DS505 - Monitoring for Protection of the Public and the Environment

Status: STEP 11

Revision von RS-G-1.8

Beteiligte IAEO-Komitees: WASSC, RASSC, NUSSC, EPReSC

Specific Safety Guide

Document Preparation Profile "DPP"

Zurück zur Übersicht "In Entwicklung befindliche Safety Standards"

Background Information

The Safety Guide on “Environmental and Source Monitoring for Purposes of Radiation Protection” (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. RS-G-1.8) was published in 2005.

Since then, the IAEA Safety Fundamentals SF-1 and underlying Safety Standards, including GSR Part 3 on radiation protection, GSR Part 7 on emergency preparedness and response, GSR Part 1 (Rev. 1) on the governmental, legal and regulatory framework for safety, GSR Part 4 (Rev. 1) on safety assessment for facilities and activities, and others have been published.

As a result, fundamental concepts presented in RS-G-1.8, such as the need to consider radiological environmental impacts, the three different types of exposure situation (planned, emergency, and existing), the principles of justification, optimization and limitation, the usage of terminology including the term ‘environmental monitoring’, and other aspects, are not in line with the current Safety Standards.

In addition, there is a need to revise RS-G-1.8 to improve consistency with current IAEA Safety Standards, as well as those under development. A review was carried out in order to assess these inconsistencies and to identify areas that require revision in the current RS-G-1.8.

The following areas proved to justify update through elaboration or inclusion in the revision of RS-G-1.8:

• Application of the principles of justification, optimization and limitation in planning source monitoring and environmental monitoring for planned, emergency, and existing exposure situations
• Application of a graded approach in developing and implementing a strategy for monitoring and monitoring programmes
• The relationship between characterization and monitoring, and their relevance to regulatory activities and functions for assessment of safety (such as environmental impact assessment, authorization, inspection, and enforcement)
• Level of characterization and monitoring required in different circumstances and stages of the lifetime of different facilities and activities
• The relationship between monitoring and modelling, so that characterization and monitoring can be clearly linked to demonstration of regulatory compliance in planned, emergency, and existing exposure situations
• Planning and implementation of a harmonized monitoring strategy and programmes for protection of people and the environment in planned, emergency, and existing exposure situations
• Making use of monitoring data to inform decisions relating to protection of people and the environment (adaptive management of monitoring programmes)
• Further clarification of the roles and responsibilities of the regulatory body, the operating organization, and various relevant authorities and organizations, for example, in relation to reporting in case of multiple jurisdictions, communication and consultation with interested parties, etc.
• Further guidance on the supplementary characterization and monitoring of parameters other than radioactivity (e.g. meteorological data, water budget, flow rates, etc.) that should be considered to allow for adequate dose assessment and assessment of overall impacts
• Data management, quality management, and handling of large datasets, to reflect advances made in these areas
• Transboundary issues and international exchange of monitoring data (role of the IAEA), international legal instruments (conventions, agreements, etc.).

The update will also take into account technological advances, such as instrumentation to improve resolution of radiological measurements, data management systems, analytical and software tools, and tools for trend analysis, that have become available since RS-G-1.8 was published.

In addition, the update will also consider relevant sources of information from other organizations (e.g. UNEP, ICRU, UNSCEAR, ICRP), as well as lessons from experience (e.g. the IAEA Report on the Fukushima Daiichi Accident).