Integrated Safeguards and Risk Reduction

Using the standard definition of Integrated Safeguards to refer to the complementary nature of Material Control and Accounting (MC&A) functions and Physical Protection (PP) functions at facilities that store, process, and/or handle special nuclear materials, this paper addresses the continuing role for the multiple functions in minimizing the risk of theft or diversion of special nuclear materials. During the initial stages of evaluating the risk and protecting from outsiders, the roles of the MC&A and the PP experts are fairly well defined and somewhat parallel the roles of the Office of Classification and Information Security. One group defines what is to be protected and the attractiveness of each class of items and the other group develops a set of plans, procedures and technical measures to prevent unauthorized access or removal of the items. The more challenging aspect of Integrated Safeguards is three-fold: (1) developing effective systems for reducing the insider threat, (2) understanding the continuing roles for all the groups involved, and (3) fostering the required culture or climate in production and operating areas to support the MC&A and PP systems in an effective manner.