The Institute of Radiation Protection and Dosimetry (IRD) hosted the Latin America Regional Training Course for Serving as an ORPAS Reviewer, promoted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), from April 15 to 19. The course aimed to train professionals to evaluate actions related to occupational radiological protection.
International Participation and Training Objectives
Experts from nine Latin American countries participated in the training, including professionals from the IRD itself and from the Directorate of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN). The head of the IAEA Radiological Safety Monitoring Section, Miroslav Pinak, participated directly from Vienna, via videoconference, in the official opening of the event. He highlighted the importance of continuous training of reviewers to increase the radiological protection of exposed workers and strengthen the Latin American region.
Practical Activities and Experiences
During the course, teams participated in a variety of practical activities. They performed exercises at the IRD Industry Laboratory, visited the Argonauta nuclear research reactor at the Institute of Nuclear Engineering, and participated in case studies, simulations, and discussions. Participants were trained to plan, conduct interviews, and write reports to assess countries’ occupational radiation protection provisions, identify areas for improvement, make suggestions, and recognize good practices.
Impact and Recognition
For IRD Director André Quadros, hosting the training is an honor and an opportunity to contribute to the important activities of the IAEA. He highlighted the synergy between the organizations involved in the training and the importance of receiving professionals from across the region. According to the IAEA, ORPAS reviewers are country-appointed regulators, dosimetry experts and radiation protection officers with in-depth knowledge of the legislative and operational aspects of occupational radiation protection.
Conclusion
Carrying out this training at the IRD reflects Brazil’s ongoing commitment to excellence in radioprotection and international collaboration to strengthen radiological safety practices in Latin America. For more information, visit CNEN. This is an adaptation of the original content published by the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN).
