Control of Radiation Sources

Abandoned sourcesDeveloping and maintaining standards, guidance and international undertakings related to the control of radiation sources

Rationale - The continuing incidents and accidents involving radiation sources and the new concern about the possible malicious use of radioactive sources indicate a clear need for a comprehensive set of standards and guidance documents to support States in their effort to ensure an adequate level of both safety and security of radioactive sources. Safety and security of radiation sources have been addressed in Agency documents such as the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources, Safety Series No. 115 (BSS) and others within the Safety Reports and TECDOC series. However, these documents need to be kept up to date and are therefore subject to periodic review and revision, as necessary and new guidance documents developed to cover all aspects of control of sources. The current Action Plan on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, approved by the Board in September 2003 (GOV/2003/49-GC(47)/7) also addresses the need to develop further guidance, and, as appropriate, converting TECDOCs and Safety Reports into Safety Standards. In particular, guidance needs to be developed to assist Member States in fulfilling various provisions of the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and of the supplementary Guidance on the Import and Export of Radioactive Sources, and to facilitate the exchange of information on their experience in the application of the Code. In addition, appropriate practice-specific training materials related to the control of radiation sources also need to be developed.

Objective

To achieve sustainability of the safe use of radioactive sources through the global acceptance of standards, guidance and international undertakings that provide an internationally harmonized basis for controlling radiation sources.

Major Tasks for 2008-2009

For further information please contact V.Friedrich

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Promoting and facilitating the implementation of international undertakings for the control of radiation sources

Rationale - The General Conference 2004 established that future Agency assistance projects in the regulatory control of radiation sources had to include the additional regulatory recommendations contained in the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources. To this end, and as part of its programme to assist Member States in establishing national regulatory programmes in accordance with international undertakings, the Agency has developed a tool for the establishment of the national register of radiation sources and the day-to-day activities of the regulatory body. The tool, Regulatory Authority Information System (RAIS), covers all elements of a national regulatory infrastructure for the control of radiation sources in accordance with international standards, the Code of Conduct and its associated Guidance on the Import and Export of Radioactive Sources. It is one of the directly operational instruments developed by the Agency to assist and assess Member States' application of the radiation safety standards and international undertakings.

Objective

To enhance Member States capabilities in the implementation of the additional regulatory recommendations, in particular with respect to radioactive sources, in the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and the supplementary Guidance on the Import and Export of Radioactive Sources, including the use of RAIS for the management of the national register and the day-to-day management of regulatory activities.

Major Tasks for 2008-2009

For further information please contact V.Friedrich


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