Analysis of Ten Years of Inspection Interventions

From 2001, the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) has been building a comprehensive system to establish a control over sources in Slovenia as well as to act in emergencies or safety or security events involving radioactive sources. The SNSA Database of Interventions includes altogether 144 events (i.e. cases) from the period 2002–2011 in which SNSA inspectors were involved. Although each case shows some particularities six typical scenarios are identified. Their analysis enables not only improvements of regulatory activities to prevent such events but also gives opportunities to upgrade the emergency response system in the State. The system requires identification of locations or institutions where safety and security of sources can be jeopardized, for example abandoned factories or research laboratories, installation of measuring devices and preparation of procedures of all institutions involved in recovery of a control over sources. The activation of SNSA inspectors is followed by risk assessment and by involvement of others who play a role in the recovery procedure (e.g. qualified experts, the Agency for Radwaste Management, the police and authorities from neighbouring States). The system is very flexible in order to cope with unforeseen particularities. The database shows that around 50% of interventions were related to scrap metal and around 30% to radioactive waste. (author)