Regulatory Oversight of New Accelerator Technologies

Abstract of the technical paper/presentation given at:
Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA) Annual Conference
April 30–May 3, 2018

Prepared by:
Jeff Sandeman
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Abstract:

The CNSC is responsible for licensing the operation and servicing of all particle accelerators regulated under the Class II Nuclear Facilities and Prescribed Equipment Regulations. This includes many different types of accelerators in all four licensee sectors (medical, academic and research, industrial or commercial).

Accelerator technology is constantly evolving and the range of applications for this technology grows every year. Over the past decade, in addition to noting increasingly complex uses for medical radiotherapy treatments, the CNSC has observed an increased use of accelerators for purposes such as medical isotope production, materials research, industrial processing, security screening, and even industrial radiography. In the coming years, facilities for proton therapy and food sterilization similar to those already used in many other countries will undoubtedly be added to the gamut of technologies operating in Canada.

Licensing these new technologies presents a unique regulatory challenge. It requires careful analysis of the associated hazards and control measures. The applicability of and/or need for changes to the existing regulatory framework must be evaluated to ensure that adequate measures are in place to protect the health and safety of persons and the environment. This presentation will look at how the CNSC has addressed these issues in the past, and it will look at some of the potential issues related to existing technologies in use elsewhere in world which may soon be of interest in Canada.

To obtain a copy of the abstract’s document, please contact us at cnsc.info.ccsn@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca or call 613-995-5894 or 1-800-668-5284 (in Canada). When contacting us, please provide the title and date of the abstract.