An Introduction to the IAEA Safety Standards
Description
The IAEA’s Statute authorizes the Agency to establish standards of safety to protect health and minimize danger to life and property — standards that the IAEA must apply to its own operations, and that a State can apply by means of its regulatory provisions for safety.
The IAEA safety standards are the global reference for protecting people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation. They constitute an integrated, comprehensive and consistent set of up-to-date, user friendly and fit-for-purpose safety standards of high quality, which through their use and application in the Member States contribute to the establishment of a worldwide harmonized high level of protection for people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation.
The standards are developed with the dedicated involvement of the members of the Safety Standards Committees and of the Commission on Safety Standards and their content reflects international consensus to ensure a high level of safety. The review and approval process for the safety standards is transparent and systematic and incorporates effective feedback mechanisms.
The first IAEA publication, Safety Series No. 1 'Safe Handling of Radioisotopes', was released in 1958, soon after the establishment of the IAEA and over the last 60 years, over 400 publications have been released in the IAEA Safety Standards Series. As standards get revised and superseded, the series currently comprises132 publications.
The webinar will provide an overview of the IAEA safety standards and present means and tools for accessing the publications. The webinar is aimed at experts in different areas of nuclear and radiation safety from national regulatory bodies and other relevant authorities, operating organizations and technical support organizations.
The objectives of the webinar are the following:
- To enhance the understanding on the IAEA safety standards, including their purpose, scope, target audience, hierarchical structure and status, as well as how Member States can apply the standards.
- To provide information on how the standards are developed, established and revised.
- To increase awareness on the available resources for accessing the Safety Standards and the newly developed eLearning materials.
Presenters
Katherine E. Asfaw, IAEA
Tatiana Karseka-Yanev, IAEA
Moderator
Maria Nikolaki, IAEA