Methodology for assessing the effectiveness of security arrangements at gamma irradiation facilities

The iia and WINS have jointly published an updated ‘Methodology for assessing the effectiveness of security arrangements at gamma irradiation facilities’

The original methodology was published in 2021 with input from the iia Gamma Working Group and following a trial assessment at a European gamma irradiation facility.  It was later updated to better facilitate self-assessment by operators, rather than a third-party assessment that was the focus of the original publication.

It is a high-level document that gives broad direction that can be tailored to the specific circumstances and arrangements at individual irradiators. The methodology follows a 5-step process describing the planning phase, preparation for the review, conducting the assessment, reporting key finding, and the follow-up activities to implement recommendations.  It covers 7 key security areas: governance arrangements; physical protection; response to security incidents; security awareness and culture; cybersecurity; information security; and personnel security.  The methodology includes examples of indicators demonstrating effective and resilient arrangements in each security area and provides tools for benchmarking security performance against best practices.  Sample questions, guidance, tips and example reports are also provided.