This Safety Guide presents recommendations on applying a graded approach without compromising safety. The application of a graded approach to all of the important activities4throughout the lifetime of a research reactor is discussed. These activities are identified in sections 3?C8 of Ref. [1]. A major aspect of the design activity@ as described in Section 6 of this Safety Guide@ involves the grading of specific requirements for design of structures@ systems and components (SSCs) for particular reactor types@ so that the safety objectives set out in Para. 2.2 of Ref. [1] are achieved. Recommendations on the application of grading to reactor hardware and equipment (SSCs)@ as opposed to activities in general@ are also provided in Section 6. In this Safety Guide@ it is considered that all relevant safety requirements have to be complied with in applications of a graded approach. The graded approach should be used to determine the appropriate manner to comply with a requirement; it is not used to provide relief from meeting the requirement. To eliminate a requirement for the purposes of identifying all relevant safety requirements@ a waiving5 process@ as suggested in Para 1.10 of Ref. [1]@ can be used.