CNCAN 3 
 Enhancing CNCAN's capabilities in the field of inspections

Purpose:

Strengthening and improving the effectiveness of the inspection/control processes implemented by the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), developing the inspection process and specific procedures for all areas falling under regulatory control, and improving cooperation between these national competent authorities in the nuclear field.

Background:

During the IRRS mission to Romania, which took place in January 2011, the IRRS team observed that the CNCAN staff carrying out inspections are highly qualified, competent and dedicated to nuclear safety. Nevertheless, there is a need for a specific training programme for new employees, as well as for a refresher programme for existing inspectors. A dedicated inspector training and qualification programme, covering in particular radiation protection and the more general aspects of regulatory work, is needed to enable decisions to be taken on a sound basis and actions to be prioritized according to their importance to nuclear safety.

The IRRS team drew up several recommendations and suggestions for improving the regulatory authority's inspection process, such as: establishing a coherent and comprehensive training programme for inspectors and a qualification process; establishing a systematic and comprehensive inspection programme based on a graded approach to nuclear safety and describing its processes in procedures, in order to ensure the uniformity of regulatory practices; formalizing through procedures the programme for monitoring, disseminating and following up inspection findings; and developing appropriate internal procedures and guides for the assessment and inspection of all nuclear installations.

Results:

The programme will achieve the purpose described above and will lead in particular to the following results:

• A systematic and comprehensive inspection programme based on a graded approach according to importance to nuclear safety, formalized through the inspection process;
• Inspection procedures;
• Training of the CNCAN staff involved in inspection activity;
• A coherent and comprehensive professional training and qualification programme for inspectors;
• Training materials to support the training and qualification programme for inspectors;
• A comprehensive SCOP (Safety Culture Oversight Program) and the training of the CNCAN and NRPA staff involved in inspections and in implementing the SCOP for the assessment of nuclear safety culture;
• Updated practical inspection guides for collecting relevant information on safety culture from document reviews, the observation of activities and interviews with licence holders' staff.