The IAEA has developed a Safety Guide SSG-44 on Establition the Infrastructure for Radiation Safety.The objective of the Safety Guide is to provide guidance on the establishment of the national radiation safety infrastructure that meets the IAEA safety standards. It provides recommendations, in the form of actions, on meeting the relevant safety requirements in an effective and integrated manner while taking specific national circumstances into full consideration. The Safety Guide does not diminish the application of, or provide a synopsis of or a substitute for, the IAEA Safety Fundamentals and Safety Requirements publications and the associated Safety Guides.
The Safety Guide sets out a holistic approach to the establishment of the national radiation safety infrastructure. It provides advice on designing an integrated roadmap that fits the national circumstances for the application of IAEA safety standards for States having essentially no elements of the radiation safety infrastructure in place and also for States that already have some elements in place.
The Safety Guide provides recommendations in relation to the relevant IAEA safety requirements for an effective national radiation safety infrastructure that ensures an appropriate level of safety, commensurate with the radiation risks associated with the facilities and activities in the State. It includes also guidance for the application of provisions of relevant international instruments. The Safety Guide does not cover the IAEA safety requirements relating to nuclear safety infrastructure.
The Safety Guide recommends States to make an assessment of the national situation as a first action to identify the applicable actions. The IAEA promotes national 'self-assessments' and provides for the application of its safety standards through safety review services. The actions needed for establishing the national radiation safety infrastructure depend on the national circumstances, including the legal system in the State, the governmental structure, and the availability of human, technical and financial resources. Such factors will also affect the pace at which the infrastructure can be developed.
