IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency The IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) IRRS Missions : Overview from a Radiation Safety Perspective Moscow, December 2014 Ahmad Al Khatibeh Section Head, Regulatory Infrastructure and Transport Safety Section, Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety (NSRW) IAEA

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December Introduction Every IRRS report carries the following statement on a page all to itself: “The number of recommendations, suggestions and good practices is in no way a measure of the status of the regulatory body. Comparisons of such numbers between IRRS reports from different countries should not be attempted”. IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December Introduction IRRS programme first implemented in 2006 and by December 2013, 50 missions completed. Given this milestone and in preparation for this IRRS Lessons-Learned Workshop, NSRW commissioned a consultancy to analyse IRRS mission reports from the radiation safety perspective. A team of international consultants, all experienced as reviewers and hosts of IRRS missions, were asked to critically review IRRS reports from 2006 to 2013 taking into account the earlier ‘Washington’ report and to draft the Analysis Report distributed at this workshop. IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December Introduction The over-arching theme of the Analysis Report is the need for discipline in applying the IRRS Guidelines consistently, managing missions rigorously and applying the Safety Standards fully with common understanding by all parties. There are various other important themes that emerge, but notably the following: IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December Recurring safety issues: Since the first reports in 2006 until the present, IRRS reports show recurring recommendations relating to the same IAEA requirements. Why is this occurring? Are some requirements unrealistic, or is something else going on? What is the IAEA doing about this? IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December The IRRS as an ‘integrated’ service: Being an evaluation of national, legal and governmental frameworks for nuclear and radiation safety, the IRRS is an integrated service. The analysis finds high variability mission-by-mission in terms of scope. In many cases, some facilities and activities have been excluded and frequently, only one national organisation has been involved in the mission, even where other national organisations have important regulatory roles. Overall, less than 20% of IRRS missions since 2006 have addressed the full spectrum of regulatory oversight of safety in the host country. Why is this occurring? What is the IAEA doing about this? IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December Applying the safety standards rigorously: The analysis has revealed that IAEA safety requirements are not referenced consistently and in some cases, they are improperly applied during the IRRS process. There are cases where only a part of a requirement is used, giving a false impression of full compliance and importantly, there is evidence of variable understanding and interpretation of the meaning and intent of specific requirements by IRRS reviewers. Why is this occurring? What is the IAEA doing about this? IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December Meeting the discipline of a peer review: As a peer review, the IRRS should provide a platform for the exchange of professional knowledge, experience and advice and it should evidentially validate or challenge the host’s self-assessment. The analysis finds this is not sufficiently demonstrated and questions the emphasis given during missions to report drafting rather than interviews, discussion and discovery. Why is this occurring? What is the IAEA doing about this? IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December Rigour of the observations: The analysis reveals inconsistency in observations mission by mission and also, that recommendations are sometimes written imprecisely or in such a manner that they cannot be realistically implemented. Why is this occurring? What is the IAEA doing about this? IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December Awarding good practice: The analysis reveals that good practice is sometimes awarded without due reference to all the criteria set out in the IRRS Guidelines. Why is this occurring? What is the IAEA doing about this? IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December The methodology and effectiveness of follow-up missions: The analysis finds the IRRS follow-up programme is not working as envisaged by the Guidelines in that: Very few follow-up missions have been implemented within the expected time span; and follow-up missions appear not to be fully effective in evaluating progress since the initial mission. Why is this occurring? What is the IAEA doing about this? IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December In conclusion: The IRRS is the prime peer review of national frameworks for safety and provides Member States with the opportunity to identify necessary improvements to their national regulatory infrastructures for nuclear, radiation, radioactive waste and transport safety. The programme has given regulators and government officers of participating States access to international advice and the exchange of regulatory knowledge and experience. In accordance with the Guidelines, the IRRS is structured to address the Host Country’s regulatory framework for protecting the public, patients, workers and the environment from radiation risks associated with all regulated facilities and activities in the country …. in practice, this full scope is not always applied. IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December In conclusion: All these issues and more will be presented in detail later in the week. Please study the Analysis Report in preparation for effective discussions during this workshop, which is aimed at ensuring the IRRS continues to improve. In particular that the IRRS: remains the prime review of national, legal and governmental frameworks and infrastructures for nuclear and radiation safety; Is equally effective, irrespective of the status or complexity of the host’s regulatory infrastructure; Addresses the full scope of facilities and activities involving ionising radiation; and Is consistent, reliable and properly applies the IAEA Safety Standards. IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective

IAEA Contents END WORKSHOP ON “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE INTEGRATED REGULATORY REVIEW SERVICE (IRRS) MISSIONS Moscow December IRRS Missions : Analysis from a Radiation Safety Perspective