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The demanding situations faced and resolved through protection and security regulators, the COVID-19 outbreak was at the heart of today’s discussions at the annual meeting of key security officials, which took place almost outside the 64th IAEA General Conference. regulators and operators with a discussion platform for percentage of their reports since the start of the pandemic, this consultation provided a greater understanding of the measures taken to make the pandemic some nuclear and radiological protection and safety, as well as the ability to respond to a nuclear situation or radiological emergency of the pandemic.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged countries and their nuclear and similar activities in a variety of new ways. In March, padlocks were placed in the maximum countries, borders were closed and only one body of painters known as essentials could be seen. allowed and pinned locally, while others paint remotely when possible.
Since then, regulators in more than 120 countries have provided the IAEA with data on how they manage their regulatory activities with restrictions. At today’s meeting, seven representatives of the national government – from Argentina, China, Mauritius, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States – shared their delight and action plans to ensure that nuclear and radiological protection and safety are continually maintained at this unprecedented time. They were very varied, a variety of which is presented here.
Regulators have ensured continuity of operations with reduced on-site and on-site activities of their licensees, such as nuclear power plants, hospitals and radiation facilities. They temporarily place preventive measures for Array such as social remoteness, non-public hygiene measures, masks, temperature monitoring and post-occupational quarantine.
The use of online communications, adding video conferencing and teleconferencing, has increased, allowing them to continue to function even though access to some of the required regulatory data was limited while running remotely, FA said. Ollite, Director of Radiological Security of Mauritius and Nuclear Safety Authority: Regulators in some countries need to update their computer systems to ensure secure and secure online communication.
Law enforcement and inspection activities were reduced, but continued to be carried out in many countries, speakers said, while some regulatory purposes, such as licensing and express authorization processes, were delayed and education activities were postponed. protection and safety activities, such as inspections of boxes at nuclear power plants. Remote inspections have been carried out to minimize the spread of the virus, without compromising regulatory effectiveness. Some inspectors of the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) have resided in two to force the plants under structure, after following quarantine protocols, to determine the ongoing structure and start-up activities, said Faizan Mansoor, executive member of the PNRA.
In Argentina, the shipment of radioactive tissues was carried out without major inconvenience, in accordance with the applicable protection and safety requirements, said Christian Elechosa, who represented the country’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority at the meeting. With civil aviation suspended, almost all aircraft had to be Shippinged across the road, where traffic was smooth during this period.
The UK has seen an increase in staff absences of 18-20% in the nuclear sector due to suspected COVID-19 cases and related quarantine measures, said Mark Foy, chief nuclear inspector of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ONR). The industry has shown resistance to the COVID-19 pandemic, nuclear protection and safety can be questioned in the occasion of a more serious pandemic, he said. Regulators will have to be ready to do their homework and ensure some public protection, even in such circumstances.
At the end of March, the IAEA established the OPEX network of the COVID-19 nuclear power plant, an equal-to-equal exchange platform for COVID-19 mitigation measures and operator impact. recommendations accordingly.
At the end of March, the IAEA established the OPEX network of the COVID-19 nuclear power plant, a peer-to-peer exchange platform for COVID-19 mitigation measures and the impact of operators. recommendations accordingly.
“The effect on nuclear injuries [does not recognize] the country’s borders, and the preparation and reaction to nuclear emergencies is not an easy task,” said Min Huang, Deputy Director General of the Department of Nuclear Security and Emergency Regulation. Atomic Energy Authority of China (CAEA)). China followed strict protocols when blocked. It has strengthened its emergency preparedness groups to compensate staff who would possibly become ill or want to be quarantined. Huang expressed China’s willingness to assist all IAEA activities in this area and tables with countries to prepare and manage the nuclear emergency reaction.
The US federal regulator has not been able to do so. But it’s not the first time There has been no weakness that can prevent national and local emergency control organizations from responding well to a radiological emergency at a non-transparent power plant, said Margaret Doane, executive director of operations at the US Non-Transparent Regulatory Commission. But it’s not the first time The operations center remained operational and staffed for the pandemic; however, it has become transparent that choice strategies were needed to equip emergency reaction services for licensees if a declared radiological or nutransparent occasion occurred, Doane said. Popular career strategies will need to be implemented to ensure the preparation of medical intervention, he added.
In South Africa, there was some fear within civil society about the desire to take refuge in their homes rather than evacuate in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency, said B. Tyobeka, Director General of the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR). NNR clarified its direction to reassure the executive government that “the likelihood of an evacuation situation was low and that safe emergencies would in any case herald confinement in its residence,” he added.
The IAEA Incident and Emergency Center (CIS) has continued to ensure that communication channels for reporting and exchanging data in nuclear and radiological emergencies remain fully operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, said Elena Buglova, head of the CIS. . At the end of March, the CIS conducted virtual training to practice arrangements with relevant countries and foreign organizations in the context of emergency preparedness.
The importance of online education was raised through participants in today’s event. To ensure that high-level education is available to all recruits, the IAEA has organized more than 40 webinars in other United Nations languages, with the combined participation of more than 5,000 experts. In addition, online learning has been promoted through CLP4NET, the cyber learning platform for networked schooling.
As many countries prepare for the time of the pandemic, the IAEA is preparing a technical report on the delight of countries in maintaining the security, safety and reliability of COVID-19 pandemic operations, said Gustavo Caruso, Director of the IAEA’s Office for Security coordination and surveillance at the IAEA.