Abu Dhabi: A licence issued from the government's nuclear energy body will soon be mandatory for all users of radioactive materials and radiation sources in the country - including use for medical, industrial or educational purposes.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the recently established body in charge of the peaceful use of nuclear energy, will issue licences to all bodies that use such materials in order to ensure their safe handling, officials disclosed.
The move is to ensure that all organisations in the UAE follow a unified set of security and safety guidelines with regard to radioactive material, Dr John Loy, the radiation and safety director of FANR, said yesterday.
"With the UAE's entry into the use of nuclear power, the FANR wants to ensure that the best standards are applied throughout the country," he said.
He was speaking at an information session organised by the authority to describe requisites for obtaining a licence to stakeholders.
Apart from industrial users, hospitals which use nuclear medicines or radioactive equipment like X-ray and CT scan machines for diagnostic purposes will also need to apply for a licence.
"Under the new regulations, as many as 700 organisations across the country are expected to apply to us for licences," he told Gulf News.
Subsequent inspections will then ensure that all organisations in the country that deal with radioactive material are monitored.
"Any person or local or federal entity that uses ionising radiation without a FANR licence will be in breach of the law and subjected to penalties," he warned.
All applications should be filed with the FANR by June 30. Licence seekers have been asked to submit applications detailing their use, handling or transfer of ionising radiation practices. FANR will review each application and issue the licence by September, if all requirements are met.
The licence allows users to import or export, transport, store or dispose of any regulated material in the UAE.
The new standards are being implemented by FANR in accordance with Article (4) of the Federal Law by Decree No 6 in 2009, which repeals an earlier law Federal Law No 1 issued in 2002 regarding the control and use of radiation sources.
Mohammad Abu Surour, a health quality auditor at Haad (Health Authority-Abu Dhabi), who attended the session, said that he was happy to see the unified guidelines.
"Haad currently regulates radioactive equipment and medicine from the perspective of the safety of patients, medical staff and visitors. FANR's new role will protect the entire community, and complement our role in enforcing safety standards," he said.
