ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL (AEC) Protecting the Public and Environment 1.0 What are the roles and functions of the AEC? is currently carrying out a national inventory/registry of sources and practices The Atomic Energy Council (AEC) is a government body ! using ionizing radiation. established by the Atomic Energy Act No. 24 of 2008 (AEA) Laws 1.1 Development of Regulations and Safety Guides Out of the 394 active facilities in AEC databases, 374 (94.9%) facilities have of Uganda with a mandate to regulate peaceful applications Section 73 and 74 of the AEA provides for the Council to make regulations been fully registered as medical and industrial practices by end of February, of ionizing radiation in Uganda; to provide for the protection and to issue directions, guidelines, codes and standards for better carrying 2018. Radioactive sources and radiation generators are registered by putting and safety of individuals, society and the environment from the into effect of the provisions of the Act. The Council issued the Atomic Energy serialized stickers, taking a photo and also recording particulars of the machines dangers of ionizing radiation. The use of atomic energy in Uganda Regulations, 2012 and developed four (4) safety guides for radiation protection (model, serial number, manufacturer, activity…etc) is in medical, industrial, agriculture, research among other fields. and safety in the field of medical and industrial fields. Other eight (8) safety guides have been drafted and under review. Mandate • To regulate the peaceful applications and management of 1.2 Review and Assessment of Notifications and applications ionizing radiation for the protection and safety of society AEC reviews and assesses all notifications & application documents, safety and the environment from the dangers resulting from assessments, decommissioning plans, construction designs, radiation ionizing radiation; premises and other documents it receives before a decision is made to issue or • To provide for the regulation of the development of nuclear revoke authorization. A total of 549 notifications and 893 applications have been energy for use in power generation in compliance with received and assessed from facilities since AEC started operation in 2011. international safety requirements; • To advise government and other agencies on matters within 1.3 Inspections and Enforcement of regulatory requirements the competence of the Council. 1.3.1 Inspections; Mission Section 9(1) (d) of the Act mandates Council to conduct inspections to assess radiation safety and security conditions and compliance with the Act and the To provide for the safety and security of society and environment regulations and other requirements specified in an authorization. A total of 774 Registered Fixed X-ray from the dangers of ionizing radiation. inspections have been conducted in 347 facilities (88.1% of the 394 active Machine facilities) . Vision To be a centre of excellence in regulating peaceful applications 1.5 Authorization/Licensing of Facilities of ionizing radiation. Section 9(b) of the Act mandates Council to issue authorisations and grant exemptions for possession and use of radiation sources. These include license to possess & use radiation sources, permits to transport, import, export, Commonly regulated practices in Uganda transfer, sell radiation sources, among others. A total of 334 valid licenses for possess and use (P&U) have been issued to # RADIATION EQUIPMENT/ COMMONLY USED 274 facilities out of 394 active facilities recorded in our databases making a DEVICE EQUIPMENT/SOURCES percentage of 69.5% of registered facilities. MEDICAL Some facilities are not yet licensed majorly because they do not meet the basic regulatory requirements to ensure radiation safety and radiation protection of 1. Conventional Radiography Mobile X-rays, Fixed the workers and the general public in these facilities. AEC works hand in hand X-rays, Dental X-rays with unlicensed facilities by providing them guidance documents concerning 2. Interventional Radiography Fluoroscopy machines & radiation protection and safety and recommending to such facilities how they C-Arms can achieve radiation safety in their respective practices. Facilities are also encouraged to document and implement safety assessment report, quality 3. Mammography Mammography assurance program, local rules and purchase personal protective equipment machines. commensurate to the nature of their practice. 4. Computed Tomography Computed Tomography License trend as at December, 2017 (CT) (CT) scanners Inspection of a CT scan at Mulago Hospital 5. Radiotherapy Cs-137, Co-60. 6. Brachytherapy Co-60 and Cs-137 radioactive Sources. Inspection trend as at December, 2017 7. Nuclear Medicine Iodine-131, Tm-99, Co- (Radiopharmaceuticals) 57, Ga-67, Indidium-111, Thalium-201, Rhenium- 186…etc INDUSTRIAL 8. Nuclear gauging-mobile Troxler Nuclear gauges, (Moisture & Density gauges) Humboldt Nuclear gauges (Am-241:Be, Cs-137), 9. Nuclear gauging – Fixed Am-241, Cs-137 (Level, density gauges) Percentage of types of authorizations ! 10. Well logging (oil & gas and Th 232, Am-241, Cs-137, other) Am241:Be, Co-60 11. Industrial Radiography Iridium-192 (Ir-192) , Co- (Non-Destructive Testing) 60…etc. 1.3.2 Enforcements of regulatory requirements. 12. Smoke Detectors Am241 Section 9(e) of the Act mandates Council to take such action as is necessary to enforce the requirements of the Act and of any regulations or authorizations. 13. Explosive Security detectors Am241 Council enforced 219 non-compliant facilities since 2015 of which 141 were 14. Baggage/Cargo scanning Baggage scanners reopened after meeting the basic minimum radiation safety and protection requirements. Some of the reasons which lead to enforcement actions 15. Industrial X-rays X-ray cargo scanners include; RESEARCH i. Use of defective /faulty devices emitting ionizing radiation. ii. Use of unqualified personnel. 16. Radioactive sources used in Low activity sources e.g. iii. High radiation leakages at any point outside the radiation premises. Educational institutions and Cs-137, C0-60, Sr-90 iv. Lack of or inadequate personal protective equipment. research centres/institutes v. Improper structural design of radiation premises. 1.6 Radiation monitoring of occupationally exposed Workers 17. Laboratory analytical Ni-57, Ni-60, X-ray vi. Poor storage conditions of devices containing radioactive materials Section 14 (1) of the Act mandates Council to operate and maintain a dosimetry vii. Lack of proper documentation. service to monitor the absorbed doses of the occupationally exposed workers devices and sources Fluorescence (XRF) viii. Lack of radiation monitoring programs. working in radiation environments to ensure that they are aware of their AGRICULTURE ix. Lack of documented and implemented quality assurance program. absorbed doses, and that they do not exceed regulatory safety dose limits. 19. Agricultural research using Phosphorus 32 x. Lack of radiation warning systems. Monitoring of workers is done by use of Thermolumiscent Dosimeters (TLDs) sources xi. Operating without a license/authorization from the Council. that are read, calibrated and annealed by a TLD reader. A total of 1066 radiation workers have been registered, with 570 (53.4 .3%) being monitored in 173 20. Pest and disease control Cs-137, C 1.4 Registration of Facilities and Sources facilities by AEC. It is one of the regulatory requirements for facilities to using sources Section 51 of the Act mandates Council to register persons using ionizing establish an occupational radiation monitoring program to monitor radiation radiation for practices of low or moderate risk as determined by Council. AEC doses absorbed by workers working in radiation environment. ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL (AEC) RSO workshop in Mbarara, Aug, 2016 Nuclear Security Training at Nambole 8.0 How is AEC dealing with Nuclear Security? AEC with the assistance of the IAEA developed an Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plan (INSSP) for Uganda with the purpose of setting up a nuclear security infrastructure and nuclear security detection architecture. When these are seen on non-owned items (orphaned), please report to Council immediately using a tool free line (0800100488). 4.0 How can one minimize unnecessary exposure to Thermo Luminescent Dosimeter (TLD) reader at TLD badge radiation in facilities? AEC used for reading personal radiation badges By using the principle of time, distance and shielding. 1.7 Sensitization workshops conducted. Time: The more time you spend near a radiation source, the more the radiation AEC conducts regional training workshops for Radiation Safety Officers (RSOs) and dose one absorbs. It is therefore advised you spend as little time as possible near Legal persons in medical and industrial facilities in areas of Radiation Protection, a radiation source. Safety and Security of radioactive sources. Over 400 participants have attended the Distance: The closer one gets to the radiation source, the more the radiation dose above trainings that were conducted in Kampala (2014), Mbale (2015), Mbarara absorbed. It is therefore advised to stay far away as possible from a radiation (2016) (as seen in top left photo), and Gulu (2016). Further trainings are to be source. Training on use of detection equipment during Martyr’s day celebration of 2017 organized in this financial year 2017/18 and thereafter. Shielding: When an appropriate shielding material is placed between the radiation source and the individual or target, less radiation