International Nuclear Safety Standards

Dr. Syed Arif Ahmad

Chief Scientist
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
“

“ Applications of Nuclear Science & Technology in Pakistan”

SASSI Conference 12-13 July, Islamabad

 Layout of the Lecture

Safety Evolution in PAEC

Safety Fundamentals
International Standards
National Standards
Meeting the Standards

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 Safety Evolution in PAEC
 The nuclear regulatory infrastructure has
been in place since 1965, when the first
research reactor PARR-I was commissioned.
 The nuclear regulatory regime further
improved when the first nuclear power plant
was commissioned in 1971 at Karachi .
 A “Nuclear Safety and Licensing Division”
(NS&LD) was established in PAEC HQ which
functioned as the regulatory body.

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 Safety Evolution in PAEC
 NS&LD was upgraded to " Directorate of
Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection"
(DNS&RP) after the promulgation of Pakistan
Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection
Ordinance 1984.
 Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Board, 1994
 DNS&RP, PNRB were transformed into an
independent regulatory body, called the
Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority
(PNRA) in 2001
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 Safety Evolution in PAEC
 Need to establish PAEC’s Corporate Safety
body, thus the Directorate of Safety (DOS) was
formed at PAEC Headquarters in March 2002.
 DOS was subsequently up-graded to Directorate
General of Safety in 2008.
 DOS is responsible for all safety matters of all
projects and reports directly to Chairman, PAEC.
 Domain includes Radiation Safety, Nuclear
Safety, Fire Safety, Industrial Safety, Process
Safety, etc.
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Radiations in Nuclear Facilities
Alpha, Beta. Gamma, X-Rays,
Neutrons

Particle Emission from

Radioactive Nuclei

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 Fundamental Safety Principles
The Fundamental safety objective is to protect people and
the environment from harmful effects of
ionizing radiation
. P - 1 0 P- 1
P-
9
P-2
P-8 Fundamental
Safety
Objective
P- 3
P-7 P-
P- 6 4
P- 5
The safety principles have been formulated to
achieve the Fundamental Safety objective
1
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 Safety Principle - 1

Responsibility for safety

The prime responsibility for safety must rest with

the person or organization responsible for facilities
and activities that give rise to radiation risks.

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 Safety Principle - 2

Role of Government

An effective legal and governmental framework for

safety, including an independent regulatory body,
must be established and sustained.

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 Safety Principle - 3

Leadership and Management

for Safety

Effective leadership and management for safety

must be established and sustained in organizations
concerned with, and facilities and activities that give
rise to, radiation risks.

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 Safety Principle - 4

Justification of Facilities
And Activities

Facilities and activities that give rise to radiation

risks must yield an overall benefit.

In many cases decisions are taken at the highest level of

Government, such as a decision by the state to embark on a
Nuclear programme. In other cases regulatory body justifies
the proposed facilities or activities

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 Safety Principle - 5

Optimization of Protection

Protection must be optimized to provide the highest

level of safety that can reasonably be achieved.

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 Safety Principle - 6

Limitation of risks to
individuals

Measures for controlling radiation risks must ensure

that no individual bears an unacceptable risk of
harm.

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 Safety Principle - 7

Protection of present and

future generations

People and the environment, present and future,

must be protected against radiation risks.

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 Safety Principle - 8

Prevention of Accidents

All practical efforts must be made to prevent and

mitigate nuclear or radiation accidents.

Comprehensive operational procedures and

practices should be used

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 Safety Principle - 9

Emergency Preparedness
and Response

Arrangements must be made for emergency

preparedness and response for nuclear or radiation
incidents.

Licensee, Regulatory Body and other branches of Government

have to establish arrangements for EPR at local and national
Levels and where so agreed between states at Int. Level

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 Safety Principle - 10

Protective Actions to
Reduce existing or
unregulated
Radiation risks

Protective actions to reduce existing or unregulated

radiation risks must be justified and optimized.

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 Regulatory Dose Limits
(PNRA)

Application Dose Limit

Occupational Public

Effective dose *20 mSv/Yr 1 mSv/Yr

*averaged over a defined period of 5 years

USNRC is observing the limit of 50 mSv/Yr

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Radiation Exposure in Everyday Life

Food Item *Radioactivity

One Banana 15
One Baked Potato 30
One Cup of Tomato Juice 26
One Cup of Carrot Juice 16

* Radioactivity in counts per second

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Dose Rate Due to Cosmic Radiation

Location Altitude Annual Dose

(mSv/yr)

Karachi Sea-level 0.26

Islamabad 500 m 0.35

Murree 2,300 m 0.7

K2 Peak 8,611 m 25

Average Due to Cosmic Radiation: 0.3 mSv/yr

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 Loss of Life Expectancy (LLE)
Activity or Behavior LLE (DAYS)

Being unmarried male 3500

Heart disease 2100
Being unmarried female 1600
Smoking 20 cigarettes per day 1600
Being 30 percent overweight 1300
Driving a car 200
Consuming alcohol (U.S. average) 130
Accidents in home 95
Riding a bicycle 6
Living within 16 km of a Nuclear Power Plant 0.4

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 Safety Standards

Definition
Requirements, regulations, standards,
rules, codes of practice or
recommendations established to protect
people and the environment against
ionizing radiation and to minimize danger to
life and property. (IAEA)

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 Technical/Safety Standards

Technical standard is an established norm or

requirement. It is usually a formal document that
establishes uniform engineering or technical
criteria, methods, processes and practices.

Safety standards are designed to ensure the safety

of products, activities or processes, etc. They may
be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid
down by an Authority.

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 International Standards

Metrological Standards Written Standards

• Length, mass, time, quantity of matter • Naming, describing, specifying

•Primary and secondary standards measuring and testing things
• Managing and reporting things

Standards provide a means of “validated

quantification and control”
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 International Standards

Safety standards can be developed by:

 International Standards Organizations (ISOs)

 Regional Standards Organizations (RSOs)
 Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs)
 National Standards Bodies (NSBs)

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International Standards
Guides and Codes

Hierarchy
Acts/Legislation/Ordinance
Codes/Regulations/Statutory
Instruments/Orders
Safety Guides/Regulatory
Guides/Guidelines
Standards/Manuals
Procedures

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 IAEA Standards, Guides and Codes
 A big part of the IAEA´s statutory mandate is
the establishment, and promotion, of advisory
international standards and guides.
 Standards are issued as series publications
and cover nuclear safety, radiation protection,
radioactive waste management, the transport
of radioactive materials, the safety of nuclear
fuel cycle facilities and quality assurance.

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Hierarchy of IAEA Safety Standards

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 Application of IAEA Standards
The IAEA safety standards, comprising of Safety
Fundamentals, General & Specific Safety Requirements
and General & Specific Safety Guides, are applied by the
IAEA and joint sponsoring organizations to their own
operations.

These are recommended for use by Member States and

national authorities and by other international
organizations in their activities.

Safety Standards are not legally binding on Member States

but may be adopted by them, at their own discretion.

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Development of Nuclear and Radiation Safety
Standards International
(guidance)
National
(force of law) Scientific Literature

ICRP
UNSCEAR
National legislation and Interpretation,
Literature review and
regulations professional judgment,
evaluation
recommendations
FAO

IAEA

ILO
Programme
International consensus ISO
in regulatory form
OECD/NEA

CSS, PAHO
RASSC,NUSSC,
WASSC,TRANSSC
WHO

EC

Practices Member State consultation IEC

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ENVIRONMENTAL RELEASES FOR NPPs 2011

KANUPP

Gaseous Releases % of Permissible Limit

Beta / Gama 3.68 T Bq 0.26 %
Tritium 178 T Bq 0.60 %
Liquid Releases
Beta / Gama .025 T Bq 0.92 %
Tritium 60.23 T Bq 0.004 %

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ENVIRONMENTAL RELEASES FOR NPPs 2011
CHASNUPP

Gaseous Releases % of Permissible Limit

UNIT 1
Beta / Gamma 0.1 T Bq 0.0013 %
Liquid Releases
Beta / Gamma .0004 T Bq 0.0001 %
Tritium 3.35 T Bq 0.008 %

UNIT 2 Gaseous Releases % of Permissible Limit

Beta / Gamma 0.0075 T Bq 0.0007 %
Liquid Releases
Beta / Gamma 0.0002 T Bq 0.0002 %
Tritium 9.21 T Bq 0.065 %

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 Radiation Accidents Worldwide

FATALITIES due to Radiation Accidents have

occurred in 10s of Countries.
IN PAKISTAN THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY EVENT
RESULTING IN A FATALITY DUE TO RADIATION.

WE ARE FOLLOWING NATIONAL &

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND HAVE AN
EXCELLENT RECORD.

LET US CONCLUDE WITH THE RESOLVE TO WORK,

HOPE AND PRAY TO MAINTAIN THIS TRADITION
AND NEVER HAVE AN ACCIDENT.
 International Standards, Guides and
Codes
USA
ACTS or Legislation:
 Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended (P.L. 83-703)
 Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as Amended (P.L. 93-438)
 Nuclear Regulatory Legislation: 109th Congress 1980 (Volume 1, No. 7,
Rev. 1, 2nd Session), and (Volume 2, No. 7, 1st Session)

Regulation:
 10 CFR -- Code of Federal Regulations
 10 CFR 20 -- Standards for Protection Against Radiation
 10 CFR 50 -- Licensing of Production and Utilization
 10 CFR 100 -- Reactor Site Criteria

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International Standards, Guides and
Codes
USNRC Guides:
 R.G 1.4-74 Assumptions used for evaluating the potential radiological
consequences of a LOCA
 R.G 1.143-01 Design guidance for radioactive waste management
systems, structures, and components installed in light-water-cooled
nuclear power plants

Standards:
 ANSI -- American National Standards Institute
 ASME -- American Society of Mechanical Engineers
 IEEE -- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

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 International Standards, Guides and
Codes UK
Acts:
 Agriculture (Safety, Health and Welfare Provisions) Act 1956 (c 49)
 Environment and Safety Information Act 1988 (c. 30)
 Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (c 37)
Statutory Instruments (Regulation):
 Agriculture (Safety, Health and Welfare Provisions) Act 1956 (Repeals and Modifications)
Regulations 1975 (S.I. 1975/46)
 Health and Safety Licensing Appeals (Hearings Procedure) Rules 1974 (S.I. 1974/2040)
 Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/3232)
Guidance Publications:
 Guide to the Control of Explosives Regulations 1991
 Guide to the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regu. 1996
 Guide to the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001
Standards:
 BSI - British Standards Institution include the General Series (BS), Codes of Practice (CP), Public
Authority Standards (PAS), BS 9000 series documents, Aerospace Series, Automobile Series,
Marine Series, etc
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International Standards, Guides and
Codes China
Acts:
 Act for the control of radiological pollution

Codes (Regulations):
 HAF102-91 Safety code for nuclear power plant design
 HAF103-91 Safety code for nuclear power plant operation

Guides:
 HAD102/01-89 General design safety principles for nuclear power plants
 HAD102/02-96 Seismic design and qualification of nuclear power plants
 HAD103/01-87 Operational limits and conditions for nuclear power plants
 HAD103/02-87 Commissioning procedures for nuclear power plants

Standards:
 GB 50011-01 Code for Building Seismic Design
 SDJ 4-79 Technical Code for Overhead Distribution Wire Design
 DL/T621-97 Grounding for AC electrical installations standards
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International Standards, Guides and
Codes Pakistan
Ordinance:

 PNRA Ordinance 2001. Identifies the activities, to fulfill requirements

for the promotion and regulation of nuclear energy,
but does not provide the details

Regulations:

 PAK/904Regulations on Radiation Protection

 PAK/908Regulations of the Licensing of Facilities
other than NPPs
 ………………

Guides:

 PNRA - 13001 Guidance for the Safe use of Sealed Radioactive

Sources
 PNRA - 13003 Guidance on Medical exposure Control
 PAK – 1201 Safety Functions and Components Classifications
for nuclear power reactors

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 Safety Fundamentals

These Regulatory Documents

present basic objectives, concepts
and principles of safety and
protection and provide the basis
for the Safety Requirements.

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 Safety Requirements
Safety Requirements

These Regulatory documents

establish the requirements that must
be met to ensure safety. These
requirements, which are expressed
as ‘shall’ statements, are governed
by the objectives and principles
presented in the Safety
Fundamentals.

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 Safety Guides
Safety Guides

These Regulatory documents

recommend actions, conditions or
procedures for meeting safety
requirements. Recommendations in
Safety Guides are expressed as ‘should’
statements, with the implication that it
is necessary to take the measures
recommended or equivalent alternative
measures to comply with the
requirements.

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 Safety Principle - 3

Leadership and Management

for Safety

Effective leadership and management for safety

must be established and sustained in organizations
concerned with, and facilities and activities that give
rise to, radiation risks.

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 Radiation Accident Worldwide
 INJURIES due to Radiation Accidents have occurred
in 53 Countries.

 FATALITIES due to Radiation Accidents have occurred

in 30 Countries. These include:
USA, UK, France, Russia, Japan, China, and India.

 IN PAKISTAN THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY EVENT RESULTING

IN A FATALITY DUE TO RADIATION.

LET US CONCLUDE WITH THE HOPE THAT WE

ARE NEVER INCLUDED IN THE ABOVE LIST.

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 International Standards
Standards can be:

 FORMAL – developed by independent experts working

under the auspices of a National, Regional or International
standards body

 ISO (International Organization for Standardization) ,

IAEA, (International Atomic Energy Agency
CEN (European Committee for Standardization),
AFNOR (Association française de Normalisation, French)
BSI (British Standards),
DIN (German Institute for Standardization) etc.

 INFORMAL – developed by a SDO (Standards

Development Organisation)

 ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials),

 IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ) etc
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