Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan

What do the Rules establish?

These rules define safety requirements for the storage and transport of nuclear fuel at facilities using atomic energy.

🏭 Scope: Which facilities and equipment?

The rules apply to:

✅ Storage facilities (for fresh and spent fuel)
✅ Protective chambers
✅ Lifting and transport equipment: cranes, grippers, traverses, rods
✅ Platforms, carts, and loading mechanisms
✅ Packages, canisters, racks, protective casings
✅ Drum-type containers (for fuel assemblies)
✅ Washing and inspection stands
✅ Cooling, ventilation, and radiation monitoring systems
✅ Equipment for placing fuel into pools and preparing it for shipment

⚠️ Core safety approach

🏗 Storage and transport systems must be included in the facility design.
📑 The operating organization must prepare a safety justification report.
🔍 The report must list potential failures, design-basis accidents, and beyond-design-basis accidents.

🔥 Design hazardous scenarios (examples)

⚡️ Complete loss of power supply
🔥 Fire in storage areas or during transport
🧱 Dropping of heavy objects / violation of spacing or configuration
🧯 Leakage of coolant
💨 Ventilation failure leading to explosive mixtures
📦 Loss of package integrity

🧯 Key storage requirements

📌 Storage facilities must be equipped with fire alarms, firefighting systems, ventilation, lighting, and video surveillance.
⛔️ Fire-extinguishing agents that increase neutron multiplication are prohibited.
⛔️ Storage of flammable, toxic, or explosive substances is prohibited.
🚪 Unobstructed evacuation routes for personnel must be ensured in case of авария.

🚚 Key transport requirements

🚛 Transport is permitted only using specialized vehicles or on-site transport systems.
🔩 Packaging devices must be securely fastened to the vehicle.
⛔️ Transporting unrelated loads through fuel handling areas is prohibited.
🛑 If defects in running gear or fastening systems are detected, transport must be stopped immediately.

☢️ How is nuclear safety ensured?

📉 Limits on the quantity and grouping of fuel assemblies
📏 Safe spacing to prevent criticality
🧲 Use of neutron-absorbing materials
🌊 Control of neutron-moderating environments (e.g., water)
📊 Strict adherence to technological parameters and radiation monitoring

✅ These rules are aimed at ensuring safe storage and transport of nuclear fuel through systematic control, technical protection measures, accident risk assessment, and strict transport discipline.