Following a 10-day mission to Kenya, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) team said on 20 July that ensuring the effective independence of Kenya’s regulatory body for decision-making in radiation safety would help to strengthen the oversight of all radiation-related facilities and activities.
Following a 10-day mission to Kenya, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) team said on 20 July that ensuring the effective independence of Kenya’s regulatory body for decision-making in radiation safety would help to strengthen the oversight of all radiation-related facilities and activities.
The Radiation Protection Board (RPB) regulates such activities in Kenya, including those involving sealed and unsealed radioactive sources as well as x-ray and other radiation-emitting devices. In its preliminary findings, the IRRS praised a training initiative by the RPB for its inspectors in enforcement of the law. They noted, however, that Kenya faces significant challenges, for example regarding the yet-to-be completed regulatory framework. Steps to ensure the RPB’s effective independence and complete the framework for radiation safety would help Kenya improve its legal and regulatory infrastructure, said IRRS mission team leader Javier Zarzuela, sub-director of operational radiation protection at Spain’s Nuclear Safety Council.