IAEA Gives Thumbs Up to Nuclear Safety Framework

An international team senior nuclear safety and radiation protection experts concluded 11-day mission last week to review the regulatory framework nuclear safety in Slovakia.
the request of Slovak Government, the IAEA assembled a team of 12 senior regulatory experts 12 nations to conduct the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (UJD SR). The international experts met officials the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic (UVZ SR) the regulation of occupational radiation protection nuclear facilities. The mission is a peer review based the IAEA Safety Standards.

Marta Žiaková, Chairperson of Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Slovak Republic, declared “The IRRS mission has a great value the future development and orientation of the UJD SR.”

“Slovakia established a regulatory framework for nuclear safety which is line with international standards and practice,” said Mission Team Leader Andrej Stritar, Director of the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration.

The main observations of the IRRS Review team included: UJD SR operates independence and transparency; UJD SR has developed and implemented a systematic training approach meet its competence needs; and response to the accident TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, UJD SR has reacted and communicated to interested parties, the public.

The good practices identified the IRRS Review Team include:

UJD SR has a comprehensive and well-formalized strategic approach informing and consulting interested parties;

UJD SR developed and implemented a structured approach to training and developing its staff; and

Detailed legal requirements provide a solid basis on-site and off-site response nuclear emergencies coordinated local authorities.

The IRRS Review team identified areas further improvement and believes that consideration of these would enhance overall performance of the regulatory system:

Coordination and allocation of responsibilities State Authorities in the area of safety and improvement planning and coordination of their activities;

The development of a national policy and strategy document nuclear safety; and

A unified national radiation monitoring system ensure its results could be used by competent authorities in normal situations as as during emergencies.

In a preliminary report, the IAEA conveyed the team’s main conclusions to UJD SR. A final report will be submitted to the Government of Slovakia about three months. UJD SR has informed the team that the final report will publicly available. The IAEA encourages nations to invite a follow-up IRRS mission about two years after the mission has completed.


Adapted and abridged from: The Daily.SK, June 12, 2012.