Management of the ERML Under Normal and Extreme Circumstances

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Department of Safeguards (SG) has numerous items of equipment rotating between its Headquarters (HQ) in Austria and the field (nuclear and other types safeguarded facilities around the world). The Agency’s equipment returning from the field is checked and decontaminated (if necessary) before leaving the nuclear facilities, but is also monitored when returned to the Agency HQ in Vienna, before it can be re-integrated in the pool of SG equipment. The Equipment Radiation Monitoring Laboratory (ERML) performs mandatory radiation monitoring of all items returned from the field, in order to ensure full compliance with the release limits for surface contamination, applicable in Austria (0.1 Bq/cm2 for alpha-emitting nuclides and 1.0 Bq/cm2 for beta emitters). This is essential to prevent any cross-contamination issues between facilities and states. This is why the contamination check applies not only to SG Equipment and system components but also to mechanical tools, toolboxes, transport cases and personal belongings such as reading glasses, writing pads, backpacks, etc. The ERML measures roughly 30,000 items a year, both inventoried and non-inventor ied, for surface contamination. This includes 10,000 metal passive seals (TID seals), which are measured for contamination before they are verified. The ERML is an ISO 17025:2017 accredited laboratory (Akkreditierung Austria ID 0417) which performs direct and indirect surface contamination measurements. The laboratory interfaces directly with customers by either receiving deliveries from the field or by staff delivering the equipment to the laboratory in person. Additional services are available at the laboratory, which include from sealed-source leakage testing and environmental samples container monitoring. All incoming items are scanned via direct, or indirect where applicable, surface contamination monitors. If the equipment does not exceed the authorized release limits, the equipment is returned to the equipment pool, or to its owner in the case of personal belongings. Should the item show contamination level, all efforts are taken to decontaminate it. All of the contamination monitoring measurements are recorded in the asset management database for SG: SEQUOIA. During the COVID-19 lockdowns in Austria the IAEA Department of Safeguards continued to fulfill its obligations to member states. The Safeguards staff never stopped traveling to conduct verification activities and the ERML provided uninterrupted services to the Department. This was accomplished by adopting stringent measures in matter of health & safety such as disinfection, the use of proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), dividers, rotating schedules, and curb-site equipment pick-up. This exceptional mode of operation also provided lessons learned for possible future similar situation should further lockdown or or long-lasting emergency occur again.