IAEA

REGULATION RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION IN ARMENIA

Ashot MnatsakanyanHead of Radiation Safety Department

Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA)

RER9111 - School of Drafting Regulations, radiation safety stream

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1 - Issuing regulations

Governmental, Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safety (GSR – Part 1)

Requirement 1: National policy and strategy for safety• The government shall establish a national policy and strategy for

safety…(paras 2.3, 2.4)

Requirement 2: Establishment of a framework for safety• The government shall establish and maintain an appropriate governmental,

legal and regulatory framework for safety within which responsibilities are clearly allocated. (paras 2.5, 2.6)

Indicate:

a. Who are the regulators for different modes of transport in your country,

The Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority is the regulator for nuclear and radiation safety for each type of transportation of nuclear and radioactive materials.

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1 - Issuing regulations

a. What regulations are in force in each case, and

Armenian Regulations for nuclear and radioactive materials transportation are applied to all type of transportation means and are the followings:• The RA Government Decree № 1263 as of 24.12. 2001 on approval of

special rules on transportation of nuclear and radioactive materials. This document was developed based on IAEA TS -1.

• Government Decree № 931-N as of 27.06.2002 on approval of the procedure for safe transport of nuclear and radioactive materials

b. What is the review process applied.

The main aim of review process is to assess and control compliance of safety requirement included in the authorization granted in accordance with The Government Decree № 931-N.

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2 - Monitoring of transport operations

To monitor transport operations it is necessary to know the magnitude of the transport in the country. Please indicate:

a. Radioactive materials used in your country

1.Co-60 – for medical(external beam therapy, brachitherapy), recearch (irradiator, calibration), industrial (non-destructive control, radiography), metrology

2.Cs-137 - for medical( brachytherapy ), research (experiments), industrial (non-destructive control, radiography), gauges, metrology

3.Ir-192 – radiography, Low dose brachytherapy

4.Mo-99, Tc-99m, I-131,125 – for medical use only

5.Others for calibration (only 4,5 category sources)

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2 - Monitoring of transport operations

To monitor transport operations it is necessary to know the magnitude of the transport in the country. Please indicate:

b. Type and quantity of facilities using radioactive materials

1.Nuclear facilities- Armenian NPP

2.Radioactive waste (municipal type of wastes) storage

3.Medical facilities – 4 hospitals for treatment and diagnostic proposes

4.Industrial -14 for non-destructive control, gauges

5.Research- 5

6.Metrology - SSDL laboratory

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2 - Monitoring of transport operations

To monitor transport operations it is necessary to know the magnitude of the transport in the country. Please indicate:

c. Types of packages used

In Armenia used the packages in which the radioactive and nuclear materials are received (source manufacturer packages)

d.Number of packages transported by year

1. 10 packages of fresh nuclear fuel

2. 4 packages with Technetium generators

3. 4 packages with Ir-192

4. 1-2 packages any type calibration sources 4-5 category

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2 - Monitoring of transport operations

e. More relevant shipments

There is no shipment activities from Armenia

f. Point of entry, exit, transit routes

The main entry point in Armenia is airports (Zvartnots and Gumry)

g. Who can inspect packages/shipments1. On road – Custom service of RA

2. At sea ports and on ships – There aren't see ports in Armenia

3. At airports and on aircraft - Custom service of RA

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3 - Import-export of radioactive materials

Transport regulations assume there is an established framework to regulate activities involving radioactive material. As transport is involved in every import/export operation, it is important to know which are the requirements for import/export, e.g.:

• Notifications:– Consignor, Consignee, Dates, routes, final destination

• Certificates– Dangerous goods declaration, Approval certificates for packages /

materials• Inspections

– What inspections are required if any? Who inspects what?

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3 - Import-export of radioactive materials

a. Prepare a detailed list of requirements for import/export of radioactive materials in your country. Include all the organizations involved.

The detail requirements on import-export are stated in the RA Government Decree № 1790 as of 09.12.2004 on approval of “Procedure on licensing of export from and import to republic of Armenia of ionizing generators, radioactive materials and equipment containing radioactive materials.

The following should be submitted in support to the application:• Legal entity – copies of statute and state registration certificate with all supplementary sheets;

manufacturer – a copy of state registration certificate with all supplementary sheets;• A copy of contract on acquisition of imported radioactive materials, equipment containing radioactive

materials and ionizing generators or alienation (sell, transfer, sending for repair and other) of exported radioactive materials, equipment containing radioactive materials and ionizing generators. If radioactive materials, equipment containing radioactive materials and ionizing generators are imported or exported in frame of a cooperation project with a foreign or international organization, then a copy of the cooperation project shall be submitted.

• a copy of license on use or storage of imported or exported radioactive materials, equipment containing radioactive materials and ionizing generators;

• Receipt on payment of state tax for receiving a license.

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3 - Import-export of radioactive materials

• Copy of certificate on approval of packages (especially for fresh nuclear fuel)

• Declaration about dangerous goods• Inspections being organized by ANRA if necessary to check some items,

like vehicle and/ or packaging's conditions, radiation protection program, Emergency planning card etc.

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4 - Establishing responsibilities

GSR-Part 1, para. 2.5(6)

“…The framework for safety shall set out the following: … (6)Provision for assigning legal responsibility for safety to the persons or organizations responsible for the facilities and activities, and for ensuring the continuity of responsibility where activities are carried out by several persons or organizations successively…”

a. How are the responsibilities established in your country for the transport of radioactive material?

The responsibilities for the safe transport of radioactive materials are established in the Government Decree № 931-N as of 27.06.2002 on approval of the procedure for safe transport of nuclear and radioactive materials.

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4 - Establishing responsibilities

1.ANRA is responsible for regulatory control of transportation of nuclear and radioactive materials, for licensing of transport company and authorization of each transportation

2.Carrier is responsible for technical condition of transport means and safe transportation

3.Ministry of emergency situation is responsible for public protection in case of transport accidents

4.National police is responsible for security of transportation including road regulation

5.National security service is responsible for prevention of trroristic acts and illicit trafficking issues

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5 - Training and distribution of information

Transport regulations in paras 311 to 314, and GSR Part 1 in Requirement 36, establish provisions for training and communication.• Is the appropriate training available (for all modes of transport)

a. For Consignors

b. For Carriers

c. For First Responders

d. For Radiation Workers

e. For Regulators

All above mentioned organization are organizing training of their own staff,

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6 - Emergency planning and exercises

Transport regulations rely on national provisions to respond to an emergency or incident.

a. Do you have a national response plan?

b. Is response to transport accidents/incidents covered in that?

c. Are the proper authorities involved?

d. Is the appropriate equipment available?

e. Are responders properly trained?

f. Do you have notification requirements?

g. What about members of the public?

h. When was the last emergency exercise for transport?

i. Have you exercised the response plan?

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6 - Emergency planning and exercises

Currently the response actions related to transport accident are regulated by mutually signed agreements between first responders.

At the end of June of 2015 the National Emergency response plan for radiological events including transportation events will be approved by Government of RA.

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7 - Compliance assurance and enforcement

SSR-6 requires the competent authority to assure compliance with the regulations (para. 307) and GSR Part 1 requires the establishment of an enforcement policy in cases of non-compliance (Req. 31).

For your country, who is responsible for:

a. Verification of compliance of packages: Documentation, Labelling, Doses

b. Verification of Shipments: Approval, Marking for transport

c. Compliance for carriers

d. Notification: How do you know if an incident has occurred?

As far as in Armenia no packaging, shipment, labelling and others are in place no enforcement and regulatory control have been established.