decision for individual States.
The scientific considerations underlying the IAEA safety standards provide an objective basis for decisions concerning safety; however, decision makers must also make informed judgements and must determine how best to balance the benefits of an action or an activity against the associated radiation risks and any other detrimental impacts to which it gives rise.
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR THE IAEA SAFETY STANDARDS
The preparation and review of the safety standards involves the IAEA Secretariat and five safety standards committees for emergency preparedness and response (EPReSC) (as of 2016), nuclear safety (NUSSC), radiation safety (RASSC), the safety of radioactive waste (WASSC) and the safe transport of radioactive material (TRANSSC), and a Commission on Safety Standards (CSS) which oversees the IAEA safety standards programme (see Fig. 2).
All IAEA Member States may nominate experts for the safety standards committees and may provide comments on draft standards. The membership of
The IAEA safety standards are applicable, as relevant, throughout the entire lifetime of all facilities and activities — existing and new — utilized for peaceful purposes and to protective actions to reduce existing radiation risks. They can be used by States as a reference for their national regulations in respect of facilities and activities.
The IAEA’s Statute makes the safety standards binding on the IAEA in relation to its own operations and also on States in relation to IAEA assisted operations.
The IAEA safety standards also form the basis for the IAEA’s safety review services, and they are used by the IAEA in support of competence building, including the development of educational curricula and training courses.
International conventions contain requirements similar to those in the IAEA safety standards and make them binding on contracting parties.
The IAEA safety standards, supplemented by international conventions, industry standards and detailed national requirements, establish a consistent basis for protecting people and the environment. There will also be some special aspects of safety that need to be assessed at the national level. For example, many of the IAEA safety standards, in particular those addressing aspects of safety in planning or design, are intended to apply primarily to new facilities and activities.
The requirements established in the IAEA safety standards might not be fully met at some existing facilities that were built to earlier standards. The way in which IAEA safety standards are to be applied to such facilities is a decision for individual States.
The scientific considerations underlying the IAEA safety standards provide an objective basis for decisions concerning safety; however, decision makers must also make informed judgements and must determine how best to balance the benefits of an action or an activity against the associated radiation risks and any other detrimental impacts to which it gives rise.
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR THE IAEA SAFETY STANDARDS
The preparation and review of the safety standards involves the IAEA Secretariat and five safety standards committees for emergency preparedness and response (EPReSC) (as of 2016), nuclear safety (NUSSC), radiation safety (RASSC), the safety of radioactive waste (WASSC) and the safe transport of radioactive material (TRANSSC), and a Commission on Safety Standards (CSS) which oversees the IAEA safety standards programme (see Fig. 2).
All IAEA Member States may nominate experts for the safety standards committees and may provide comments on draft standards. The membership of
the Commission on Safety Standards is appointed by the Director General and includes senior governmental officials having responsibility for establishing national standards.
A management system has been established for the processes of planning, developing, reviewing, revising and establishing the IAEA safety standards.
It articulates the mandate of the IAEA, the vision for the future application of the safety standards, policies and strategies, and corresponding functions and responsibilities.
INTERACTION WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS The findings of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) and the recommendations of international expert bodies, notably the International Commission on Radiological Protection
Secretariat and consultants:
drafting of new or revision of existing safety standard
Draft
Endorsement by the CSS Final draft
Review by safety standards
committee(s) Member States
Comments Draft Outline and work plan prepared by the Secretariat;
review by the safety standards committees and the CSS
FIG. 2. The process for developing a new safety standard or revising an existing standard.
(ICRP), are taken into account in developing the IAEA safety standards. Some safety standards are developed in cooperation with other bodies in the United Nations system or other specialized agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organization, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization.
INTERPRETATION OF THE TEXT
Safety related terms are to be understood as defined in the IAEA Safety Glossary (see http://www-ns.iaea.org/standards/safety-glossary.htm). Otherwise, words are used with the spellings and meanings assigned to them in the latest edition of The Concise Oxford Dictionary. For Safety Guides, the English version of the text is the authoritative version.
The background and context of each standard in the IAEA Safety Standards Series and its objective, scope and structure are explained in Section 1, Introduction, of each publication.
Material for which there is no appropriate place in the body text (e.g. material that is subsidiary to or separate from the body text, is included in support of statements in the body text, or describes methods of calculation, procedures or limits and conditions) may be presented in appendices or annexes.
An appendix, if included, is considered to form an integral part of the safety standard. Material in an appendix has the same status as the body text, and the IAEA assumes authorship of it. Annexes and footnotes to the main text, if included, are used to provide practical examples or additional information or explanation. Annexes and footnotes are not integral parts of the main text. Annex material published by the IAEA is not necessarily issued under its authorship;
material under other authorship may be presented in annexes to the safety standards. Extraneous material presented in annexes is excerpted and adapted as necessary to be generally useful.
CONTENTS
(ICRP), are taken into account in developing the IAEA safety standards. Some safety standards are developed in cooperation with other bodies in the United Nations system or other specialized agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organization, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization.
INTERPRETATION OF THE TEXT
Safety related terms are to be understood as defined in the IAEA Safety Glossary (see http://www-ns.iaea.org/standards/safety-glossary.htm). Otherwise, words are used with the spellings and meanings assigned to them in the latest edition of The Concise Oxford Dictionary. For Safety Guides, the English version of the text is the authoritative version.
The background and context of each standard in the IAEA Safety Standards Series and its objective, scope and structure are explained in Section 1, Introduction, of each publication.
Material for which there is no appropriate place in the body text (e.g. material that is subsidiary to or separate from the body text, is included in support of statements in the body text, or describes methods of calculation, procedures or limits and conditions) may be presented in appendices or annexes.
An appendix, if included, is considered to form an integral part of the safety standard. Material in an appendix has the same status as the body text, and the IAEA assumes authorship of it. Annexes and footnotes to the main text, if included, are used to provide practical examples or additional information or explanation. Annexes and footnotes are not integral parts of the main text. Annex material published by the IAEA is not necessarily issued under its authorship;
material under other authorship may be presented in annexes to the safety standards. Extraneous material presented in annexes is excerpted and adapted as necessary to be generally useful.
1. INTRODUCTION . . . 1
Background (1.1–1.3) . . . 1
Objective (1.4) . . . 1
Scope (1.5–1.9). . . 2
Structure (1.10). . . 3
2. RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT (2.1–2.2) . . . 3
Requirement 1: National policy and strategy for safety (2.3–2.4) . . . 4
Requirement 2: Establishment of a framework for safety (2.5–2.6) . . . 4
Requirement 3: Establishment of a regulatory body . . . 6
Requirement 4: Independence of the regulatory body (2.7–2.13) . . . 6
Requirement 5: Prime responsibility for safety . . . 8
Requirement 6: Compliance with regulations and responsibility for safety (2.14–2.17) . . . 8
Requirement 7: Coordination of different authorities with responsibilities for safety within the regulatory framework for safety (2.18–2.19) . . . 10
Requirement 8: Emergency preparedness and response (2.20–2.24B) . . . 11
Requirement 9: System for protective actions to reduce existing or unregulated radiation risks (2.25–2.27) . . . 12
Requirement 10: Provision for the decommissioning of facilities and the management of radioactive waste and of spent fuel (2.28–2.33) . . . 13
Requirement 11: Competence for safety (2.34–2.38) . . . 14
Requirement 12: Interfaces of safety with nuclear security and with the State system of accounting for, and control of, nuclear material (2.39–2.40) . . . 15
Requirement 13: Provision of technical services (2.41) . . . 15
3. THE GLOBAL SAFETY REGIME (3.1). . . 16
Requirement 14: International obligations and arrangements for international cooperation and assistance (3.2–3.2A) . . . 16
Requirement 15: Sharing of operating experience and regulatory
experience (3.3–3.5A) . . . 17 4. RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE
REGULATORY BODY (4.1–4.3) . . . 18 Requirement 16: Organizational structure of the regulatory body
and allocation of resources (4.4–4.5) . . . 19 Requirement 17: Effective independence in the performance of
regulatory functions (4.6–4.10) . . . 20 Requirement 18: Staffing and competence of the regulatory body
(4.11–4.13) . . . 21 Requirement 19: The management system of the regulatory body
(4.14–4.17) . . . 21 Requirement 20: Liaison with advisory bodies and support
organizations (4.18–4.22) . . . 22 Requirement 21: Liaison between the regulatory body and
authorized parties (4.23–4.25) . . . 23 Requirement 22: Stability and consistency of regulatory control
(4.26–4.28) . . . 24 Requirement 23: Authorization of facilities and activities by
the regulatory body . . . 24 Requirement 24: Demonstration of safety for the authorization of
facilities and activities (4.29–4.39) . . . 25 Requirement 25: Review and assessment of information relevant
to safety . . . 27 Requirement 26: Graded approach to review and assessment of
a facility or an activity (4.39A–4.48) . . . 27 Requirement 27: Inspection of facilities and activities . . . 29 Requirement 28: Types of inspection of facilities and activities . . . 30 Requirement 29: Graded approach to inspections of facilities and
activities (4.49–4.53) . . . 30 Requirement 30: Establishment of an enforcement policy . . . 31 Requirement 31: Requiring of corrective action by
authorized parties (4.54–4.60) . . . 31 Requirement 32: Regulations and guides . . . 32 Requirement 33: Review of regulations and guides . . . 32 Requirement 34: Promotion of regulations and guides to
interested parties (4.61–4.62) . . . 32 Requirement 35: Safety related records (4.63–4.65) . . . 33
Requirement 36: Communication and consultation with
interested parties (4.66–4.69) . . . 34 REFERENCES . . . 37 CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW . . . 39
1
1. INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
1.1. Safety in the operation of facilities and the use of radiation sources is of great importance for the protection of people — individually and collectively — society and the environment in those States authorizing their operation or use, and also in other States, in particular in neighbouring States.
1.2. IAEA Safety Requirements publications establish international consensus requirements that apply the fundamental safety objective and fundamental safety principles established in the Safety Fundamentals [1].
1.3. The terms used in this publication have the meanings ascribed to them in the IAEA Safety Glossary: 2007 Edition [2], where applicable.
OBJECTIVE
1.4. The objective of this Safety Requirements publication is to establish requirements in respect of the governmental, legal and regulatory framework for safety. The framework for safety is to be established for the entire range of facilities and activities, from the use of a limited number of radiation1 sources to a nuclear power programme. Not all the safety requirements are relevant for all States; account has to be taken of the circumstances pertaining in the State and of the radiation risks2 associated with its facilities and activities.
1 The term ‘radiation’ in this context means ionizing radiation.
2 The term ‘radiation risks’ is used in a general sense to refer to:
— Detrimental health effects of radiation exposure (including the likelihood of such effects occurring);
— Any other safety related risks (including those to the environment) that might arise as a direct consequence of:
• Exposure to radiation;
• The presence of radioactive material (including radioactive waste) or its release to the environment;
• A loss of control over a nuclear reactor core, nuclear chain reaction, radioactive source or any other source of radiation.
2 SCOPE
1.5. This Safety Requirements publication covers the essential aspects of the governmental and legal framework for establishing a regulatory body and for taking other actions necessary to ensure the effective regulatory control of facilities and activities — existing and new — utilized for peaceful purposes3. Other responsibilities and functions are also covered, such as liaison within the global safety regime and liaison for providing the necessary support services for the purposes of safety (including radiation protection), emergency preparedness and response, nuclear security4, and the State system of accounting for, and control of, nuclear material.
1.6. For the purposes of this publication, and as in the Fundamental Safety Principles [1], ‘safety’ means the protection of people and the environment against radiation risks, and the safety of facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks. The term ‘safety’ as used here includes the safety of nuclear installations, radiation safety, the safety of radioactive waste management and safety in the transport of radioactive material; it does not include non-radiation- related aspects of safety.
1.7. This Safety Requirements publication covers all stages in the lifetime of facilities and the duration of activities until their release from regulatory control, and any subsequent period of institutional control.
3 The term ‘facilities and activities — existing and new — utilized for peaceful purposes’ is hereafter abbreviated for convenience to ‘facilities and activities’ as a general term encompassing any human activity that may cause people to be exposed to radiation risks arising from naturally occurring or artificial sources. The term ‘facilities’ includes: nuclear facilities; irradiation installations; some mining and raw material processing facilities, such as uranium mines; radioactive waste management facilities; and any other places where radioactive materials are produced, processed, used, handled, stored or disposed of — or where radiation generators are installed — on such a scale that consideration of protection and safety is required. The term ‘activities’ includes the production, use, import and export of radiation sources for industrial, research and medical purposes; the transport of radioactive material; the decommissioning of facilities; radioactive waste management activities such as the discharge of effluents; and some aspects of the remediation of sites affected by residues from past activities.
4 The IAEA issues guidance on nuclear security in the separate IAEA Nuclear Security Series of publications.
3 1.8. Although the scope of this publication is limited to safety and does not extend to nuclear security, it is recognized that measures taken to ensure safety are often consistent with the promotion of nuclear security, and that measures taken to ensure nuclear security are often consistent with the promotion of safety.
1.9. This Safety Requirements publication does not apply to military activities or to defence related activities unless so decided by the State.
STRUCTURE
1.10. Section 2 establishes requirements for governmental responsibilities and functions for safety. Section 3 establishes requirements for liaison within the global safety regime. Section 4 establishes requirements for the regulatory body.
2. RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT
2.1. States have different legal structures, and therefore the term ‘government’
as used in the IAEA safety standards is to be understood in a broad sense, and is accordingly interchangeable here with the term ‘State’.
2.2. The government establishes national policy for safety by means of different instruments, statutes and laws. Typically, the regulatory body, as designated by the government, is charged with the implementation of policies by means of a regulatory programme and a strategy set forth in its regulations or in national standards. The government determines the specific functions of the regulatory body and the allocation of responsibilities. For example, the government establishes laws and adopts policies pertaining to safety, whereas the regulatory body develops strategies and promulgates regulations in implementation of such laws and policies. In addition, the government establishes laws and adopts policies specifying the responsibilities and functions of different governmental entities in respect of safety and emergency preparedness and response, whereas the regulatory body establishes a system to provide effective coordination. The requirements established in Section 2 are to be understood in the context of these respective functions, although some flexibility may be necessary, depending on the particular national circumstances.
4
Requirement 1: National policy and strategy for safety
The government shall establish a national policy and strategy for safety, the implementation of which shall be subject to a graded approach in accordance with national circumstances and with the radiation risks associated with facilities and activities, to achieve the fundamental safety objective and to apply the fundamental safety principles established in the Safety Fundamentals.
2.3. National policy and strategy for safety shall express a long term commitment to safety. The national policy shall be promulgated as a statement of the government’s intent. The strategy shall set out the mechanisms for implementing the national policy. In the national policy and strategy, account shall be taken of the following:
(a) The fundamental safety objective and the fundamental safety principles established in the Fundamental Safety Principles [1];
(b) Binding international legal instruments, such as conventions and other relevant international instruments;
(c) The specification of the scope of the governmental, legal and regulatory framework for safety;
(d) The need and provision for human and financial resources;
(e) The provision and framework for research and development;
(f) Adequate mechanisms for taking account of social and economic developments;
(g) The promotion of leadership and management for safety, including safety culture.
2.4. The national policy and strategy for safety shall be implemented in accordance with a graded approach, depending on national circumstances, to ensure that the radiation risks associated with facilities and activities, including activities involving the use of radiation sources, receive appropriate attention by the government or by the regulatory body.
Requirement 2: Establishment of a framework for safety
The government shall establish and maintain an appropriate governmental, legal and regulatory framework for safety within which responsibilities are clearly allocated.
5 2.5. The government shall promulgate laws and statutes to make provision for an effective governmental, legal and regulatory framework for safety. This framework for safety shall set out the following:
(1) The safety principles for protecting people — individually and collectively
— society and the environment from radiation risks, both at present and in the future;
(2) The types of facilities and activities that are included within the scope of the framework for safety;
(3) The type of authorization5 that is required for the operation of facilities and for the conduct of activities, in accordance with a graded approach;
(4) The rationale for the authorization of new facilities and activities, as well as the applicable decision making process;
(5) Provision for the involvement of interested parties and for their input to decision making;
(6) Provision for assigning legal responsibility for safety to the persons or organizations responsible for the facilities and activities, and for ensuring the continuity of responsibility where activities are carried out by several persons or organizations successively;
(7) The establishment of a regulatory body, as addressed in Requirements 3 and 4;
(8) Provision for the review and assessment of facilities and activities, in accordance with a graded approach;
(9) The authority and responsibility of the regulatory body for promulgating (or preparing for the enactment of) regulations and preparing guidance for their implementation;
(10) Provision for the inspection of facilities and activities, and for the enforcement of regulations, in accordance with a graded approach;
(11) Provision for appeals against decisions of the regulatory body;
(12) Provision for preparedness for, and response to, a nuclear or radiological emergency;
(13) Provision for an interface with nuclear security;
(14) Provision for an interface with the system of accounting for, and control of, nuclear material;
5 Authorization to operate a facility or to conduct an activity may be granted by the regulatory body or by another governmental body to an operator (an operating organization or a person). ‘Authorization’ takes the form of a written permission which could include, for example, licensing, certification or registration. See Ref. [2].
6
(15) Provision for acquiring and maintaining the necessary competence nationally for ensuring safety;
(16) Responsibilities and obligations in respect of financial provision for the management of radioactive waste and of spent fuel, and for decommissioning of facilities and termination of activities;
(17) The criteria for release from regulatory control;
(18) The specification of offences and the corresponding penalties;
(19) Provision for controls on the import and export of nuclear material and radioactive material, as well as for their tracking within, and to the extent possible outside, national boundaries, such as tracking of the authorized export of radioactive sources.
2.6. Where several authorities are involved, the government shall specify clearly the responsibilities and functions of each authority within the governmental, legal and regulatory framework for safety.
Requirement 3: Establishment of a regulatory body
The government, through the legal system, shall establish and maintain a regulatory body, and shall confer on it the legal authority and provide it with the competence and the resources necessary to fulfil its statutory obligation for the regulatory control of facilities and activities.
Requirement 4: Independence of the regulatory body
The government shall ensure that the regulatory body is effectively independent in its safety related decision making and that it has functional separation from entities having responsibilities or interests that could unduly influence its decision making.
2.7. An independent regulatory body will not be entirely separate from other governmental bodies. The government has the ultimate responsibility for involving those with legitimate and recognized interests in its decision making.
However, the government shall ensure that the regulatory body is able to make decisions under its statutory obligation for the regulatory control of facilities and activities, and that it is able to perform its functions without undue pressure or constraint.
7 2.8. To be effectively independent from undue influences on its decision making, the regulatory body:
(a) Shall have sufficient authority and sufficient competent staff;
(b) Shall have access to sufficient financial resources for the proper and timely discharge of its assigned responsibilities;
(c) Shall be able to make independent regulatory judgements and regulatory decisions, at all stages in the lifetime of facilities and the duration of activities until release from regulatory control, under operational states and in accidents;
(d) Shall be free from any pressures associated with political circumstances or economic conditions, or pressures from government departments, authorized parties or other organizations;
(e) Shall be able to give independent advice and provide reports to government departments and governmental bodies on matters relating to the safety of facilities and activities. This includes access to the highest levels of government;
(f) Shall be able to liaise directly with regulatory bodies of other States and with international organizations to promote cooperation and the exchange of regulatory related information and experience.
2.9. No responsibilities shall be assigned to the regulatory body that might compromise or conflict with its discharging of its responsibility for regulating the safety of facilities and activities.
2.10. The staff of the regulatory body shall have no direct or indirect interest in facilities and activities or authorized parties6 beyond the interest necessary for regulatory purposes.
2.11. In the event that a department or agency of government is itself an authorized party operating an authorized facility or facilities, or conducting authorized activities, the regulatory body shall be separate from, and effectively independent of, the authorized party.
6 An ‘authorized party’ is the person or organization responsible for an authorized facility or an authorized activity that gives rise to radiation risks who has been granted written permission (i.e. authorized) by the regulatory body or another governmental body to perform specified activities. The ‘authorized party’ for an authorized facility or activity is usually the operating organization or the registrant or licensee (although forms of authorization other than registration or licensing may apply).
8
2.12. Where several authorities are involved in the authorization process, the regulatory requirements shall apply, and they shall be applied consistently and without undue modification.
2.13. The regulatory body shall be conferred with the legal authority to require an authorized party or an applicant, whether a person or an organization, to make arrangements to provide:
(a) All necessary safety related information, including information from suppliers, even if this information is proprietary;
(b) Access, solely or together with the authorized party or applicant, for making inspections on the premises of any designer, supplier, manufacturer, constructor, contractor or operating organization associated with the authorized party.
Requirement 5: Prime responsibility for safety
The government shall expressly assign the prime responsibility for safety to the person or organization responsible for a facility or an activity, and shall confer on the regulatory body the authority to require such persons or organizations to comply with stipulated regulatory requirements, as well as to demonstrate such compliance.
Requirement 6: Compliance with regulations and responsibility for safety The government shall stipulate that compliance with regulations and requirements established or adopted by the regulatory body does not relieve the person or organization responsible for a facility or an activity of its prime responsibility for safety.7
2.14. The legal framework for safety shall be established in such a way that the authorized party retains the prime responsibility for safety throughout the lifetime of facilities and the duration of activities, and shall not delegate this prime responsibility. Responsibility for safety may be transferred to a different authorized party when there has been a declared change, approved by the regulatory body, of general responsibility for a facility or activity. In addition, responsibility for safety may extend to other groups associated with the
7 Not having an authorization would not exonerate the person or organization responsible for the facility or activity from the responsibility for safety [1].
9 authorized party, such as designers, suppliers, manufacturers and constructors, employers, contractors, and consignors and carriers, in so far as their activities or products may be of significance for safety. However, in no case may this extension of responsibility relieve the authorized party of the prime responsibility for safety. The authorized party has the responsibility for verifying that products and services meet its expectations (e.g. in terms of completeness, validity or robustness) and that they comply with regulatory requirements.
2.15. The prime responsibility for safety shall extend to all stages in the lifetime of facilities and the duration of activities, until their release from regulatory control, i.e. to site evaluation, design, construction, commissioning, operation, shutdown and decommissioning (or closure in the case of disposal facilities for radioactive waste) of facilities. This prime responsibility for safety includes, as appropriate, responsibility for the management of radioactive waste and the management of spent fuel, and responsibility for the remediation of contaminated areas. It also includes responsibility for activities in which radioactive material and radioactive sources are produced, used, stored, transported or handled.
2.15A. The person or organization responsible for a facility or an activity, having prime responsibility for safety, shall actively evaluate progress in science and technology as well as relevant information from the feedback of experience, in order to identify and to make8 those safety improvements that are considered practicable.
2.16. Persons who, or organizations that are responsible for facilities or activities in which radioactive waste is generated shall have responsibility for safety in the management of the radioactive waste, including waste characterization and storage of the radioactive waste [3].
2.17. For ensuring safety in the transport of radioactive material, reliance is placed primarily on the performance of packages [4]. It is the responsibility of the consignor to ensure the appropriate selection of the package and packaging and the mode of transport.
8 Making safety improvements may require authorization by or notification of the regulatory body.
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Requirement 7: Coordination of different authorities with responsibilities for safety within the regulatory framework for safety
Where several authorities have responsibilities for safety within the regulatory framework for safety, the government shall make provision for the effective coordination of their regulatory functions, to avoid any omissions or undue duplication and to avoid conflicting requirements being placed on authorized parties.
2.18. Where several authorities have responsibilities for safety within the regulatory framework for safety, the responsibilities and functions of each authority shall be clearly specified in the relevant legislation. The government shall ensure that there is appropriate coordination of and liaison between the various authorities concerned in areas such as:
(1) Safety of workers and the public;
(2) Protection of the environment;
(3) Applications of radiation in medicine, industry and research;
(4) Emergency preparedness and response;
(5) Management of radioactive waste (including government policy making and the strategy for the implementation of policy);
(6) Liability for nuclear damage (including relevant conventions);
(7) Nuclear security;
(8) The State system of accounting for, and control of, nuclear material;
(9) Safety in relation to water use and the consumption of food;
(10) Land use, planning and construction;
(11) Safety in the transport of dangerous goods, including nuclear material and radioactive material;
(12) Mining and processing of radioactive ores;
(13) Controls on the import and export of nuclear material and radioactive material.
This coordination and liaison can be achieved by means of memoranda of understanding, appropriate communication and regular meetings. Such coordination assists in achieving consistency and in enabling authorities to benefit from each other’s experience.
2.19. If responsibilities and functions do overlap, this could create conflicts between different authorities and lead to conflicting requirements being placed on authorized parties or on applicants. This, in turn, could undermine the authority
