Responding to Radiological Emergencies: Preparedness as Key Elena Buglova Incident and Emergency Centre International Atomic Energy Agency
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Radiological Emergencies 3
Radiological Emergencies - Examples Lost, stolen, not under control dangerous or potentially dangerous source Elevated radiation levels of unknown origin Transport accidents involving radioactive material Serious overexposure Emergencies triggered by nuclear security event (e.g. dirty bomb, intentional spread of contamination) Re-entry of space object with dangerous source on board Any other event which is of an actual, potential or perceived radiological significance 4
In 2015, for example, 231 events directly or indirectly related to radioactive sources were registered by the IEC 5
What are we going to discuss Preparedness is a key Key EPR concepts role in EPR EPR Emergency Preparedness and Response
Key EPR Concepts All hazard/threat assessment Graded approach to EPR Protection strategy System of generic and operational criteria
Hazard Assessment Basic question: For what we need to be prepared? Identified hazards and threats; potential consequences of emergency provide an answer Hazard assessment provides framework for graded approach to EPR 8
Protection Strategy Describes in a comprehensive manner: What needs to be achieved in response to a nuclear or radiological emergency From the time the emergency is declared until the emergency is terminated For large scale emergency, the strategy may extend in the longer term within the framework of an existing exposure situation How this will be achieved implementing a justified and optimized set of protective actions and other response actions
Protection Strategy Dosimetric Concepts Generic criteria Generic criteria Reference level Projected dose Received dose Residual dose Basis to implement response actions Basis to implement medical actions Basis to optimize and to judge effectiveness of strategy
Protection Strategy To be developed, justified and optimized at preparedness stage for taking protective and other response actions effectively Protective action is justified if it does more good than harm with account taken not only of those detriments that are associated with radiation exposure but also of those associated with impacts of actions taken on public health, economy, society and environment 11
Reference Level The level of dose: Above which it is not appropriate to allow exposures to occur Below which optimization of protection and safety would continue to be implemented Role: tool for optimization of protection A residual effective dose in the range 20 100 msv, acute or annual, via all exposure pathways
Generic Criteria Levels for the projected dose, or the dose that has been received, at which protective actions and other response actions are to be taken. Appendix II of GSR Part 7 Concern Severe deterministic effects Possible increase in the risk for stochastic effects Generic Criteria Dose in hours Dose in days Dose in year Actions Precautionary undelayable actions Urgent protective actions Early protective actions
Operational Criteria GC cannot be used directly in response GC are based on projected or received dose which needs to be calculated (assumptions, uncertainties) Need to develop, at preparedness stage, criteria deriving from GC that can be used directly in the response (i.e. operational criteria) Observables (conditions at the site) OILs (based on field and lab measurements)
Operational Intervention Levels OILs predetermined default operational triggers for quantities that are measured by a field monitoring instrument or determined by laboratory analysis Protective and other response actions Dose rate above the ground Food and water concentrations Dose rate from skin contamination 15
Generic Scene Setup Security access control point Secure staging area Safety perimeter Public processing area*: Public information centre Waste Storage Area Outer cordoned area Forensic evidence management area: -processing -storage Inner cordoned area** Safety access and contamination control area - triage/first aid - registration - monitoring - decontamination Response contamination control area Security access control point Temporary morgue area Incident commander Security perimeter Incident command post remote area Local hospital * Needs to be located in an area with dose rate levels below 0.3 msv/h. ** Also called the "hot zone". 16
Inner Cordoned Area - Outside Initial determination - Outside Initial inner cordoned area (safety perimeter) Unshielded or damaged potentially dangerous source Major spill from a potentially dangerous source Fire, explosion or fumes involving a potentially dangerous source Suspected bomb( potential RDD) exploded or unexploded 30 m around 100 m around 300 m radius 400 m radius or more to protect against an explosion 17
Inner Cordoned Area - Indoors Situation Damage, loss of shielding or spill involving a potentially dangerous source Initial inner cordoned area (safety perimeter) Initial determination - Inside a building Fires, suspected RDD or other event involving a potentially dangerous source that can spread materials in the building Affected and adjacent areas (including floors above and below) Entire building and appropriate outside distance indicated Expansion based on radiological monitoring Ambient dose rate of 100 μs/h Where these levels are measured 18
Safety Standards Requirements and Guides 19
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D-values D for dangerous D-value is quantity of radioactive material, which, if uncontrolled, could result in death of exposed individual or permanent injury that decreases person s quality of life
D-Values Have Many Uses Guides on emergency preparedness and response based upon: Threat categories Plain language description of threat Response guides assessment of events Safety Guide No. RS-G-1.9 Categorization of radioactive sources Code of Conduct on the Safely and Security of Radioactive Sources
Operational Arrangements 23
Roles in Response Notification & official information exchange Provision of public information Assessment of potential emergency consequences and prognosis of possible emergency progression Coordination / provision of assistance on request Coordination of inter-agency response 24
Roles in Preparedness Developing EPR safety standards, guidance and tools Assisting MSs in establishing or enhancing their EPR systems EPR capacity building ConvEx Exercises Providing Emergency Preparedness Review (EPREV) Maintaining s in-house and inter-agency preparedness 25
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