Specific Considerations and Guidance for the Establishment of Ionizing Radiation Facilities

Abstract

This publication is intended to assist national public or private organizations that are considering the establishment, or are undertaking a major upgrade or refurbishment, of an IRF to achieve the following: — Make an informed judgement of the necessity for the project and assess the organization’s readiness to initiate such an undertaking, taking into account the existing gaps in the national and/or organizational infrastructure and considering the required commitment during the entire lifetime of the IRF, including siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning and all operational activities; 4 — Determine the magnitude of the commitment necessary to establish and achieve the effective and efficient use of an IRF in a safe, secure and technically sound manner; — Conduct a feasibility study to provide objective information to decision makers and other stakeholders about the utility and soundness of the IRF project; — Support the success and sustainability of an IRF and limit the risk of future underutilization or legacy issues with the facility; — Allow for a timely decision not to pursue a new IRF or refurbish an existing one (if the utility and sustainability of the facility are shown to be insufficient by the feasibility study). This publication provides guidance to the organization on the sound justification1 of this type of project, such that it can confirm that it has undertaken the following: — Justified the need for an IRF within a well identified organizational or national strategy; — Comprehensively recognized and identified the commitments and obligations associated with the establishment of an IRF; — Established and adequately prepared the infrastructure prerequisite to the establishment of an IRF; — Established all the competencies and capabilities necessary to operate an IRF safely and securely, in line with the IAEA safety standards and nuclear security recommendations, and economically over its lifetime, and to manage the ensuing radioactive waste; — Established adequate funding and financing mechanisms for the IRF project throughout its life cycle, including for the decommissioning phase [8].