The IAEA and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) have agreed on a cooperation agreement outlining plans for joint work to strengthen radiation protection of workers in the uranium mining and processing industries.
This cooperation will address potential harm that could be caused by the higher concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) that can be the result of the processing and handling of raw materials.
The Practical Arrangements, signed on 24 May in Melbourne, Australia, builds on an earlier agreement under which work was conducted to create a publication on occupational radiation protection approaches in uranium mining and processing stages and techniques, as a part of the IAEA Safety Report Series. The report was developed during meetings in Australia, Canada and South Africa involving regulatory body and industry representatives.
The cooperation under the new three-year agreement is expected to provide practical tools for regulators, mine operators and workers through a training package that supports the use of the report’s recommendations.
Also as part of the agreed cooperation, ARPANSA will help the IAEA strengthen its global survey on Information System on Occupational Radiation Protection in Uranium Mining (UMEX), which aims to improve protection and safety through sharing of good practices and other information.