RSRP conducted a one-week workshop on Design and Shielding Calculations for Medical Radiological Facilities from September 15-19, 2017 for the Nuclear and Radiological National Regulatory Authority (ARRN) in Asuncion, Paraguay. As part of the ongoing collaboration with the ARRN, this activity provided new ARRN regulatory staff with technical skills important for shielding evaluation during inspections and licensing. X-Ray Diagnostic and Therapeutic modalities were discussed in detail for the purposes of shielding calculations and design optimization. The reference literature for the workshop...
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RSRP visited the Regulatory Authority from August 21-25 to discuss the 2017-18 support activities and specifically a plan to improve a national registry of the radiation sources in Ecuador. AdSTM experts installed ARIS ver. 2.5 software and conducted in-depth training. Regulatory staff performed a number of exercises that demonstrates functionality and integrated operation of the ARIS system. Participants shared experience with collecting inventory information and development of national registries in other RSRP countries. AdSTM and the Regulatory Authority discussed the details and agreed to...
From August 9 to 11, 2017, the RSRP program visited the Senegalese Authority for Radioprotection and Nuclear Security (ARSN) to discuss progress on the current development of the sources & generators inventory project and to assess the opportunities for future cooperation. Similar to other countries in different regions, Senegal is putting significant efforts on the regulatory challenges that accompany the introduction of new technologies to the country, particularly the use of linear accelerators for Radiation Therapy. A variety of other topics were discussed and RSRP and ARSN will be...
RSRP provided installation and training on the Advanced Regulatory Information System (ARIS 2.5) for the Radiation and Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARRN) from August 16-18. The primary objectives were to update existing ARIS 2.2 software to ARIS 2.5, train ARRN staff in use of four modules of software (Licensee, RASOD, Authorization, Inspection) and introduction to the new user rights system. Training sessions were conducted for each module, and some exercises were conducted demonstrating the integration among all ARIS modules. Detailed guidance was provided on successful...
RSRP attended the kick-off meeting for the IAEA Radiation Sources Regulatory Infrastructure Development Project (RIDP) for select countries of Africa during July 17-21, 2017. Sergey Katsenelenbogen of AdSTM supported the IAEA event by participating in the development of the RIDP Action Plan and by sharing bi-lateral RSRP experience in development of regulatory infrastructure. US NRC has an established relationship with the Radiation Protection Board of Kenya (host country to RIDP event). International Regulatory Development Program (IRDP), a US NRC run assistance program www.irdp-online.org...
Peter Kelm of AdSTM visited Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to discuss RSRP activities during the week of July 3-7, 2017. The regulatory system was re-organized during recent years, and it is complex.Meetings took place with representatives of the three organizations responsible for Nuclear and Radiation Safety:State Regulation Centre of the Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety in the Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry under the Government of Kyrgyzstan,Department of Nuclear and Radiological Safety at State Inspection for Ecological and Technical Safety at the Government, responsible...
On June 9th 2017, the collaboration among UDELAS-MINSA-USNRC welcomed a new group of Master Program students, who begin their studies on June 12th 2017. Sergey Katsenelenbogen, representing the RSRP Program, delivered a commencement speech and encouraged the new group to work hard to successfully complete the program. The group is expected to graduate at the beginning of 2019. This program will allow Panama to meet national demand for Radiation Safety Officers and to improve safety of operating and regulating the use of radiation sources.
A meeting between the Panamanian Regulatory Authority and the RSRP program was held on June 9th, 2017 in Panama City, Panama, to discuss an update to the existing ARIS database for radiation sources & generators. The Regulatory Authority expressed additional interest for support with the radiation sources user outreach to improve licensing and inspection processes. Nadja Benson from the Regulatory Authority and Cecilio Tejeira from the Ministry of Health attended the meeting. Sergey Katsenelenbogen and Mario Rodriguez were present for RSRP.
On June 8th, 2017 UDELAS and AdSTM (representing the USNRC/RSRP program), signed an agreement to implement the Master Program in Radiation Protection during the new academic cycle of 2017-2019. Dr. Juan Bosco Bernal, UDELAS President, and Sergey Katsenelenbogen representing the RSRP program signed the agreement. Dr. Oscar Sitton (UDELAS Postgraduate Studies Dean) and staff and Dr. Eloy Gibbs (academic coordinator of the Master Program) were present at the signing ceremony. Dr. Bernal expressed UDELAS appreciation and thanked USNRC for supporting this important academic program. Sergey...
From April 24-28, 2017, RSRP conducted a one-week workshop in Montevideo, Uruguay on Design and Shielding Calculation in Medical Radiological Facilities, as part of the undergoing collaboration with the National Regulatory Authority on Radiation Protection (ARNR). The workshop discussed several medical imaging and therapeutic modalities for purposes of shielding calculation and design optimization.
The reference documents for the workshop include NCRP145, NCRP147 and NCRP151. Software and other computer tools were provided to the participants to support shielding calculation. The activity...