IAEA Launches Three New E-Learning Courses Explaining General Nuclear and Radiological Safety Requirements

This course offers guidance on how to meet the safety requirements outlined in GSR Part 1 (Rev. 1), focusing specifically on the first two fundamental principles for safety: first, that the  prime responsibility for safety must rest with the person or organization responsible for facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks, and second, that an effective legal and governmental framework for safety, including an independent regulatory body, must be established and sustained. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of these principles and learn how to apply them in practice, which is necessary for establishing the legal and regulatory framework that enables the implementation of all IAEA safety standards.

According to Christina Fischer, an IAEA safety officer, "this e-learning module on GSR Part 1 provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the safety requirements necessary for establishing the legal and regulatory framework that enables the implementation of all IAEA safety standards.

The course covers the responsibilities for safety assigned to the government, regulatory bodies and operating organizations. Throughout the e-learning module, participants will learn who is responsible for ensuring safety, the specific responsibilities of organizations and relevant parties for ensuring safety, and the mechanisms necessary for maintaining the global safety regime.

Through this course, participants will understand the management and leadership requirements in relation to nuclear or radiation technologies, as well as the concept of safety culture, outlined in GSR Part 2. The course highlights the contribution of management system, leadership, and safety culture for ensuring safety.

“The IAEA offers many different possibilities to learn about the concept of management, leadership, and safety culture” said Iva Kubanova, an IAEA senior nuclear safety officer “this course can be used for individual or collective training in different organizations and provides a solid foundation on which to build further professional development. “

This course provides information on the practical elements of GSR Part 7. Katerina Kouts, an IAEA emergency preparedness officer, explained that " this e-Learning course is of particular importance to those who are starting their ‘journey’ in the field of emergency preparedness and response to nuclear and radiological emergencies." The course addresses the goals of emergency preparedness and response, roles and responsibilities for staffing an emergency management system, and examples of how the requirements of GSR Part 7 can be applied in practice.

The first IAEA Safety Standard was published in 1958. Since then, the IAEA Safety Standard series has expanded and now contains over 130 publications. This set of publications cover the safety of nuclear facilities, radiation sources in medical and industrial applications, transport of radioactive material, radioactive waste management, as well as preparedness and response to nuclear or radiological emergencies.

Several international conventions, such as the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management contain requirements similar to those in the standards and make them binding for Contracting Parties. The safety standards, supplemented by these international conventions, industry standards and detailed national requirements, contribute to establishing a consistent basis for protecting people and the environment.