PROCEDURES FOR SAFEGUARDS INSPECTION OF REACTOR FACILITIES

Year
1967
Author(s)
C. Buchler - International Atomic Energy Agency
Abstract
Inspection can tie regarded as one of the tools which can be put to work for a safeguards control system. It is generally accepted as the most vital element of a control system tut this should not obscure the fact that there are other important control elements. This is not always recognized to the point where sometimes the expression \"inspection systems\" is used as synony- mous with \"control systems\". Within the Agency's safeguards system the purpose of inspection can tie said to determine whether or not the information transmitted to the Agency (through reports, for example) with respect to the fate of safeguarded materials and facilities during a certain period of time accurately reflects the fasts. If it does not it is also within the scope of inspection to establish wherever possible the reasons why the Agancy was not properly informed. The responsibilities of the Agency's inspectors are, according to the Statute, extremely tread and include the determination that there is com- pliance with any \"conditions of the project prescribed in the Agreement between tbe Agency and the State or States concerned\". Our present policy is to limit the field of action of safeguards inspectors to the determination of compliar.oe with conditions of a safeguards nature, as they are stipulated in the relevant Agreements. Many conditions must be met to make the task of inspectors possible. An essential one is that the inspectors should have access to the material and the facilities under control. The Statute (Article XII.A.6) states that inspectors \"shall have access at all times to all places and data and to any person who by reason of his occupation deals with materials, equipment or facilities\" which are undar safeguards \"as necessary\" to discharge their res- ponsibilities. Inspections may be continuous (resident inspectors) or discrete (a certain number per year). The differences between the two are many and much of what can be said of one type cannot be applied to the other. This paper is intended to cover mainly discrete inspections, but some of the basic differences between the two types will be discussed.