AERB to get ISO certification for its procedures

Kochi, Nov 1 (UNI) The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is to get ISO certification for its safety procedures and documents on November 15, Board Chairman S K Sharma said today.

Delivering the Presidential Address at the 23rd Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Safety and Occupational Health Professionals Meet 2006 here, Mr Sharma said the Board was also in the process of updating the Atomic Energy Safety Rules, which were framed in the 1980s.

On the ISO certification, Mr Sharma said the final audit for this was completed by the Bureau of Indian Standards during the past two days. The AERB had passed the test and would be obtaining the ISO certification on November 15.

He said the Board wanted to benchmark its procedures and documents against international standards and had thus applied for the International Standards Organisation (ISO) certification.

Remarking on the ''phenomenal increase'' in the activities of the Department of Atomic Energy, Mr Sharma said the AERB was ''struggling'' to keep pace. While the Board conducted a safety review once in three months of nuclear power plants under construction, a six-montly review was done of the operational units.

Keeping in mind its increased activities, the Board had made certain proposals to the Planning Commission for its incorporation in the 11th five-year plan, beginning in April, 2007, he said.

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