DS553 - The Safety Case and Safety Assessment for the Predisposal Management of Radioactive Waste

Status: STEP 3

Revision von GSG-3

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

Specific Safety Guide

Document Preparation Profile "DPP"

Zurück zur Übersicht "In Entwicklung befindliche Safety Standards"

Background Information

Since 2013 new safety standards, that affect the contents of GSG-3, have been published. At the 52nd WASSC meeting in October 2021, WASSC requested the Secretariat to develop a DPP to revise GSG-3. This revision will go in parallel and in full coordination with revision of GSR Part 5 (DS548) and WS-G-6.1 (DS550) and will provide recommendations in compliance with the latest requirements on predisposal waste management. The proposed publication will provide coherent recommendations for complying with the requirements for the safe predisposal management of radioactive waste based on the latest revisions of other IAEA safety standards in this area and operational experience.

A safety case and a supporting safety assessment are essential as support to demonstrating safety in developing and operating facilities and activities for predisposal radioactive waste management. In accordance with the regulatory body's requirements, the operator prepares the safety case and the supporting safety assessment.

The scope and depth of the safety case and safety assessment need to be commensurate with the complexities of the operations and the magnitude of the hazards associated with the facility and activities, and also with the current stage of facility lifetime.

The process of developing these documents follows a step-by-step approach for collecting, analysing, and interpreting relevant technical data, developing design and operation plans, and developing the safety case for operational safety. The primary goal of the safety case and supporting safety assessment is to demonstrate the level of safety of the facility and activities to ensure protection provided to the public and the environment while also assuring the regulatory body that safety requirements will be met.

The proposed Safety Guide will provide recommendations on the development and review of the safety case and supporting safety assessments prepared or conducted for a predisposal waste management facility or activity both for the case where it’s a standalone facility or activity and where it’s a part of another facility, such as a nuclear power plant, research reactor or critical assembly, other nuclear installation or activity resulting in generating or predisposal management of radioactive waste.

It is applicable for all types of radioactive waste, spent fuel and disused sealed radiation sources. Facilities or activities that deal with radioactive material might have impacts of both a radiological and non-radiological nature, but the focus of this Safety Guide is on the radiological impacts. However, the radiological consequences of non-radiological events or hazards, such as fire, are addressed.

Furthermore, although the assessment of non-radiological hazards is outside the scope of this Safety Guide, it is important that due consideration be given to such hazards, as required in national legislation.

The revised Safety Guide will elaborate more on the elements and application of a graded approach in the development and review of the safety case and supporting safety assessment for all predisposal radioactive waste management facilities and activities. The proposed publication will incorporate recommendations on the implementation of requirements for preparedness and response to a nuclear or radiological emergency pertaining to the design and implementation of safety measures in the safety case and supporting safety assessments. The superseded references in GSG-3 will be updated with new publications to ensure consistency and provide up-to-date information.