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
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Safety, etc.
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
.
Fundamental
Safety
Objective
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
Effective dose
*20 mSv/Yr
Public
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
One Baked Potato
15
30
One Cup of Tomato Juice
One Cup of Carrot Juice
26
16
* Radioactivity in counts per second
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Dose Rate Due to Cosmic Radiation
Altitude
Annual Dose
Sea-level
0.26
500 m
0.35
Murree
2,300 m
0.7
K2 Peak
8,611 m
25
Location
Karachi
Islamabad
(mSv/yr)
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,
rules,
regulations,
codes
of
standards,
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
• Length, mass, time, quantity of matter
•Primary and secondary standards
Written Standards
• Naming, describing, specifying
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
National
(force of law)
National legislation and
regulations
International
(guidance)
Scientific Literature
ICRP
Interpretation,
professional judgment,
recommendations
UNSCEAR
Literature review and
evaluation
FAO
IAEA
Programme
International consensus
in regulatory form
ILO
ISO
OECD/NEA
CSS,
RASSC,NUSSC,
WASSC,TRANSSC
PAHO
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 %
Beta / Gama
.025 T Bq
0.92 %
Tritium
60.23 T Bq
0.004 %
Liquid Releases
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ENVIRONMENTAL RELEASES FOR NPPs 2011
CHASNUPP
UNIT 1
Gaseous Releases
% of Permissible Limit
0.1 T Bq
0.0013 %
Beta / Gamma
.0004 T Bq
0.0001 %
Tritium
3.35 T Bq
0.008 %
Beta / Gamma
Liquid Releases
UNIT 2
Gaseous Releases
Beta / Gamma
% of Permissible Limit
0.0075 T Bq
0.0007 %
0.0002 T Bq
0.0002 %
9.21 T Bq
0.065 %
Liquid Releases
Beta / Gamma
Tritium
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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
 10 CFR 20
 10 CFR 50
 10 CFR 100
-----
Code of Federal Regulations
Standards for Protection Against Radiation
Licensing of Production and Utilization
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
ASME
IEEE
-- American National Standards Institute
-- American Society of Mechanical Engineers
-- 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/904
 PAK/908

Regulations on Radiation Protection
Regulations 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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