IAEA Regional Activities Related to Transport Safety Module 2.2 School for Drafting Regulations on Radiation Safety Module 2: Main Requirements on Emergency and Medical Exposure, Transport and Waste Safety Vienna 23 January 2017 Christopher S. Bajwa Transport Safety Unit Regulatory Infrastructure and Transport Safety Section Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety Department of Nuclear Safety and Security International Atomic Energy Agency
Regional Activities on Transport Safety Regional Workshop for the Transport of Radioactive Material in the Caribbean Participants from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Panama, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Virgin Islands Representatives from Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) also attended Experts from the US and Canada provided instruction and guided participants in practical exercises during the workshop June 2-6 2014 Panama City, Panama
Regional Activities on Transport Safety, cont. Topics covered in the workshop included: Uses of Radioactive Material, IAEA and International Regulations for Transport, Fundamentals of Regulatory Control of Radioactive Material, Transport Package Types, Transport Documentation and Package Labelling, RAM Transport and the Panama Canal, Emergency Response, Denial of Shipment, Self-Assessment of Regulatory Infrastructure, and Developing of a Network Participants provided Country Status Reports on existing infrastructure for transport safety Site visits to a hospital and the Panama Canal Workshop Information available on SharePoint, here
Recent Workshops on Transport Regulations “Global Networks” School of Drafting for Transport Safety Regulations 18 – 22 April, 2016 Vienna 80 participants 60 Countries Several regions participated Asia and Pacific (Pacific Islands) Mediterranean (Europe) Africa Latin America and the Caribbean Documents available on SharePoint here
Recent Workshops on Transport Regulations, cont. Workshop Participants from Latin America and the Caribbean included: Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela Participants were provided expert guidance on the drafting of Transport Regulations Many countries that had no current regulations completed drafts of transport regulations during the week Other countries with draft regulations were able to refine them for presentation to their country’s legislative bodies
IAEA Regional Network Approach The General Conference of the IAEA instructed the IAEA’s Secretariat to encourage and promote the Member States to create regional networks The regional programmes are funded by TC and the European Commission (Mediterranean region) The Agency has been supported by experts from all over the world At this time, 78 Member States are involved in the regional networks (91 Member States have been invited), and more Member States are encouraged to participate Including TRANSSC and national training initiatives – over 130 Member States are engaged in transport regulations and capacity building of regulator oversight
Why networks? Transport is a global activity Over 20 million shipments of radioactive material each year, many shipments international Transport packagings are designed and manufactured in one Member State and then loaded with radioactive material and often transported through or into different countries The transport of radioactive material takes place in most (all) countries The number of shipments will increase in the future due to developing health care programmes, industrial development, agriculture and pest control
Why networks? (cont) Limited capacity in Regulatory Bodies Shortage of Regulatory staff and resources All Regulatory Bodies would benefit from more staff and resources In mature Regulatory Bodies, regulator experience and their knowledge of the industry sectors can be used to plan the most effective use of available resources Not possible in emerging Regulatory Bodies without additional mentoring, training and commitment to develop regulator oversight and processes Collaboration with other Regulatory Bodies within a Member State should be developed
Collaborative network approach There are many Member States who cannot provide necessary regulatory safety oversight alone Regional networks provide a means to collaborate and collectively ensure that appropriate regulatory oversight is provided The advantage of this strategic approach is recognised in Europe The European Association of Competent Authorities is an established network for transport safety regulators in Europe (http://euraca.eu/index.asp)
Collaborative network approach, cont. Each Member State should have the ambitions to meet the IAEA Safety Standards to a level appropriate to the needs Transport is an international network activity therefore the regulatory oversight of safety can be regionally and/or trading partners based To be successful requires mutual respect, confidence, trust and a commitment of governments and the Agency over the timescales required to achieve results
Objectives Co-operation between Competent Authorities of participating MS towards a coherent (harmonised) interpretation and implementation of the transport regulatory requirements for radioactive material Develop and exchange common practices/documents to achieve a safe, effective and sustainable regulatory infrastructure for the transport of radioactive material Collaborate on regulatory activities that MS wish to undertake (for example common Emergency Exercises or common inspection activities, sharing information, etc) Interface with other regional networks
Participation At this time, 78 Member States are involved in the regional networks (91 Member States have been invited), and more Member States are encouraged to participate Including TRANSSC and national training initiatives – over 130 Member States are engaged in transport regulations and capacity building of regulator oversight
Questions? Thank you