[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Radiation Incidents
At 07:12 AM 2/12/97 -0600, you wrote:
>This message is addressed to State Radiation Program radsafers. We are
>trying to write program directives regarding "incidents". We have
>several questions about classification and response to radiation
>"incidents". The following is a list of questions we are requesting
>information about:
>
>1. How do you define what is an "incident"?
>
>2. Do you have a procedure or guidance for "incidents"?
>
>3. How do you decide when to respond with your staff?
>
>4. How many staff respond to an "incident"?
>
>5. What type of training is required before a staff member can respond
>to an "incident"?
>
>6. What group within your agency does the actual response?
>
>7. Who makes the decision to respond?
>
>8. What mechanism do you use to deal with radioactive sources that have
>no identified ownership?
>
>Please contact me directly by phone, e-mail or fax if you are able to
>provide any information or comments about these issues.
>
>Thanks
>
>Johnny James
>Division of Radiation Protection
>State of North Carolina
>Phone: 919-571-4141 Fax: 919-571-4141 e-mail: jjames@mindspring.com
>
>
1. How do you define what is an "incident"?
There is not in the International literature a definition for an incident,
nevertheless there are many for accident. However is my understanding about
your questions that you really are mainly interested in "accident" instead
of "incident"....I'll define some common expression dealing with Emergency
Planning and Preparedness - EPP -
Abnormal Exposure Conditions: Conditions in which a source or the radiation
from it is not under control
Accident: Accident with a radioactive source can be described as an event,
(or series of events), which leads to the loss of the normal control of the
source.
Emergency Planning: Steps in regard to the development and the preparation
of plans to mitigate the consequences of an accident.
Emergency Preparedness: Steps in regard to the training and the provision
of resources and facilities that permit effective implementation of an
emergency plan in the event of an accident.
Incident: A deviation from the planned practice involving the use of
radiation source that led or possibly could lead to an unnecessary radiation
exposure.
2. Do you have a procedure or guidance for "incidents"?
Yes
Once the plan is approved, the applicant should immediately start writing
the Manual containing of procedures, and time to time the Competent
Authorities should to inspect the effective implementation on the
procedures. Following procedures is basic for a good training programme on EPP.
For each of the following subject should be writen procedures:
Communication System
National and International Communication
Initial communication response
Radiological Monitoring
Off-site exposure assessment
Personnel dose assessment and control
Off-site protective measures
Medical Service
Accident Analysis
Public Information
Administration
On-site Recovery Measures
In each of the above you should sub-divided in several others' tasks with
its own procedures
example
On-site Recovery Measures
emergency response co-orrdination
accident assessment
environmental radiological surveys
first aid and rescue
personnel monitoring
decontamination
security and access control
damage assessment and repair
on-site and off-site communications
radiation protetion
technical support
public information
So the main question that you should to ask is: Looking at those broad
spectrum, what is my responsibilities?
3. How do you decide when to respond with your staff?
The emergency radiological response comprise a multiple organization which
for its success must be capable of integrating groups and activities that
are normally independent. For this reason adequate training and exercises
must extend to all governmental, users and off-site organizations, as fire
brigade, first aid and rescue, police, civil defense, etc., and it will be
governed by the nature of the facility and site.
a) Classification the first and most important assessmrent
b) Common understanding of severity
c)definition, as Alert, Site Area Emergency or General Emergency
?
What to do in any specific situation? -> know your risk problem
Why it needs to be done?-> It is your responsibility
Can I do it? (Did I do it properly?)-> know your limitation
How to do it? (Can I do it better?)-> Exclusively by means of realistic
scenario training
When to do it? -> At any unpredicted moment (without warning)
Know if it is done correctly (Can I show that I did it properly?)->
coordination critic evaluation
4. How many staff respond to an "incident"?
To answer precisely this question it is necessary, first of all, to know the
responsibilities of the organization. Anyhow it is necessary personnel able
to carry out one or more of the following broad task:
On-site: Starting from the study of the potential dangers presented by the
installation, the licensee should define the organizational measures and
methods of action to protect workers, personnel, public and environment. The
emergency plan forms' part of a policy of prevention and protection, it must
be operational whatever the situation and be able to deal the specific risks
of each situation. the first conclusion to deal with a radiological
accident is:
understanding the particular risks of each radioactive source
Off-site: Depends of the circumstances determined by the nature of the
emergency and its time scale, but also depends on environmental factors ,
such as meteorological conditions and sociological characteristics of the
area affected
In the Radiological Accident in Goiania, we the total nu,mber of people
engaged in that accident was 750 persons
5. What type of training is required before a staff member can respond
to an "incident"?
Depends of the organization. In Chernobyl died 29 fire brigade not well
prepared for dealing with large amount of realese, today estimated around
12x10E18 Bq
Sufficient training must be provided by the organization to ensure that an
optimized occupational and environmental radiation protection work
system is maintained by the workers, under the direct organization
responsibility and RPO's coordination, to minimize accidents and exposure
or contamination releases for each source and practice
Training and exercises provide the only realistic opportunities to test
maintain and improve the effectiveness of the response and to demonstrate
how effectively the relevant sections of the emergency plan as a whole can
be brought into action performing their emergency duties
The characteristics of the source, practice and risks should be described in
terms of a range of feasible accidents and their on-site and off-site
consequences
Examples of topics in a training
A) PREVENTION OF ACCIDENT
POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS - MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING * UP-TO-DATE
information to the Radiation Protection Officer and workers on all the
radiological risks in their work, including also the risk for the public
and for the environment;* SAFETY CULTURE IN OPERATION -- the need for
constant personal awareness of potential risks.
SAFE WORKING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES - MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING *
DESCRIPTION about the consequences of non compliance and failure (injure
and enforcement); * SAFETY CULTURE AND RADIATION PROTECTION --
Reasons why ignorance or failure to follow good radiation protection
procedures by any one worker can influence the radiological risks for the
other workers, and specially the precautions that should be taken to
limit radiation exposure and intake of radioactive substances.
IMPORTANCE OF PROPER OPERATION OF ALL COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEMMAIN OBJECTIVE
OF THE TRAINING * GUARANTEE that all workers understand the
interrelationships of various steps in a practice, and how improper
activity by an individual can adversely affect radiation levels and can
provoke an accident
IMPORTANCE ON PREVENTION - MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING * EMPHASIZE the
necessity to report immediately to the supervisor of organization or
to RPO or to the Competent Authorithy situations where the worker believes
the protection is not following the procedures or is inadequate * MAKE
EVIDENT the proper use, operation and care of personal monitoring
personal protective equipment and other radiation protection systems or
procedures
MEDICAL CARE AND UNUSUAL EVENTS - MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING * DEFINE
The functions and roles of the medical service, the radiation protection
officer, the competent authority, the representative of the workers;*
EXPLAIN the means of contacting among all organizations;* EXPLAIN the need
for the notification of any health problems, to whom and how to
report;* EXPLAIN first aid measures and the location of first aid
stations throughout the facility;
etc... etc... and etc...
6. What group within your agency does the actual response?
7. Who makes the decision to respond?
There are two types of decision:
Decision to initiate on-site protective actions, under responsibility of user
Decision to declare the final on-site emergency, under the responsibility of
user
Decision of off-site protective actions, under responsibility of the
National Competent Authority
Decision to declare the final status of the emergency, under responsibility
of the National Competent Authority
But anyhow, the emergency radiological response comprise a multiple
organization which for its success must be capable of integrating groups and
activities that are normally independent. For this reason adequate training
and exercises must extend to all governmental, users and off-site
organizations, as fire brigade, first aid and rescue, police, civil
defense, etc., and it will be governed by the nature of the facility and site.
On site emergency plans, for any fixed installation, shall be implemented by
users
Off site emergency plan and any transboundary plan shall be implemented by
the Intervening Organizations
The appropriate responsible authority shall ensure that emergency plans
shall be prepared and approved before license for any operation
8. What mechanism do you use to deal with radioactive sources that have
no identified ownership?
Remove to a repository.
I Hope this help
J. J. Rozental <josrozen@netmedia.net.il>
Consultant Radiation Safety & Regulation
for developintg country