The meeting of the Extended ORPAS Follow-up Mission to Sri Lanka opened with traditional lamp lighting. (Photo: M. Raththagalage/Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board)
Sri Lanka is committed to enhancing its national programme to strengthen the radiation protection of workers, according to a recent IAEA review mission. The team of experts found that dose monitoring services had improved since a previous mission in 2019, but highlighted the need for stronger regulatory oversight.
"Sri Lanka is committing to an improved and fit-for-purpose legislative and regulatory infrastructure for occupational radiation protection," said Hildegarde Vandenhove, Director of the IAEA Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety, adding that the country has made "significant progress" in areas such as exposure control, monitoring, assessment and recording.
The review was conducted by the IAEA Occupational Radiation Protection Appraisal Service (ORPAS).
Strengthening Radiation Protection for Workers
The review team noted that Sri Lanka's regulatory framework to protect workers from radiation is undergoing major change, with draft regulations on radiation protection and safety of radiation sources, rules and procedures currently in development.
"There is strong cooperation among institutions, enhanced capacities and new opportunities for continued development to enhance worker protection against harmful effects of ionizing radiation," said Kristine Marie Romallosa Dean, Head of the Radiation Protection Services Section at the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and mission team leader.
The follow-up mission took place from 24 to 28 November 2025 in Colombo, jointly hosted by the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council and the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board.
The mission team assessed progress in implementing recommendations and suggestions from the 2019 mission , highlighting good practices and providing recommendations for further aligning occupational radiation protection with relevant IAEA safety standards .
The team comprised six experts from Australia, Austria, Ireland, the Philippines, Slovenia and the United Kingdom, as well as an IAEA coordinator. They conducted interviews with national counterparts and reviewed facilities and activities at the 10 sites that participated in the 2019 mission, plus the national cancer hospital, Lanka Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama.
IAEA Support to Sri Lanka for Occupational Radiation Protection
"This mission established a valuable platform for Sri Lanka to align its practices with international standards in occupational exposure protection," said K. K. P. I. K. Kadadunna, Director of Inspection and Enforcement at the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council and one of the national coordinators.
"The insights you have shared this week will guide us in the next phase of our national journey to ensure the highest level of protection for all workers who use radiation in their professional activities," added Thushara Rathnayake, Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board.
The ORPAS follow-up mission report included an assessment of progress in implementing improvements based on the recommendations and suggestions of the 2019 mission. These included enhancing processes for individual monitoring, including initiatives to expand capabilities for dose monitoring, and the continued development of human resources, calibration services and improved management of occupational exposure records. The report also highlighted the urgent need for clearer legislation and stronger regulatory oversight to ensure greater consistency in the effective management of occupational radiation protection.
What are ORPAS Missions?
ORPAS missions support the review of all types of facilities and activities dealing with ionizing radiation. They also cover technical service providers and organizations for protection and safety that assess occupational exposure from external radiation sources and the intake of radionuclides. Missions include individual monitoring, as well as workplace monitoring and advisory services, and they promote self-assessment and management systems at facilities and activities.
ORPAS missions have become an internationally accepted process for strengthening occupational radiation protection programmes in IAEA member countries since the service was established in 2001. The first ORPAS guidelines were published in 2002 and updated in 2020. To date, 29 ORPAS missions and 10 follow-up missions have been conducted in countries around the world.
Learn more about the IAEA Occupational Radiation Protection Appraisal Service (ORPAS) and other IAEA review missions and advisory services .
