Course Description
Introduction
This extended program integrates radiation safety fundamentals with advanced regulatory training. It is designed to prepare regulatory staff and auditors for comprehensive oversight responsibilities, including licensing, compliance monitoring, safety management evaluation, and incident prevention. Participants will explore international and national frameworks in depth, apply auditing techniques, and conduct mock inspections, ensuring they leave with practical, hands-on experience in regulatory enforcement.
Target Audience
- Regulatory authority staff involved in inspections and compliance monitoring
- Facility auditors and safety officers
- Licensing and authorisation officers
- Radiation protection officers preparing for regulatory liaison
- Professionals working in policy or safety oversight roles
Course Objectives
- Gain foundational knowledge of radiation physics, measurement, and protection
- Understand international standards and how they are translated into national codes
- Apply regulatory processes for licensing, authorisation, and facility oversight
- Evaluate safety management systems for compliance and continuous improvement
- Conduct effective audits and inspections with professional rigor
- Analyze lessons from global nuclear and radiological events to enhance regulatory practice
Course Content
Unit 1: Basics of Radiation Physics
- Structure of matter and types of radiation
- Sources of radiation and their applications
- Importance of understanding physics for regulatory oversight
- Case example: physics in diagnostic radiology inspections
Unit 2: Radiation Units and Measurement
- Exposure, absorbed dose, and effective dose
- Measurement units (Gy, Sv, Bq) and their relevance to regulation
- Monitoring equipment in facility oversight
- Example: regulatory review of a hospital dosimetry program
Unit 3: Biological Effects of Radiation
- Deterministic and stochastic effects on health
- Dose-response models and relevance to regulatory dose limits
- Worker and public dose limits under IAEA recommendations
- Case example: exposure limits in interventional radiology
Unit 4: Principles of Radiation Protection
- ALARA principle as a regulatory standard
- Key protection strategies (time, distance, shielding)
- Role of PPE in facility compliance inspections
- Monitoring systems in healthcare and industrial environments
Unit 5: Introduction to Safety Frameworks
- IAEA Basic Safety Standards overview
- Translation of global standards into national regulations
- Legal frameworks and organizational responsibilities
- Safety culture as a regulatory requirement
Unit 6: International and National Frameworks
- IAEA safety standards in practice
- National legal and regulatory structures for radiation facilities
- Regulator’s authority and independence
- Challenges of implementing uniform regulations across industries
- Case example: regulatory framework for nuclear medicine facilities
Unit 7: Regulatory Processes
- Licensing, authorisation, and permits in detail
- Facility classification by risk and regulatory category
- Oversight tools: inspections, renewals, and enforcement actions
- Stakeholder engagement in regulatory processes
- Example: end-to-end licensing process for an industrial radiography site
Unit 8: Safety Management Systems
- Core elements of RP management systems
- Leadership, roles, and accountability in facility safety programs
- Quality assurance and continuous improvement practices
- Safety culture as a measurable regulatory outcome
- Case study: evaluation of a hospital RP management system
Unit 9: Auditing and Inspections
- Inspection planning: announced vs unannounced
- Audit checklists and compliance measurement tools
- Non-compliance documentation and escalation procedures
- Corrective and preventive action frameworks
- Practical exercise: role-play audit of a research facility
Unit 10: Case Studies and Assessment
- Review of Fukushima and Chernobyl: regulatory failures and reforms
- Application of lessons learned to national frameworks
- Capstone mock audit: planning, executing, and reporting findings
- Group presentation of audit results
- Final assessment and knowledge test
- Closing feedback and recommendations