ISOE Information System on Occupational Exposure: An Overview

1. ISOEInformation System on Occupational Exposure: An Overview Brian Ahier, Ted Lazo (ISOE Joint Secretariat , OECD Nuclear Energy Agency) 2007 Asian Regional ALARA Symposium

2. ISOE Context “... the exchange and analysis of information on individual and collective radiation doses to the personnel of nuclear installations and to the employees of contractors, as well as on dose-reduction techniques, is essential to implement effective dose-control programmes and to apply the ALARA principle...” (ISOE Terms and Conditions)

3. ISOE Objective To provide a forum for radiation protection professionals from both utilities and regulatory authorities to share world-wide dose reduction information and operational experience and coordinate international cooperative projects to improve the optimisation of worker radiological protection at nuclear power plants.

4. ISOE Background • Launched in 1992 by the OECD-NEA • Participation of IAEA since 1993 • 15 years of operation and experience: • A comprehensive resource for optimising exposure management by collecting and sharing data and experience, benchmarking, analyses, and networking through symposia, meetings and internet. • Promoted and sponsored by NEA and IAEA

5. ISOE Programme • A global occupational exposure data collection, analysis and experience exchange network: • world’s largest occupational exposure DB for commercial NPPs • A global information exchange programme for sharing dose reduction and work management information and experience • ISOE products support • dose trend analyses and benchmarking, • technique comparisons, and • technical analyses that facilitate the application of ALARA and good work management in local radiation protection programmes.

6. ISOE Membership • Since 1992, membership and detail of data have increased as benefits of participation became widely known • Official members (2006): • 69 Utilities in 29 countries • 333 operating reactor units; • 40 shutdown units • 26 Authorities in 25 countries • 4 Technical Centres manage the technical operations, support, data collection & analyses Trends in Number of Participating Reactors

7. National Coordinators ISOE Structure – A Closer Look ISOE Steering Group ISOE Bureau NEA Committee on Radiation Protection and Public Health Joint NEA & IAEA Secretariat Specialised Working Groups Global Membership Asian Members Asian Technical Centre (JNES) European Members European Technical Centre (CEPN) North American Members North American Technical Centre Members from Non-OECD Countries IAEA Technical Centre

8. ISOE Products ISOE Databases World’s largest database on occupational exposure data from nuclear power plants Technical Analyses Detailed studies and analysis on current issues in occupational radiation protection Technical Support Worldwide response to special requests; voluntary benchmark visits Annual Reports Yearly overview of exposure trends and ISOE achievements ISOE Symposia A forum for discussing occupational exposure management issues ISOE Network An international information exchange website on ALARA resources for ISOE members

9. ISOE Databases World’s largest database on occupational exposure data from nuclear power plants • Based on annual collection of occupational dose data from all members • Includes information on occupational exposure levels and trends at • 481 units in 29 countries (404 operating; 77 shutdown or decommissioned) • Available to all members for dose trends analysis, benchmarking, etc. • Distributed annually on CD, and • Routinely updated on ISOE website • Maintained by ETC

10. ISOE Databases • Data types include: • Dose information for operating units, e.g., annual collective doses for normal operations, maintenance/ refuelling/ unplanned outages • Dose information for units shut down or being decommissioned. • Plant-specific information pertinent to dose reduction • RP related information for specific operations, procedures, equipment or tasks

11. ISOE Databases

12. Technical Analysis Detailed studies and analysis on current issues in occupational radiation protection • ISOE data and experience provide an ideal basis for studies and analyses on issues in operational RP such as doses related to certain jobs and tasks (e.g., refuelling, steam generator replacement, etc). • Technical Centre Information Sheets: Detailed studies and analyses on current issues in operational radiation protection • Recent topics: regional dosimetric results, trends in outage duration, surveys on practices regarding internal contamination management. • Working Group on Data Analysis (WGDA): Identifies and reports on various technical analyses of the ISOE data, experience or issues relating to operating and decommissioned reactors. • Recent topics: decommissioning, update of Work Management in the Nuclear Power Industry, benchmarking aspects for positive RP outcomes

13. Technical Support Worldwide response to special requests; voluntary benchmark visits • Members are supported in their day-to-day operations by the four ISOE technical centres (Asia, Europe, North America, IAEA) • Rapid response to special technical requests • ISOE programme expanded in 2005 into organising voluntary site benchmarking visits for RP and dose reduction information exchange among members, supported by the technical centres • Activities are coordinated with the ISOE WGDA to maximise benefit to all ISOE members. • The information arising from these visits is made available to the ISOE membership through the ISOE network. • Facilitates the exchange of practical information between ISOE regions.

14. Annual Reports Yearly overview of exposure trends and ISOE achievements • Information on levels and trends of average annual collective dose at the reactors covered by the database • Special data analyses and dose studies • Information on principal events in member countries • Outage experience reports • Symposia summaries • Other ISOE activities

15. ISOE Symposia A forum for discussing occupational exposure management issues • Since 1997, annual International ALARA Symposium: • Large forum for world-wide information and experience exchange in ALARA implementation and exposure management • Participation of contractors and vendors • Rotates through all ISOE technical centre regions: • 2006 Europe > 2007 North America > 2008 Japan > 2009 IAEA > … • Regional Symposia organised to meet local needs • Proceedings published or posted on ISOE Network

16. ISOE Network An international information exchange website on ALARA resources for ISOE members • ISOE Network (www.isoe-network.net): Information exchange website on dose reduction resources for ISOE members. • Portal for ISOE info exchange • ISOE database • Data analysis available • Data entry coming • Library of ISOE products • Address book • RP manager forum • Search and links • BUT Registration is required! • Currently ~400 registered users • Contact your NC and NEA (brian.ahier@oecd.org) for user account

17. A resource for ISOE Members!

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19. ISOE Databases World’s largest database on occupational exposure data from nuclear power plants Technical Analyses Detailed studies and analysis on current issues in occupational radiation protection User Needs? Technical Support Support through responses to special requests, benchmark visits Annual Reports Yearly overview of the achievements of the ISOE Programme ISOE Symposia A forum for discussing occupational exposure management issues ISOE Network An international information exchange website on ALARA resources for ISOE members ISOE Products: Meeting User Needs

20. Strategic Planning • Working Group on Strategic Planning (2005-2006) • Looked strategically towards ISOE future and considered how it could be modified to improve its usefulness to users • Identified focus areas: • User Needs and Products • Information Exchange • Operations and Organisation • Improvements to better meet user needs as identified through strategic analysis and direct survey of end users

21. ISOE User Survey • ISOE user survey was developed as a bottom-up process to collect feedback from all ISOE end-users. • Conducted between April-June 2006 to better characterise user needs • 54 completed questionnaires were received (about 180 member units and 14 members authorities). • Results were analysed for significant findings ISOE

22. ISOE User Survey • How has ISOE improved your ALARA performance? • Benchmarking, info exchange, motivation and promotion of ALARA • What ISOE product or service brings the greatest benefits? • Reports, database, symposia • What other ISOE products or information would improve dose management or regulatory involvement in ALARA Programme Review? • Contacts between participants, discussion forums, user surveys on practices • Main conclusions: users are happy with ISOE, but would like to see evolution towards even more usefulness and value: • Exchange of information/experience is of significant interest to the users. • ISOE Network will become increasingly important in reaching end users, improving information exchange, increasing the value of ISOE products. • Results available on ISOE Network

23. Summary • Unique value: important combination of global occupational dose data, dose reduction experience, analyses, information exchange and common forum of utilities and regulators. • ISOE has proved successful in helping radiation protection experts to better manage occupational exposures at nuclear power plants. • ISOE will continue to build on its experience and user feedback to make it a primary information source on exposure management for the occupational RP community

24. Looking Forward ISOE will continue to facilitate the sharing of experience, and the building of linkages between ISOE members worldwide to develop a global approach to ALARA work management.

25. www.isoe-network.net