Results of IAEA Workshop on Effective Management of Safety, Security, and Nonproliferation Issues at Operating Nuclear Facilities Oak Ridge National Laboratory

This paper provides the summary and main conclusions of the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) Technical Cooperation Department’s Workshop on Effective Management of Safety, Security, and Nonproliferation Issues at Operating Nuclear Facilities , held at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, December 2 – 6 , 2013 . The National Nuclear Security Administration and the IAEA co - hosted the course to provide participants with practical examples of, and experience with, managing domestic and international requirements for safety, security, and safeguards at nuclear facilities in their countries. Th ere were 34 partic ipants from 22 IAEA member states that have either already established a nuclear power program or are developing the required infrastructure for their first nuclear power plant. The five - day workshop included lectures from nuclear facility management and operations specialists and facilitated exercises, as well as visits to a number of facilities in and near Oak Ridge, including the High Flux Isotope Reactor and the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 , which is under construct ion. The workshop was very interactive and gave participants an opportunity to discuss the practical aspects of implementing safety, security , and safeguards in a nuclear program . Participants shared their experiences and good practices for how they are achieving , or plan to achieve, compliance with international norms and obligations . They no ted that to effectively implement safety, security, and safeguards in their nuclear programs requires an organizational culture that embraces safety for personnel an d the public , ensures the quality of the work, encourages communicat ion with stakeholders, and empowers individuals to take responsibility and be accountable . Through open discussion, facilitated exercises, and question and answer opportunities, participan ts learned that nuclear facility security and nuclear material accountancy do not exist in a vacuum; both depend on facility organization and management to achieve their goals. It was acknowledged that all three disciplines rely on each other to succeed at maintaining a safe, secure, and peaceful nuclear energy program.