[en] The IAEA runs a programme for monitoring and safe application of ionizing radiation sources in medicine, industry, science and education. Part of the programme is devoted to the collection of information about accidents and safety-relevant events. This information is intended to serve as a basis for deriving conclusions on proper conduct and handling for accident prevention. The paper reviews currently available results from this programme relating to the fields of radiotherapy and industrial applications. (orig./HP)

[en] The International Atomic Energy Agency is specifically required by its Statute 'to establish or adopt ... standards of safety for protection of health and minimization of danger to life and property ... and to provide for the application of these standards ...'. Standards encompass three main elements: legally binding international undertakings among States; globally agreed international safety standards; and the provision for facilitating the application of those standards. Radiation safety standards are national responsibilities, but there is considerable value in formulating harmonized approaches throughout the world. The Agency has attempted to do this by establishing internationally agreed safety standards and by prompting their application. Of prime importance are the Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources. These deal with the basic requirements that must be met in order to ensure an adequate standard of safety. More detailed guidance on the application of these requirements is given in Safety Guides established under them. Fuller technical support is given in a series of Safety Reports. A number of Safety Guides are relevant to this meeting. An existing Safety Guide on exemption is being revised to cover related topics such as exclusion and clearance, and this is the subject of a separate presentation. As part of the programme to combat illicit trafficking in radioactive materials, a new Safety Guide on the topic is being developed. Both are near completion. Another Safety Guide is being produced to elaborate the requirements in the Basic Safety Standards on the safety of radioactive sources. The topics of illicit trafficking in radioactive materials and the safety of radioactive sources were given added impetus by resolutions of the last General Conference of the Agency. This paper provides an overview of these activities of the Agency. (author)

[en] Whilst the use of ionizing radiation continues to bring benefits to many people throughout the world there is increasing concern at the number of reported accidents involving radiation. Such accidents have had an impact on the lives of patients, workers and members of the public, the consequences of which have ranged from trivial health effects to fatalities. In order to reduce the number of accidents and to mitigate their consequences it is, therefore, necessary to raise awareness of the causes of accidents and to note the lessons that can be learned. The IAEA's database on unusual radiation events (RADEV) is intended to provide a world-wide focal point for such information. (author)

[en] Whilst the use of ionizing radiation continues to bring benefits to many people throughout the world there is increasing concern at the number of reported accidents involving radiation. Such accidents have had an impact on the lives of patients, workers and members of the public, the consequences of which have ranged from trivial health effects to fatalities. In order to reduce the number of accidents and to mitigate their consequences it is, therefore, necessary to raise awareness of the causes of accidents and to note the lessons that can be learned. The IAEA's database on unusual radiation events (RADEV) is intended to provide a world-wide focal point for such information. (author)

[en] This paper is concerned with the IAEA's programme on the safety and security of radiation sources which is aimed primarily at protecting people's health. This programme finds its origins in the IAEA's statutory function for establishing safety standards and providing for their application. The International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources provides the basic safety requirements. In spite of the existence of such standards, serious radiological accidents continue to occur, some of these accidents involving 'orphan' sources, that is, they that are not under appropriate control. Concerns about this matter over led, in 1999, to the development of an Action Plan, which is aimed at enabling the IAEA to develop and implement activities that will assist States in maintaining and, where necessary, improving the safety of radiation sources and the security of radioactive materials over their life cycle. This paper describes the seven major topics of the Action Plan and the progress in the implementation of the various actions. These topics are: regulatory infrastructures; management of disused sources; categorization of sources; response to abnormal events; information exchange; education and training; and international undertakings. The findings of a Conference held in Buenos Aires in December 2000, while reinforcing the activities in the Action Plan, also identified further actions. One of these was that events where individuals are exposed to radiation because of breaches in radiation source safety or security without malice aforethought should be clearly distinguished from events where there is a criminal intent of exposing people to harmful effects of radiation. (author)

[en] As part of the measures to strengthen international co-operation in nuclear, radiation and waste safety, the report refers to the implementation of the Action Plan for the Safety of Radiation Sources and the Security of Radioactive Materials. Starting with background information, the report references the main results of the Dijon Conference and of General Conference resolution GC(42)/RES/12 in September 1998, describing the actions taken by the Secretariat pursuant such resolution and also by the Board of Governors, in its sessions of March and September 1999, as well as by the General Conference, in October 1999 when by resolution GC(43)/RES/10 the Action Plan was endorsed and the Secretariat was urged to implement it. Finally, the report provides information on the status of implementation of the seven areas covered by the Action Plan and on the suggested further actions to be carried out for its implementation taking into account the decisions of the Board in its meeting of 11 September 2000 and the resolutions GC(44)/RES/11, GC(44)/RES/13 and GC(44)/RES/16 of the forty-fourth regular session of the General Conference. (author)

[en] The benefits of radiotherapy can be summarized in the following statement: radiotherapy saves lives, prolongs lives and improves quality of life. On the other hand, to achieve these benefits, normal tissue often receives radiation doses that are on the upper edge of tolerable doses, as a result of which, accidental overdosage has sometimes had devastating consequences; in addition, underdosage, which may not always be detected timely, can also lead to severe consequences. A step-by-step approach is suggested for the prevention of accidental exposures in radiation therapy: (i) design and implementation of a quality and safety programme in accordance with safety standards and quality protocols; (ii) use of lessons from accidental exposures to test whether the quality and safety programme has some gaps or vulnerable aspects; and (iii) use of an anticipative approach to find other latent risks by posing the question ‘What else could go wrong?’ in all steps of the radiotherapy process and evaluating the list of potential events according to a combination of likelihood and severity of outcome. This rational approach facilitates focusing the efforts on a limited number of higher risk events. (author)

[en] The International Atomic Energy Agency has, under its Statute, specifically defined functions relating to radiation safety, in particular, responsibilities for the development of standards of safety and provision for their application. These functions are fulfilled through the development of a wide range of standards, including those on preparedness and response to nuclear accidents or radiological emergencies. It also devotes considerable effort to assisting countries in applying those standards. In addition, the Agency has responsibilities placed on it by virtue of a number of Conventions, two of which are relevant to nuclear accidents or radiological emergencies: the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (Early Notification Convention) and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (Assistance Convention). Under the Assistance Convention, assistance may include medical response. This paper provides an overview of the Agency's work regarding emergency preparedness and response, with specific reference to a number of recent events. It also discusses new initiatives regarding the safety and security of radiation sources, which have, as a principal objective, the reduction of the risk of such events. (author)

[en] The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has complementary programmes dealing with safety of radiation sources and security of radioactive materials. The objectives of these programmes are to improve Member State's ability to protect nuclear materials and other radioactive materials from sub-national terrorist or unlawful activities that could endanger health and safety. It also provides Member States with knowledge and tools for detecting and responding to such incidents. In this paper, the action plan, prepared by IAEA on the safety and security radiation sources is highlighted specifically on seven areas such as i) regulatory infrastructures, ii) management of disused sources, iii) categorization of sources, iv) response to abnormal events, v) information exchange, vi) education and training and VII) international understanding. The paper also covers the future development of the action plan. IAEA's actions are only part of the solution of these problems. The regaining and maintaining control of sources relies on the determination and commitment of all, concerned particularly those responsible for the use of the sources. (author)

[en] The ICRP gives its recommendations in the case of use of new technologies in radiotherapy: lessons learned from conventional technologies and also applicable to the new ones. Training, and specialization of the personnel as well as the need in personnel must be evaluated again. Managers of a radiotherapy service should bear in mind that the work environment must focus on concentration and avoid the risk of inattention. Manufacturers, for their part must provide reliable equipment with correct calibration files and documentation. the acquisition and implementation programs must focus not only on devices for treatment but also on treatment planning systems, computer systems and imaging devices used in radiation therapy, software, procedures and whole clinical process. The devices and procedures need to be re-classified after any changes to hardware, including upgrades and updates of software. The dosimetry protocols must be developed specially for the low doses irradiations and non standard irradiations. To increase the dose without increasing a probability of complication in sane tissues it is necessary to use a conformal therapy with a positioning of the patient. Communication is essential, especially concerning the activities of maintenance and repair that must ne notified to the physicists. In the same way, procedures of failures management in the computer systems must be implemented in order to avoid a loss of data susceptible to lead to serious accidental irradiations. The return of experience can be an help and then must be integrated in personnel training that is encouraged to share the experience in matter of incidents by providing information in a data base such the R.O.S.I.S. data base (radiation oncology safety information system). Before introducing new technologies it is recommended to realize probabilistic safety evaluations in order to develop quality assurance programmes integrating risk factors as, by example the analysis of failure modes and effects. (N.C.)