Aimed primarily at operating organizations of nuclear power plants and regulatory bodies, this Safety Guide covers the safety objective of core management and the basic tasks of the core management programme. The receipt of fresh fuel, storage and handling of fuel assemblies and core components, the loading and unloading of fuel assemblies and core components, and the insertion and removal of other reactor materials are within the scope of this Safety Guide. The publication also covers the preparations for the dispatch of irradiated fuel from the site.