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More than a hundred delegates from 40 organizations discussed the effect of COVID-19 on the operation of nuclear facilities, operational defence, radiological coverage and emergency preparedness on the occasion of the 64th IAEA General Conference. Forum of the International Nuclear Safety Group (INSAG), a high-level organization of experts from around the world that provides recommendations on defence issues, in addition to the IAEA.
Following presentations through Basma Shalathrough, president of this year’s Forum and beyond president of the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering in Canada, the deliberations focused on the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic and addressed the importance of business continuity, resilience and data exchange this unprecedented era in global history.
“Adapting our career strategies is an ordinary reaction to effectively address the unprecedented scenario we all face. The experience, wisdom and recommendation of INSAG have been of great value,” said Juan Carlos Lentijo, Deputy Director General of the IAEA and Head of the Department of Nuclear Technological and Physical Security.
Delegates discussed how existing plans against the pandemic were implemented to ensure the protection and security of nuclear facilities and highlighted the IAEA’s efforts to strengthen its assistance to its Member States through immediate mobilization, identification of demanding situations, and facilitation of the exchange of data on nuclear protection. Participants reflected on the importance of the IAEA’s shared direction in human resources spaces, physical restrictions and distancing regulations that have a prospective effect on nuclear and radiological facilities, their daily activities, structure and emergency . preparation.
Participants provided data on how they implemented mitigation measures, adding new employee quarantine, stopping structure transitority at nuclear power plants, operating with a reduced workforce, and applying popular operating procedures to minimize the effect of COVID-19. social distance and non-public hygiene measures, monitoring employee health, prioritization of tasks, identity of essential staff, physical coverage of equipment, temperature detection, tactile location from the beginning of the pandemic and greater proactive communication with staff. , external stakeholders and host communities during this unprecedented period.
In his comments, INSAG member Shridhar Chande, retired Vice-President of India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Council, said that the COVID-19 pandemic “as reported through the IAEA and also discussed in the INSAG letter, nuclear facilities [. . . ] around the world have controlled to continue to operate safely, offering essential electrical power. “
Ansar Parvez, former chairman of Pakistan’s Atomic Energy Commission, pushes for the importance of developing contingency plans in consultation with stakeholders. “It is very vital to win the cooperation of theArray,” he said.
Lasse Reiman, who withdrew from Finland’s Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority in 2015, said that “the state of emergency was declared due to the covid-19 pandemic on March 16, 2020. Restrictive measures were taken and recommendations were issued, which were reduced. “epidemic and protective groups at risk. He also described the type of remote inspections, as it was not imaginable to report them to factories in Finland. He added that “the overall purposes of the organization were implemented at general times. “
When power plants operate with smaller personnel, nuclear protection monitoring is especially important,” said Bismark Tyobeka, executive director of South Africa’s National Nuclear Regulator. “Regulatory diligence will need to be maintained to ensure a higher point of protection in facilities by ensuring continuity of regulatory activities, but attention will also need to be paid to nuclear protection objectives in pandemic situations to acts of sabotage, theft and vandalism,” he said.
During his presentation, Gustavo Caruso, head of the IAEA’s Office of Security and Security Coordination, said the nuclear industry had learned and taken a step forward and was well prepared for external occasions such as a pandemic. “Past occasions have shaped legal tools and taken a step forward in resilience. The IAEA has made ongoing efforts to facilitate the exchange of information, percentage reports and provide adequate support,” he said.
Lentijo, in his final comments, said that the Forum had reflected on reports from around the world and that “it intends to analyze these reports to be informed in the long term and this being informed will only be for long-term pandemics but also for the rest of the existing pandemic. “