Safety inspections are a major element in the regulatory body's efforts to ensure the safe operation of nuclear facilities. They provide the public and other stakeholders with an independent, transparent view of the safety performance at each facility.   

Due to the importance of this activity, the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) established the Working Group on Inspection Practices (WGIP) in 1990. The purpose of the WGIP is to facilitate the exchange of information and experience related to regulatory safety inspections among NEA member countries.  It seeks to ensure improvements in nuclear safety through more effective and efficient regulation. To this end, the working group:

• promotes co-operation and learning to mutually enhance regulatory effectiveness and efficiency by reviewing existing regulatory inspection practices, preparing reports and disseminating lessons learnt, and by sponsoring and holding international workshops on regulatory inspection practices
• considers which inspections and practices are best suited to address the future regulatory challenges as identified by the CNRA
• considers the lessons learnt from regulators, regulatory inspections and current operating practices