The IAEA has updated the online self-assessment tool that helps countries review and enhance their national legal and regulatory infrastructure for nuclear and radiation safety.
The questionnaire-based tool called eSARIS - Self-Assessment of Regulatory Infrastructure for Safety - supports countries to review their national legal and regulatory infrastructure for nuclear and radiation safety in line with IAEA safety standards.
"The updated software enables regulatory authorities to perform a quality review," said Ronald Pacheco, Head of the IAEA Control of Sources Unit. "They can evaluate the comprehensiveness and completeness of their responses before conducting an analysis against the IAEA safety standards for drawing recommendations for further improvement."
In response to feedback from nuclear and radiation safety regulators who use the tool, the eSARIS question sets have been thoroughly revised and reduced, significantly shortening the time required to complete the questionnaire. A new intuitive interface and extensive guidance on providing comprehensive answers will help users leverage the system's full potential for an effective evaluation of their regulatory infrastructure.
The four components of eSARIS support countries in conducting a comprehensive self-assessment in preparation for IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) missions; evaluating compliance with IAEA safety standards on occupational exposure related to responsibilities of end users and technical service providers; assessing regulations against relevant IAEA safety standards (No. GSR Part 3); and assessing the safety infrastructure for a nuclear power programme according to IAEA safety standards (No. SSG-16 (Rev. 1)) using the Integrated Review of Infrastructure for Safety (IRIS) tool.
IAEA safety standards provide a robust framework of fundamental principles, requirements and guidance to ensure nuclear and radiation safety. They reflect an international consensus and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.
Preparation for IAEA safety missions
The content and structure of the new eSARIS questionnaire now more closely reflects the IRRS guidelines which can help countries more rigorously prepare for IRRS missions and result in more productive missions.
"The new set of questionnaires marks a significant leap forward in streamlining both the self-assessment process and the preparation of reference materials required in advance of hosting an IRRS mission," said Jean-René Jubin, IAEA Senior Nuclear Safety Officer and technical lead for the IRRS programme.
"The updated eSARIS platform has been instrumental in enhancing our regulatory self-assessment, enabling internal coordination and ensuring compliance with the IAEA safety standards. We are confident that with the support of eSARIS we will host a successful IRRS mission," said Usama Seddik, Vice Chair of the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority and national coordinator of Egypt's IRRS mission planned for 2026.
