Taking mitigatory action (A3 elements)

(1) To ensure that first responders take all appropriate actions to minimize the consequences of a radiation emergency (4.32).

(2) To ensure that operators of a facility or practice take action to minimize the consequences of a radiation emergency involving a source or practice under the operator’s responsibility (4.33).

(3) To make emergency services available to support the response at facilities (4.34).

A3 - TAKING MITIGATORY ACTION Threat category Responsibility

Elements I II III IV V O L N

A3.1 Arrange to provide expertise and services in radiation protection to local officials and first responders.

Include arrangements for on-call advice and for dispatching to the scene of the event an emergency team including radiation specialists who are capable of assessing threats involving radioactive or fissile material, assessing radiological conditions, mitigating the radiological consequences and managing the dose of responders. Arrange to determine when additional assistance is necessary for dealing with the radiological aspects of the event and how to obtain such assistance. Also, provide first responders with information that is in compliance with international standards on the immediate response to events concerning transport and suspected illicit trafficking involving radioactive material (4.35).

9 9 9

This team can be effectively drawn from personnel who work with radiation. Provide it with procedures, training, equipment, and appropriate legal liability protection, medical and social benefits (e.g. medical treatment and disability benefits). Equip and prepare it to respond in remote locations, operate on difficult terrain (e.g. for transport accidents) or under adverse weather conditions. Recognize the need and provide for restricting public access to a potential emergency site, especially in heavily populated areas. Train team members in interacting with the media and public (see Element A9.1) and then integrate them into the response organization as part of the ICS. (See Appendix 13).

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Arrange to identify and obtain additional assistance if needed to cope with an emergency as discussed in

Element B.5 9 9 9

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A3 - TAKING MITIGATORY ACTION Threat category Responsibility

Elements I II III IV V O L N

Provide responders with information on the immediate response to transport and suspected illicit trafficking and other emergencies involving uncontrolled radioactive material consistent with Appendix 7 and Refs. [11, 16, 34].

9 9 9

A3.2 Arrange for the operators of a practice to receive basic instruction for mitigating the potentia

consequences of emergencies and protecting workers and the public in the vicinity (4.36). 9 9 The instruction should be designed for use by operator, carrier and first responders and set out the immediat

response actions. It should be based on the visual information that would be available at the emergency scene The operator or carrier should make all efforts, even if incapacitated, to ensure that the instruction reaches th first responders. It should be consistent with Appendix 7 and Refs. [11, 16].

9 9

A3.3 Arrange for the operators of a practice using a dangerous source (such as practices in industria radiography or radiotherapy) to respond to emergencies involving the source so as to mitigate any consequences s. Ensure the response includes prompt access to a radiological assessor or radiation protection officer traine and qualified to assess radiological emergencies and to mitigate any consequences (4.37).

9 9

Ensure access to shielding, tools and instruments needed during an emergency to return the source to a safe and stable condition. The radiological assessor or radiation protection officer should be trained and qualified to conduct radiological surveys, perform contamination control, assess doses, support emergency response actions and initiate retrieval or cleanup actions consistent with Appendix 7 and Refs. [11,16,25].

9 9

A3.4 Arrange to initiate a search and issue a warning to the public in the event of a dangerous source being

lost or illicitly removed (4.38). 9 9 9

Arrange to warn the public (through the media), emergency medical facilities, and scrap dealers, describing the source, the threat and symptoms of radiation exposure. See Appendix 18 for a plain language statement of the threat from a source that is not under control.

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A3 - TAKING MITIGATORY ACTION Threat category Responsibility

Elements I II III IV V O L N

A3.5 Arrange for the operator to take mitigatory action to prevent escalation of the threat, return the facility to a safe and stable state, reduce the potential for releases of radioactive material or exposures, and mitigate the consequences of any actual releases or exposures. In developing these arrangements take into account: the necessary operational actions; operational information needs; workload and conditions of the operational staff (such as in the control room); responder actions necessary in the facility; conditions in the facility where responder actions are necessary; and the response of personnel, instrumentation and systems of the facility under emergency conditions. Include emergency operating procedures and information for mitigatory action for severe conditions by the operator, for the full range of emergencies, including accidents beyond the design basis (4.39).

9 9 9 9

This should be consistent with Ref. [26] and include emergency operating procedures and severe accident guidelines for operator response to severe emergencies. Through the procedures, monitor the symptoms that indicate success or failure of key functions (e.g. to protect fission product barriers) critical to the protection of workers, the public and the environment. The procedures should state the immediate action to be taken to restore the performance of the functions whenever a symptom indicates that these functions have been lost, degraded or threatened. They should be usable under emergency conditions (see Elements B4.9, B4.10)

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A3.6 Arrange to provide technical assistance to the operational staff. Make teams available for mitigating the consequences of an emergency (e.g. damage control, fire fighting) in the facility. Needed equipment should be placed at the most suitable location to ensure its ready availability at the time of need and to allow human access to it in the anticipated emergency or environmental conditions. Provide personnel directing mitigatory actions with an operating environment, information and technical assistance that allow them to take effective action to mitigate the consequences of the event. Ensure that support can be obtained promptly for police, medical and fire fighting services from off the site. Afford off-site support personnel access to the facility and inform them of on-site conditions and the necessary protective actions (4.40).

9 9 9 9

Establish a technical assessment group outside the control room with a communications link to the operating staff. If on site, locate it in a technical support centre (TSC) capable of being staffed under emergency conditions (see Appendix 14). Make provisions to access key sources of technical support, including the designer or builder of the facility. Ensure that information crucial to the implementation of accident management procedures, technical assessment, classification and accident mitigation is available/displayed

9 9

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A3 - TAKING MITIGATORY ACTION Threat category Responsibility

Elements I II III IV V O L N

where the facility operations are controlled (e.g. control room) and technical assessment (e.g. TSC) and accident mitigation are co-ordinated (e.g. within the OSC). Display this information in a clear and integrated manner (e.g. on a separate SPDS) independent of normal operational information. The primary aim should be to aid the operators in determining the safety status of the plant and the appropriate corrective actions.

Include information on the status of safety systems, release barriers, on-site radiological conditions and off-site releases (see Element B5.3).

Co-ordinate in-plant teams from outside the control room in an operations support centre (OSC) (see

Appendix 14). 9 9

Provide on-site teams with the appropriate monitoring instruments, lighting, damage control supplies and

communications. 9 9 9 9

Establish communication links between the facility control room, sources of technical advice and in-plant teams that are secure and not vulnerable to overload, loss of power or other emergency conditions. This communication should be compatible with that used by off-site support organizations. Normal public landline and public mobile telephone systems are not suitable for critical emergency communications (see Element B.5.1).

9 9 9 9

Give off-site emergency services prompt access to the facility and train and equip them for on-site response under anticipated hazardous conditions. Provide adequate information to off-site responders concerning on-site conditions when assistance is requested. Train the support services in radiation protection, their expected functions during an emergency, the facility layout and hazards, on-site response and access to the facility.

They should drill and exercise with the on-site response, should be integrated into the ICS (see Appendix 13) and should be considered emergency workers and provided with protection for the anticipated hazards (see Element A6.7).

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4.2.4. Taking urgent protective action (A4 elements)