Security of Radioactive Sources in Radiation Facilities

5.3 Supplier of the Source
The source supplier should possess a licence from the Competent Authority
(Chairman, AERB) to supply radioactive material as required in the Atomic
Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004 and should further ensure that the
radioactive material is being supplied only to the person authorised to receive
and handle the source. Further, appropriate security measures should be
implemented in the supplier’s facility on the basis of an approved security
plan. The responsibilities of the employer, licencee, RSO, workers and other
personnel including the security personnel should be identified in the security
plan.
5.4 Role of Law and Enforcement Agencies
The government agencies dealing with law and enforcement constantly review
the prevailing security scenario and communicate the necessary warnings/
alerts/advisories about perceived security threats, sufficiently in advance to
the concerned agencies. The licencee is required to work out a coordination
mechanism with the concerned law and enforcement agencies as mentioned
in this document to ensure that the facility using the radioactive source gets
these warnings/alerts/advisories in time so that appropriate security measures
could be implemented. The threat assessment process adopted by the law
and enforcement authority would generally be based on their knowledge of
the characteristics of the potential offender(s), who may be an internal or an
external adversary. The law and enforcement authority is also expected to
extend the necessary support in the event of a theft of a source. Where
necessary, police protection should be available to personnel investigating
cases of theft of a source.
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