Senior regulatory managers from Latin America and the Caribbean gained hand-on experience on how to develop, implement and improve integrated management systems in their organizations during a recent workshop at the IAEA headquarters.
During the 16-20 July regional workshop, 13 senior staff from Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay learned about the importance of databases that integrate all internal systems and processes. Such integrated management systems aim to improve the overall functioning of the regulatory bodies.
“This knowledge will help me to implement an integrated management system in my organization. The workshop gave me some tools and ideas how to implement it,” said Melina Mondelli, Head of Inspectors at the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority of Uruguay.
Three experts from Cuba, Paraguay and the IAEA introduced participants to the IAEA Safety Standard Leadership and Management for Safety, which contains several requirements related to management systems. The effective use of such systems contributes to key objectives of the IAEA safety standards – to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.
Senior regulators taking part in the workshop began preparing national plans for integrated management systems, which they hope to implement in their countries.
“The workshop was a great chance to share national experiences and to understand the most important activities we must carry out to improve our national systems,” said Cristian Sepulveda, the Deputy Head of Nuclear Safety Division at the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission.
The workshop was implemented as a part of the Regulatory Infrastructure Development Project for Latin America and the Caribbean.
