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The Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) discovered recently that, in the wake of the financial tsunami sweeping the world, a few enterprises that use radioactive sources in their business have taken actions to cut down or stop their production line, put employees on furlough, or even lay off people and close down the entire plant. In the moves to prevent those enterprises from illegally dumping radioactive sources or employing non-qualified personnel out of economic consideration, which poses serious radiation safety concern, NSC will step up the radioactive source tracking mechanism and implement some relief measures, such as fee reduction, to help businesses sail through the waves of the financial storm.
NSC has already had the mandatory periodic online reporting mechanism in place to tract radioactive sources. But to make sure financially strapped enterprises will not randomly dump radioactive materials, NSC has also put forth more measures to step up tracking and control:
1.If an enterprise on the control list is late in reporting their operation status as required, NSC will immediately follow up with a phone call, asking the enterprise to file the report, and if deemed necessary, send an inspector in to check on its operation. If it is found that an enterprise has closed business, gone bankrupt or suspended business temporarily, and becomes unable to safekeep the radioactive materials in its possession, or if radiation safety is a concern, NSC will immediately dispatch staff to handle the situation or take temporary custody of the radioactive sources.
2.NSC pays particular attention to media reports on business closure or status of enterprises in the industry and checks online whether such enterprises hold and market any radioactive materials under NSC control, and take prompt action if they do.
3.NSC has asked the public health departments of county and city governments to promptly notify NSC to follow up on the movement of radioactive materials if a medical institution in their jurisdiction stops or closes business.
4.For export-oriented electronic industry, NSC will conduct special radiation safety inspection to grasp the current status of the industry.
To help enterprises and personnel in radiation related industry get through the financial dilemma, NSC has reduced fees for enterprises to help cut down their operating costs and waived the qualification examination fees of disadvantaged examinees. For individual license holders, NSC has also reduced license application and renewal fees. These measures also aim to encourage the economically disadvantaged to pick up new skills and join the radiation protection line of work. The related relief measures taken by NSC include:
1.Examination fees for the 2009 "Radiation Protection Certificates Examination" and "Radiation Safety Certificates Examination for Operators": are waived for people who got laid off, people from low-income household and indigenous people.
2.Some radiation protection and control fees are reduced until December 31, 2009, including personal license fees which are reduced by one half, regulation fees for radioactive materials and irradiation equipment which are reduced by one third, except for high level radiation facilities and production facilities.
3.NSC will ask radiation protection training institutes to consider dropping enrollment fees for people who got laid off, people from low-income household and indigenous people.
4.NSC will save some space for people who got laid off, people from low-income household and indigenous people in the radiation protection continuing education courses it offers.
Radiation Safety Control In the Wake of Financial Tsunami -- (20090326)
Last Update: May 14, 2020
The Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) discovered recently that, in the wake of the financial tsunami sweeping the world, a few enterprises that use radioactive sources in their business have taken actions to cut down or stop their production line, put employees on furlough, or even lay off people and close down the entire plant. In the moves to prevent those enterprises from illegally dumping radioactive sources or employing non-qualified personnel out of economic consideration, which poses serious radiation safety concern, NSC will step up the radioactive source tracking mechanism and implement some relief measures, such as fee reduction, to help businesses sail through the waves of the financial storm.
NSC has already had the mandatory periodic online reporting mechanism in place to tract radioactive sources. But to make sure financially strapped enterprises will not randomly dump radioactive materials, NSC has also put forth more measures to step up tracking and control:
1.If an enterprise on the control list is late in reporting their operation status as required, NSC will immediately follow up with a phone call, asking the enterprise to file the report, and if deemed necessary, send an inspector in to check on its operation. If it is found that an enterprise has closed business, gone bankrupt or suspended business temporarily, and becomes unable to safekeep the radioactive materials in its possession, or if radiation safety is a concern, NSC will immediately dispatch staff to handle the situation or take temporary custody of the radioactive sources.
2.NSC pays particular attention to media reports on business closure or status of enterprises in the industry and checks online whether such enterprises hold and market any radioactive materials under NSC control, and take prompt action if they do.
3.NSC has asked the public health departments of county and city governments to promptly notify NSC to follow up on the movement of radioactive materials if a medical institution in their jurisdiction stops or closes business.
4.For export-oriented electronic industry, NSC will conduct special radiation safety inspection to grasp the current status of the industry.
To help enterprises and personnel in radiation related industry get through the financial dilemma, NSC has reduced fees for enterprises to help cut down their operating costs and waived the qualification examination fees of disadvantaged examinees. For individual license holders, NSC has also reduced license application and renewal fees. These measures also aim to encourage the economically disadvantaged to pick up new skills and join the radiation protection line of work. The related relief measures taken by NSC include:
1.Examination fees for the 2009 "Radiation Protection Certificates Examination" and "Radiation Safety Certificates Examination for Operators": are waived for people who got laid off, people from low-income household and indigenous people.
2.Some radiation protection and control fees are reduced until December 31, 2009, including personal license fees which are reduced by one half, regulation fees for radioactive materials and irradiation equipment which are reduced by one third, except for high level radiation facilities and production facilities.
3.NSC will ask radiation protection training institutes to consider dropping enrollment fees for people who got laid off, people from low-income household and indigenous people.
4.NSC will save some space for people who got laid off, people from low-income household and indigenous people in the radiation protection continuing education courses it offers.
