Radiation Emergency Preparedness

Question 1

Outline the 1-5 Source Categories

Answer 1

Cat1: most dangerous e.g. medical teletherapy, gamma knife
Cat2: industrial radiography sources, high/medium dose rate brachytherapy
Cat3&4: density moisture gauges, low dose rate brachytherapy
Cat5: Any practice with A/D < 0.01 (excluding cat 1-4 sources); includes some HASS sources

Question 2

How are sources categorised?

Answer 2

Using A/D and look up tables

A = source activity
D = activity at which the source becomes dangerous

Question 3

What are the source security groups ?

Answer 3

Minimum security: Group D excludes HASS, req contingency plans

Security Groups A-C:

• Deter/Detect/Delay
• Police / Intruder alarms
• Supervision for mobile sources.

Question 4

Outline REPPIR

Answer 4

The Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001

A framework for emergency preparedness to ensure the public is:

• Properly informed at prepared in case a rad events occur.
• Provided with info in a rad emergency

Question 5

REPPIR Duty holders

Answer 5

Operators of radiation work premise

Transporters of RAS through a public place (non standard transport)

Local Authorities

Employers of people who could intervene in a rad emergency

Question 6

When does REPPIR apply?

Answer 6

Compare A/D values for summed quantities

Exemptions: Non dispersible sources, RAS in special from RAM, RAS in type b or c packages.

Question 7

Documents required for REPPIR?

Answer 7

HIRE risk assessment(Haz Identification and Risk Eval) report for non-nuclear : send to hse
Nuclear send to: nuc install inspector (NI)

Question 8

Duties if REPPIR applies

Answer 8

HIRE Risk assessment

If incident is reasonable forseeable:

1) emergency preparedness (operators & LAs - make & practice contingency plans)
2) providing public information (LAs – prior to & in an emergency)
3) notifying emergency dose levels (not limits) to HSE

Question 9

REPPIR local authority responsibilities

Answer 9

Prep an off-site emergency plan

Arrange to provide information to the public in a rad emergency

Question 10

REPPIR employer responsibilities

Answer 10

Prep staff for emergency exposure (provide info)

Question 11

What is an emergency exposre?

Answer 11

An exposure which exceeds the schedule 3 dose limits

usually only received by emergency staff

Question 12

What are the emergency exposure limits?

Answer 12

ED:100 mSv, Skin Equiv Dose: 1000 mSv, Eye Equiv Dose: 300 mSv

Provisions for life saving:
Whole body dose: 500 mGy, Dose to skin: 5000 mGy.

Question 13

How does REPPIR apply to an international incident?

Answer 13

The Nuclear Emergency Planning Liaison Group (NEPLG):

Brings together organisations involved in off-site nuclear emergency planning such as local authorities, government bodies and NHS emergency response network

Question 14

What is NAIR?

Answer 14

National Arrangements for Incidents involving Radioactivity

Purpose: to protect the public from hazards arising from the use and transport of RAM. (excl. terrorism)

Combines CRCE and HSE

Assists emergency services

Question 15

What is the stage 1 NAIR response?

Answer 15

Respondent is brief by civil nuclear constabulatory

Assesses hazard / presence

Provides tech/rad safety advice

Advises on escalation to stage 2

Not used for: terror or large scale decontamination/ recovery events

Question 16

What is the NAIR stage 2 response?

Answer 16

Provides resources for tackling the incident - via small team of experts

Question 17

Examples of NAIR Stage 2 events

Answer 17

Transport incident
Lost sources
Damaged sources
Empty radioactive storage container found
Terror incidents - before terror activity suspected

Question 18

Types of RAM packaging under CDG

Answer 18

Exempted: Below excepted activity

Excepted: Above exempted but below type A

Type A: designed for normal transport, max surface dose =2mSv/h up to =10mSv/h under executive use

Type B: able to survive severe accidents same surface rates, large drum for example. Req cert from DfT or NRC

Question 19

Describe emergency responder monitoring

Answer 19

2008 Policy Change: “Knowingly” sending emergency responders towards radiation

Display accumulated dose ONCE > 100 μSv/h
Alarm at dose rates ≥ 100 μSv/h
Alarm when accumulated dose reaches 5 mSv & 100 mSv

Question 20

Outline EPRR

Answer 20

National arrangements for health Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR):

As a series of statutory responsibilities under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004). This requires NHS-funded organisations to maintain a robust capability (not capacity) to plan for, and respond to, incidents or emergencies that could impact on health or services to patients.

Question 21

What is HART?

Answer 21

Hazardous area response teams

Specially recruited and trained personnel to provide the ambulance response to major incidents e.g. CBRN

Provide triage at major events

Question 22

What are acute trusts?

Answer 22

ALL hospitals with major A&E facilities MUST have plans to deal with potentially contaminated and/or irradiated casualties.

Question 23

What are the radiation response requirements for acute trusts?

Answer 23

Plans should include:
treatment of life-threatening injury to take priority over decontamination or radiation monitoring
radiation hazards & risks
control measures (prevention of contamination spread)
radiation monitoring
de-contamination
access to specialist support (Medical Physics) where available

Question 24

Describe an example radiation response plan

Answer 24

Notification & Cascade
Muster and dispatch a radiation personal monitoring response team (plan relief rota)
Transportation of suitable radiation monitors PLUS additional essential items
Pre-identified or temporary RMU sites
Managing personal radiation monitoring activities
Record forms
Advice to monitees

Question 25

What are the 3 stages of emergency contamination monitoring?

Answer 25

Lead by rad mon team leader:

Stage 1: Triage - hand held monitoring at 30 cm
Stage2: Detailed monitoring, hand-held at 5cm
Stage3: Internal contam-monitoring - thyroid for nuclear + dose-rate monitoring

Question 26

What do RMU units look for after 4 hours, 24 hours ?

Answer 26

Radiation monitoring units:
4hr surface contam, people still in same clothes
24hr internal contam - surface cleaned off

Question 27

What are the 5 regulations for emergency prep?

Answer 27

IRR17/EPR16/RSA93: Security of RAM
CDG2009: Consignor/carrier responsibilites
REPPIR2001 - Operator action plans
- off site action plans
NAIR: stage 1 responders and specialist rad monitoring advice/support