This Safety Guide is a revision of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. NS-G-4.4, which it supersedes. The revised version provides specific recommendations on developing, formulating and presenting the operational limits and conditions as well as the operating procedures for research reactors, to meet the relevant requirements of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-3, Safety of Research Reactors. The recommendations in this publication are intended for use by operating organizations of research reactors, regulatory bodies and other relevant organizations involved in a research reactor project.

• 1. INTRODUCTION
  • Background
  • Objective
  • Scope
  • Structure
• 2. APPLICATION OF THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR A RESEARCH REACTOR TO OPERATIONAL LIMITS AND CONDITIONS AND OPERATING PROCEDURES
  • Management responsibility for operational limits and conditions and operating procedures for a research reactor
  • Resource management for operational limits and conditions and operating procedures for a research reactor
  • Process implementation for operational limits and conditions and operating procedures for a research reactor
  • Measurement, assessment and improvement of the management system in relation to operational limits and conditions and operating procedures
• 3. DEVELOPMENT OF OPERATIONAL LIMITS AND CONDITIONS FOR A RESEARCH REACTOR
  • Attributes of operational limits and conditions for a research reactor
    • Objective of the specification of operational limits and conditions
    • Specification of the applicability of operational limits and conditions
    • Specification of operational limits and conditions
    • Bases for the specification of operational limits and conditions
• 4. CONTENT OF THE DOCUMENTATION ON OPERATIONAL LIMITS AND CONDITIONS FOR A RESEARCH REACTOR
  • Table of contents
  • Definitions
  • Introduction
  • Safety limits for a research reactor
  • Safety system settings for a research reactor
  • Limiting conditions for safe operation of a research reactor
  • Requirements for maintenance, periodic testing and inspection as part of the operational limits and conditions for a research reactor
  • Administrative requirements associated with operational limits and conditions for a research reactor
    • Organizational structure
    • Staffing
    • Training and retraining of facility personnel
    • Review and audit procedures
    • Utilization and modifications
    • Records and reports
    • Actions in the event of a violation of operational limits and conditions
• 5. DEVELOPMENT OF OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR A RESEARCH REACTOR
  • Roles and responsibilities for the development of operating procedures for a research reactor
    • Operating organization
    • Operating personnel
    • Radiation protection personnel
    • Reactor safety committee
    • Reactor manager
    • Regulatory body
  • Categorization of operating procedures for a research reactor
  • General considerations for the development of operating procedures for a research reactor
  • Steps in the preparation of an operating procedure for a research reactor
• 6. FORMAT AND CONTENT OF OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR A RESEARCH REACTOR
  • Commissioning procedures for a research reactor
  • Operational procedures for a research reactor
  • Maintenance procedures for a research reactor
  • Inspection, calibration and periodic testing procedures for a research reactor
  • Radiation protection procedures for a research reactor
  • Procedures for the authorization of operation, maintenance and utilization of a research reactor
  • Procedures for responding to anticipated operational occurrences and accident conditions at a research reactor
  • Emergency procedures for a research reactor
  • Nuclear security procedures for a research reactor
  • Procedures for the handling of radioactive waste and the monitoring and control of radioactive discharges at a research reactor
  • Procedures for extended shutdown of a research reactor
  • Procedures for utilization and for modification of a research reactor
  • Administrative procedures for a research reactor
• 7. TRAINING OF PERSONNEL IN THE USE OF OPERATING PROCEDURES AT A RESEARCH REACTOR
• 8. COMPLIANCE WITH OPERATIONAL LIMITS AND CONDITIONS AND OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR A RESEARCH REACTOR
• Appendix I FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN ESTABLISHING LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR SAFE OPERATION OF A RESEARCH REACTOR
• Appendix II INDICATIVE LIST OF OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR A RESEARCH REACTOR
• REFERENCES
• CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW