Nuclear decommissioning: main aspects of management, planning and conduct of occupational exposure control

Wednesday, 30 June 2021

14:00 (Vienna, Austria time)

Moderator: H. Bur?in Okyar (IAEA)

Presenters: Derek Hagemeyer (ORISE IEAV Director, US), Ellen Anderson (Director of Radiological Services for Radiation Safety & Control Services, US)

Recording →

Presentation: Nuclear Decommissioning – Main aspects of ORP (IAEA)

Presentation: Overview of ORISE Independent Verification, Capabilities and Responsibilities (Derek Hagemeyer)

Presentation: IAEA - TECDOC – 1954, Occupational Radiation Protection During the Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations (Ellen Anderson)

Decommissioning of nuclear installations worldwide is an increasing activity and will continue to be so in the future. Experiences in occupational radiation protection in the context of decommissioning activities exist, however there is a need to enhance capacity building in this specific area.

Decommissioning of a nuclear installation includes a range of different activities, mainly related to dismantling, decontamination and demolition of structures, systems and components (SSCs) in addition to the erection of new SSCs. Therefore, workers will also be subject to other types of risks and hazards, in addition to the radiation exposure.

IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3, Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards establishes requirements on occupational radiation protection, and IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSG-7, Occupational Radiation Protection provides recommendations on meeting these requirements.

Compared to the operational phase of nuclear installations, the work activities during decommissioning will be different, and will be conducted in a different work environment that is continuously changing as explained in detail in a recently published Technical Document on Occupational Radiation Protection during the Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations. Taking account of the fact that over 70% of the world's nuclear reactors are to be decommissioned by 2040, this publication can be used in the planning of new decommissioning projects and for improvements in the implementation of existing decommissioning projects. Useful input for licensing and supervision of decommissioning projects are also provided.

Participants of this webinar will learn about:

• IAEA GSR Part 3, GSG-7 and TECDOC 1954 approach for nuclear decommissioning
• Decommissioning strategy
• Regulatory requirements, records and information systems
• Management and analysis of occupational radiation exposure records
• Practical information on occupational radiation protection and examples from the nuclear industry
• Independent verification
• Practices and lessons learned

Derek Hagemeyer

Mr Hagemeyer serves as Director of the Independent Environmental Assessment and Verification (IEAV) program at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). In this role, Mr Hagemeyer is responsible for the team that provides independent verification for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other federal and state agencies. When DOE or NRC facilities undergo decontamination and decommissioning, Mr Hagemeyer’s team serves as the independent group that verifies and informs these agencies whether the remediated sites meet the release criteria to ensure the safety of people and the environment.
 

Ellen Anderson

Mrs Anderson is the Director of Radiological Services for Radiation Safety & Control Services, Inc. (RSCS). RSCS provides consulting services and project management oversight in all aspects of radiation protection including commercial nuclear power plants as well as government, educational and industrial facilities during operations and decommissioning phases.