Combining Safety, Dose Optimisation and Security: Challenges and Difficulties

The growing concern for potential terrorist acts has led to a number of new ideas about storing radiological and nuclear materials that are not always compatible with existing practices or infrastructures. This is valid in normal, routine circumstances, but may especially pose problems in case of accidents. As such, the management of nuclear safety, radiological protection and security within an evolving world such as a nuclear research centre sometimes looks like implementing the quadrature of the circle. International guidance is present, but is not always easily converted into an adequate policy comprehensible to all levels in a plant, from management to the work floor. The main difficulty is related to the 'cultural' aspect. In order to facilitate the process of enhancing all components of safety, radiation protection and security, there definitely is a need of a helicopter view by international advisory bodies and regulators. It is the merged policy that needs optimisation, and not various pillars safety, security and ALARA culture separately. An ASSARA-approach (As Safe and Secure As Reasonably Achievable) is what we all should be aiming for.