A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector International Safeguards Video Training Lecture Series June - August, 2010 Philip Casey Durst Durst Nuclear Engineering and Consulting Inc. (DNE)* *Consultants to the U.S. DOE Idaho National Laboratory

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector Background of Program The United States seeks to build a new generation of Nuclear Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Experts The current experts are Aging This Lecture Series is funded by the U.S. DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of NA-24 The United States actively and energetically supports a policy of Nuclear Non-Proliferation through effective International Nuclear Safeguards implemented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Consequently, NNSA has developed the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) to help recruit and train Americans for the IAEA The purpose of this Lecture Series is to aid that effort 2

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector Background of Speaker Chemical Engineer by degree Nuclear-Chemical Engineer and Safeguards Expert by experience 32 years in Industry (Rockwell Hanford, Exxon Nuclear Idaho, Boeing, Battelle, and the IAEA) 15 Years as a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector, Sr. Inspector, and Country Officer with the IAEA in Vienna and Tokyo Chief Engineer for Durst Nuclear Engineering and Consulting Inc. (DNE); Head of DNE Training in North America Consultant to the U.S. DOE Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on International Safeguards issues 3

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector Background Regarding the IAEA The IAEA is a United Nations Organization based in Vienna, Austria The IAEA verifies that countries are compliant with their International Agreements regarding the safeguarding of their nuclear material and facilities These Agreements are concluded pursuant to the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) The IAEA Department of Safeguards has 250 designated safeguards inspectors for this purpose The IAEA continuously recruits for this position The International Safeguards Project Office at BNL supports the recruitment of Americans for the IAEA - at 4

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector (The following is an example of a day in the life of an IAEA International Nuclear Safeguards Inspector based in a field office. It is representative of a typical “Day in the Life” of an IAEA Inspector.) The Call: The call is received at home (e.g. from the Head of the Tokyo Regional Office ca. 20:00, Sunday) A Design Information Examination and Verification activity (DIE/DIV) needs to be performed at Rokkashomura in Northern Japan - due to acceleration of the facility construction schedule Safeguards Inspectors perform DIE/DIV activities to verify that nuclear facilities are being constructed and operated as declared – and to detect safeguards relevant changes The inspector must immediately plan the logistics of traveling to the location, as well as acquire the DIV Plan, procedures, and supplies for performing the inspection 5

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector Early Morning Preparations and Run to the Office: 04:30 – Wake-up at apartment 06:00 – Quick stop at the IAEA Tokyo Regional Office: –Need to pick up a copy of the DIV Plan, the procedure for operating the 3-Dimensional Laser Range Finder (3DLR), seals, working papers, and other supplies 07:00 - Run to the Ueno train station and purchase tickets for the bullet train to travel to Hachinoe (near Misawa) –Communication is in mixed Japanese and English 07:30 – Book train trip to Misawa 07:45 – Grab boxed breakfast at station kiosk 08:00 - Depart for Misawa (via Hachinoe) from Ueno Station 6

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector Examples of Typical DIV Plan Activities: (IAEA Safeguards Manual - SMI 4.1) ED – General examination of design Information GD – Examination and verification of siting and general building design CD – Examination and verification of process and/or containment UD – Examination and verification of utility/support design ED – Examination and verification of essential equipment MF – Examination and verification of nuclear material flow design ML – Examination and verification of nuclear material location design NM – Examination and verification of nuclear material characteristics CS – Examination and verification of containment integrity OM – Verification of operator’s measurement system OP – Examination and verification of operating procedures OR – Examination and verification of operating records Etc. 7

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector Travel to Inspection Location - Early Morning Train and Taxi Rides 10:30 – Arrival in Misawa 11:00 – Travel to the Rokkashomura Reprocessing Plant (RRP) Site for DIV by Taxi 12:00 – Arrival at RRP Site 12:15 – Badge-in and escort from facility gate to the inspector’s shift office 12:30 to 13:00 – Take lunch in the company cafeteria 13:15 to 13:30 - Unpack 3DLR and start of DIE/DIV activity with Operator’s support and escort 8

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector Perform DIE/DIV Activity and Inspection Need to survey and scan selected process cells under construction to confirm the construction matches the declared design, using the 3DLR and/or hand tools 13:30 – Access facility change room and don protective clothing and equipment 13:45 – Acquire radiation dosimeter from Health Physics Office 14:00 – Proceed to process cells to be verified 14:15 to16:15 – Scan process cells using the 3DLR, or use hand-tools and blueprints as required 16:30 – Return to the IAEA Inspector’s shift office –File the working papers and 3DLR computerized media for the DIE/DIV activity in the appropriate cabinet –Secure DIV files with an IAEA seal 9

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector (3DLR Units; Source – European Commission JRC-Ispra, 2009) 10

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector Wrap up Inspection and Return Home 17:00 – Resolve apparent discrepancies and anomalies with the facility operator regarding any safeguards relevant changes in the facility construction versus the declared design 17:30 – Leave RRP for Misawa 18:30 – Arrive in Hachinoe/Misawa by Taxi 19: 20 – Travel from Hachinoe to Tokyo by train 21:30 – Arrive in Tokyo 22:00 – Arrive at apartment by Taxi 22:30 – Stow and secure inspection briefcase and supplies 11

A Day in the Life of a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector The Next Day – File Inspection Report 08:30 – Arrive at the IAEA Tokyo Regional Office 10:00 – File the Computerized Inspection Report (CIR) on-line using a secured computer connection with IAEA Vienna/HQ 12:30 – File notes for the next scheduled Debriefing – to discuss the inspection and DIE/DIV 17:00 – Call the Facility Officer at IAEA Vienna/HQ regarding any important issues discovered during the inspection (i.e. discrepancies and/or anomalies) 17:30 – Leave the office to return to the apartment,….and prepare for another day 12

An Inspector’s Life For the Record IAEA inspectors spend between 80 to 120 days in the field (on the order of 1/3 of a year) This includes weekend days, holidays, and summer vacation days The business travel puts considerable demands on families, relationships, and child-rearing Regardless, the job is very, very rewarding and fulfilling Engineers, Physicists, Chemists, Accountants, Analysts, and other professionals interested in Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Safeguards are all needed and recruited – see for more detailswww.bnl.gov/ispo Contact me at: if you have additional 13