Country: ESTONIA

1. Country: ESTONIA RER/9/096 Regional Planning Meeting“Strengthening National Infrastructures for the Control of Radiation Sources” (TSA-1), (Phase II) 19-20 March 2009 IAEA, Vienna

2. LegislationRegulations and Guidanceoccupational protection, public protection, medical exposure, radioactive waste, and the transport of radioactive materials. • Radiation Protection Action Plan – planning for coming years, however some actions are not followed • Preparation of amendment of Radiation Act and regulation concerning transport of radioactive waste • New authority – Environmental Board with Radiation Safety Department • Need for regulations in medical area – responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs

3. The Regulatory Body • Environmental Board has around 420 staff members. • Radiation safety department has 15 professional staff including: • radiation protection for licensing, source register, inspections etc (6), • monitoring and emergency (2), • personal dosimetry (2), • laboratory (3) and • administration (2). • New system, it takes some time before it is possible to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses • The Environmental Board has sufficient technical and office support equipment (including access to computers) and access to Internet and a library with current literature • Funding through state budget (several budget cuts this year) + service providing

4. Regulatory Body Staffing and Training • 15 staff members in Radiation Safety Department of Environmental Board • Strength - Almost all staff members are with university degree • Lot of young staff members, several continuing their master studies • Staff training is provided through internal training courses, but with the assistance of external experts • Several bilateral trainings • Training requirements for staff are assessed annually • Weakness – budget cuts, especially concerning the training possibilities, which also makes difficult to follow the continues training pattern

5. Notification - Authorization – Licensing - Inspections • Licence is provided by Environmental Board • For low and medium risk activities the licence is signed by the head of the department, for high risk by the director general of the Environmental Board • Notification is not used, however it is forseen to start using it for example for dentist in coming years • Weak points – co-ordination of the inspections between Environmental Board and Environmental Inspectorate, actually double use of staff members • Strong points – well worked out licensing procedures, several of which are also documented. Information available on web-page, also several electronical forms • Strong points – good communication with licensees • Enforcement part needs more attentions

6. Management System • Public relations department (X) of Environmental Board is responsible for information management • Strength - A lot of information is available on the web page • Strength - Several publications • Weakness – need for more PR cover for everyday activities • Strength - Laboratory of Environmental Board has quality management system • Weakness - quality management manual for the department is under preparation for several year

7. Plans • Main need - training of the regulatory body staff members • Working out the new regulatory system • Changes needed in the legislation • Development of registries • More information about nuclear safety • More efforts about the security of the radioactive sources • Risks – cuts in the budget • Strength – small turn over among the staff members • Weak - radiation safety is a small part of big authority