NATIONAL DOSE REGISTER  |  CAREERS  |  TENDERS

Protecting persons,
property and the environment

Compliance Assurance & Enforcement

The primary role of the NNR is to monitor and enforce regulatory safety over a diverse range of facilities and actions for the achievement of safe operating conditions, prevention of nuclear accidents and mitigation of nuclear accident consequences. Facilities and actions currently under NNR regulatory control includes; safety over the Koeberg nuclear power station, the Pelindaba research and production facilities, the Vaalputs nuclear waste repository and the mining and processing of uranium and other radioactive ores.

Compliance Assurance

The NNR conducts compliance assurance activities to determine the extent to which holders of nuclear authorisations comply with the conditions of authorisation. The extent and nature of the NNR’s compliance assurance activities is commensurate with the type of authorisation issued and the risk posed by the facility or action. The compliance assurance activities involve a combination of audits, routine inspections, non-routine inspections, review of routine reports and review of occurrence reports.

Enforcement

Where non-compliance with the conditions of authorisation is identified, the NNR may initiate enforcement actions. Enforcement actions are designed to respond to non-compliances with specified conditions and requirements. The enforcement actions are commensurate with the seriousness of the non-compliance and may take the form of written warnings, penalties, curtailment of operations, suspension of the authorisation, or ultimately withdrawal of the authorisation. In all cases, the holder of the authorisation is required to remedy the non-compliance by:

  • Performing a thorough investigation in accordance with an agreed timescale; and
  • Taking all necessary measures to prevent recurrence.
  • In certain instances, the NNR has performed its own investigation.
  • Providing assurance of safety performance of holders of a nuclear authorisation through inspections, audits, investigations and taking of enforcement action for identified non-compliances.
  • Strengthening independent analytical verification capability and capacity within the NNR.
  • Enhancing regulatory Programmes and the application of safety focused research.