IAEA Radiation Safety Services
The IAEA's Radiation Safety Services Section (RSSS) was created in 1979 to support its activities in radiation protection. Main tasks include:
- operating radiation protection laboratories to meet measurement requirements of the IAEA and its Member States;
- maintaining instrumentation capabilities for radiation protection purposes, and for supporting technical cooperation projects in areas of radiation safety;
- providing training and advisory services in radiation protection;
- operating an emergency response system to assist Member States in discharging their obligations under two post-Chernobyl conventions related to early notification of a nuclear accident and provision of emergency assistance.
To fulfill these responsibilities, the RSSS is structured into three units having interrelated support roles:
- The Vienna International Centre (VIC) Health Physics Laboratory Unit. Responsibilities cover personal dose records, external dosimetry; monitoring equipment loans; training in radiation protection; external support services; field missions; and technical cooperation projects.
- The Seibersdorf Health Physics Group Unit. Responsibilities cover laboratory surveys; internal dosimetry (whole body counting and bioassay); calibration of monitoring equipment; laboratory training in radiation protection; field missions; and on-call duties.
- The Emergency Response Unit. Responsibilities cover supporting IAEA obligations under relevant international conventions; operating the Agency's emergency response system; and supporting technical cooperation projects.