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Following regulatory requirements

The main regulation governing the safety of the use of radioactive sources and radiation generators that you must follow is FANR Regulation 24 on Basic Safety Standards for Facilities and Activities involving Ionizing Radiation other than in Nuclear Facilities (FANR-REG-24).

Other regulations

• If your practice involves the transportation of radioactive sources you must follow FANR Regulation 13 for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials (FANR-REG-13).
• If you are licensed to conduct activities with radioactive sources that are classified as Category 1, 2 or 3 then you must also follow (restricted) FANR Regulation 23 for Security of Radioactive Sources (FANR-REG-23).
• If you receive, produce, use, take possession of or take responsibility for the transport and import or export of nuclear material (e.g. uranium, thorium, plutonium), then you must also be licensed for such regulated activity and follow FANR Regulation 10 for the System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material and Application of Additional Protocol (FANR-REG-10). /li>
• If you import, export, re-export, transit or trans-ship any of the regulated items listed in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Information Circulars INFCIRC/254/ Part 1 & Part 2, then you must also be licensed for such Regulated Activity.

For more information regarding regulations you can contact FANR's Regulations and Guides Team.

Guidance to help you meet regulatory requirements

FANR regulatory guides are intended to help you to follow FANR regulations. Regulatory Guides are issued to describe ways acceptable to FANR for meeting and implementing specific requirements in the regulations.

They are not substitutes for regulations, and compliance with them is not required. Methods of complying with the requirements in regulations different from the guidance set forth by the regulatory guide can be acceptable if the alternatives provide assurance that the requirements are met.

The following FANR Regulatory Guides are currently the ones relevant to activities involving radiation sources:

• Radiation Safety Guide, FANR-RG-007
• Transportation Safety Guide, FANR-RG-006

Submitting reports to FANR

The following reports are required by FANR:

• Source Inventory Reports

  You must complete the source inventory worksheet and supply FANR with the inventory of the regulated material under its control within the authorised limits on 1 January and 1 July each year.

• Worker Exposure Reports

  You must report every six months to FANR the radiation dose received by each worker during the preceding six months.

• Incident Reports

  You are required to report incidents, events and accidents in accordance with the reporting requirements in Article (19) of FANR Regulation 24 on the Basic Safety Standards for Facilities and Activities involving Ionizing Radiation other than in Nuclear Facilities (FANR-REG-24). Reports can be submitted using the FANR Regulated Materials Licensee Incident Report form, which can be found under e-Services.

If you are licensed to handle nuclear material (for example gamma projectors or shielded containers with depleted uranium) you must also complete the following reports:

• Inventory Change Reports

  This report must be submitted following any change, adjustment, and correction to the inventory of Nuclear Material (e.g. import, export, change of responsibility for device, sale or purchase). The Inventory Change Report must be submitted to FANR by using the Inventory Change Report Form in the Annex of FANR Regulation 10 for the System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material and Application of Additional Protocol (FANR-REG-10).

• Physical Inventory Listing

  At least once per year, and upon request by FANR you must carry out a Physical Inventory Taking and report it to FANR using the Physical Inventory Listing form in Annex of FANR Regulation 10 for the System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material and Application of Additional Protocol (FANR-REG-10). The Physical Inventory Listing must list all batches of nuclear material separately and specify material identification and various batch data for each batch.

• If you import, export, re-export, transit or trans-ship nuclear-related items or nuclear-related dual-use items then you are obliged to inform FANR about any subsequent transfer of those items to another party and to inform that party of the regulatory control requirements.

Modifying an existing licence

After an initial licence is granted, the licence may be amended to reflect changes in circumstances affecting the operations. Such amendments may include changes in uses, changes in materials used, or the transfer of the licence.

You must request and obtain FANR's approval to make changes to your licence whenever the modifications could have significant implications for Protection and Safety (Article 4 of FANR-REG-24), or to make other changes that will have significant implications for security of radioactive sources or for our accounting and control of nuclear material.

You must notify FANR of a planned modification at least 30 days prior to the implementation of such modifications. This implementation is subject to the Authority's re-assessment and approval.

If you are licensed to use Category 1, 2 or 3 radioactive sources you must notify FANR of any planned modification to your security plan and/ or your transport security plan at least 30 days prior to the implementation of such modifications.

Transferring radioactive material to another company or person

You must notify FANR before transferring any regulated material to another company or person (juridical person).

A licensee must obtain written approval from FANR before transferring any Category 1, 2 or 3 radioactive source.

Transporting radioactive material

The licensee shall notify FANR of any transport of radioactive material in line with their licence conditions. FANR should be notified at least 24 hours before transportation begins using the Notification of Transport of Regulated Materials form.

We will review notifications promptly and contact the company if we have questions. If FANR does not contact the company, the company may transport the regulated material.

However, the licensee must obtain a written approval from FANR at least three business days before the proposed date and time of any transport of a Category 1 radioactive source. Transport of nuclear material must also meet the requirements of FANR Regulation 10 for the System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material and Application of Additional Protocol (FANR-REG-10).

FANR inspections

FANR routinely carries out inspections to ensure that licensees are in compliance with requirements in both regulations and licence conditions. An inspection may be announced or unannounced. Once the inspection is complete, we issue a report to the licensee to document inspection findings, and these inspection reports may contain enforcement actions and follow-up inspection items.

It should be noted that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors are also authorised to carry out verification activities with FANR inspectors at the premises of licensees under international agreements ratified between the UAE and IAEA. These verification activities by the IAEA are in support of international non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and can be announced by the IAEA at very short notice.

Failure to comply with regulatory requirements or licensing conditions

As part of the oversight process, FANR may issue sanctions (known as enforcement actions) upon licensees who violate FANR regulations or fail to comply with licence conditions. These sanctions may include:

• Enforcing licence conditions within a prescribed timescale
• Suspending the licence
• Revoking the licence
• Fines

There are also substantial criminal penalties that may be applied. The action taken would depend upon the gravity of the violation.

Radiological accidents

FANR should be notified in case of a licensee accident that does not involve offsite exposure or exposure to members of the public. In case of an accident involving possible offsite exposure or contamination, then FANR, Civil Defence and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) must be notified immediately.