The Regulations, comprising 101 sections, apply to activities involving radiation sources throughout their entire lifecycle, including their adoption, manufacture, acquisition, import and export, possession, use, operation, maintenance, transfer, transport, storage, decommissioning, and disposal. They also cover non-ionizing radiation within the frequency range of 0–300 GHz and regulate all aspects of radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, and disused sealed sources arising from medical, industrial, and research activities. The Regulations prohibit any person from undertaking activities involving radiation sources, radioactive waste, or related practices unless the prescribed regulatory requirements are met. The Regulations assign primary responsibility for radiation protection, safety, and security to licensees and registrants, while also defining the responsibilities of employers, medical practitioners, suppliers, radiation protection officers, workers, and other relevant authorities. Under Section 6, the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission is responsible for overseeing compliance, approving monitoring programmes and protection standards, maintaining exposure records, establishing reference levels, and implementing protection strategies for occupational, public, emergency, and radon-related exposure situations. The Regulations also provide for exemptions from specific safety requirements and licensing obligations for certain low-risk practices and sources that satisfy prescribed exemption criteria, while excluding unjustified practices from eligibility. To undertake activities regulated by the Regulations, a person must notify the Commission and obtain the appropriate authorisation through registration or licensing. Authorisation is likewise required for the provision of technical services and for conducting research relating to the peaceful applications of nuclear technology. In addition, a licensee or registrant must obtain the Commission's prior approval before transferring radiation sources, disused sealed radioactive sources, spent nuclear fuel, or nuclear materials, and must ensure that the recipient holds a valid licence or registration authorising possession of the relevant materials. Part IV establishes the fundamental principles of radiation protection by requiring that all authorised practices be justified, with their expected benefits outweighing the associated radiation risks, and that radiation protection and safety be optimised for both workers and the public. It requires compliance with prescribed dose constraints, dose limits, and reference levels, and integrates radiation protection into organisational management systems. The Part further requires licensees and registrants to promote a strong safety culture, define clear responsibilities, ensure that personnel are appropriately trained and qualified, and address human factors through suitable equipment, operating procedures, and ergonomic design to minimise accidents and unnecessary radiation exposure. The Regulations also establish requirements for remedial actions in existing exposure situations. Licensees and registrants responsible for remediation must prepare and implement a Commission-approved remedial action plan supported by a safety assessment, establish monitoring, record-keeping, reporting, and public information mechanisms, and ensure that remediation activities, including radioactive waste management, are carried out safely. They must conduct radiological surveys during and after remediation, submit a final remediation report, and maintain long-term post-remediation monitoring where required. The Commission is responsible for reviewing and approving safety assessments and remedial action plans, establishing safety criteria, and overseeing the implementation of remedial measures. Regarding waste management, the Regulations require licensees and registrants to minimize the generation of radioactive waste and manage it safely throughout its lifecycle, including its classification, segregation, packaging, storage, transport, treatment, and final disposal. Radioactive waste management activities must be authorized by the Commission, and accompanied by accurate records and waste inventories. Waste must be stored and disposed of in facilities that meet safety requirements, with strict controls on discharges, reuse, recycling, and decommissioning. The Regulations also require adequate physical protection of radioactive waste, and prompt reporting of any loss or release. Finally, the Regulations require the establishment, implementation, and regular updating of emergency preparedness and response plans to protect people and the environment from radiation emergencies. These plans must include procedures for emergency identification, response coordination, monitoring, communication, protective actions, personnel training, and periodic exercises. The Regulations also address (i) reporting requirements in the event of incidents or accidents; (ii) safety assessments; (iii) the justification process for any human imaging practice involving radiation for non-medical diagnostic or therapeutic purposes; (iv) requirements for planned exposure situations; (v) occupational exposure; (vi) workplace radiation monitoring; (vii) control of discharges and prevention of contamination from radioactive materials accessible to the public; (viii) consumer products; (ix) activities involving radiation generators and sources, including their siting, design, construction, assembly, commissioning, use, maintenance, and decommissioning or facility closure; (x) export of radioactive sources.
United Republic of Tanzania · 2023-11-17