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Re: Incident/Accident
Respect definitions the yet valid IAEA glossary:
accident
Any unintended event, including operating errors, equipment failures or
other mishaps, the consequences or potential consequences of which are not
negligible from the point of view of protection or safety.
event
In the context of the reporting and analysis of events, an event is any
unintended occurrence, including operating error, equipment failure or other
mishap, the consequences or potential consequences of which are not
negligible from the point of view of protection or safety.
incident See INES.
The word incident is often used, in INES and elsewhere, to describe events
that are, in effect, minor accidents, i.e. that are distinguished from
accidents only in terms of being less severe. This is an arbitrary
distinction with little basis in normal usage. An incident can be minor or
major, just as an accident can, but unlike an accident, an incident can be
caused intentionally. The existing misuses of incident, such as INES, cannot
be eliminated, but new examples should not be created.
nuclear incident: [Any occurrence or series of occurrences having the same
origin which causes nuclear damage or, but only with respect to preventive
measures, creates a grave and imminent threat of causing such damage.]
conclusions:
a) accident "Any unintended event..........
b) event "Any unintended occurrence.......
c) incident ;
(i)) " Often used to describe events that are, in effect, minor accidents" -
"distinguished from accidents only in terms of being less severe"
(ii) "This is an arbitrary distinction with little basis in normal usage" -
"An incident can be minor or major, just as an accident can"
(iii) "but unlike an accident, an incident can be caused intentionally "
More conclusion: -
a) If event "Any unintended occurrence.......
b) If " an incident can be caused intentionally " - In this case incident is
not an event - Sense or not sense?
c) "The existing misuses of incident, such as INES, cannot be eliminated,
but new examples should not be created."...
When I asked why many colleagues from England and USa use incident instead
accident, is really why I wish to understand better this reason.
Many express Goiania Incident. There was not incident however rather an
acident.
England has a very important document: NAIR - National Arrangements for
Incidents involving Radioactivity - Why they do not change Incidents by
Events, like -IAEA INES? - By the way if radsafers are interested can
download NAIR 2000, as a leaflet pdf format, using
http://www.nrpb.org/radiation_incidents/nair.htm
Now with respect the first Jack's point, I would like to make some
comments:
>My early experience and training as a rad con supervisor included specific
>public relations, now called "politically correct," responses to
>radiological events or "issues," another one of those words.
Comment:
We can't to avoid the use of the words accident or incident, we have to
understand the correct nuclear/radiological meaning to use one or the other.
Event as you refer is exactly this: accident or incident
>Accident" wasn't used because it conveyed a meaning, especially to the
>public, of a catastrophic event--we don't want to create undue panic or
concern.
Comment:
Again, we can't avoid explaining to the public the Nuclear/Radiological
Event Scale. There are several reasons why public has not confidence, I'll
write two concerning this subject:
a) Regulatory Authority in many situations tries to minimize the situation;
b) Spokesperson also in many situations explains by means of abstract words.
Lamentable that there is not an International Radiological
Event Scale. Last year I did such proposal to IAEA. This takes time and
IAEA's priority.
Jose Julio Rozental
joseroze@netvision.net.il
Israel
----- Original Message -----
From: Cristian S. Nicolau <cnicolau@NBNET.NB.CA>
To: <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 11:38 PM
Subject: Incident/Accident
Some years ago, in Romania we had those two terms very well defined:
Accident=event which affects the persons of the public
Incident=event which does not affect the public
I do not know if the new law is using the same terminology but this is a
good way of using the two words, when describing radiological events. I
always assumed this was coming from the IAEA recommendations.
Regards,
Cristian S. Nicolau
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----- Original Message -----
From: Cristian S. Nicolau <cnicolau@NBNET.NB.CA>
To: <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 11:38 PM
Subject: Incident/Accident
Some years ago, in Romania we had those two terms very well defined:
Accident=event which affects the persons of the public
Incident=event which does not affect the public
I do not know if the new law is using the same terminology but this is a
good way of using the two words, when describing radiological events. I
always assumed this was coming from the IAEA recommendations.
Regards,
Cristian S. Nicolau
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send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the text "unsubscribe
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