EMERGENCY PLAN AND PROCEDURE IN INDUSTRY INVOLVING NORM/TENORM

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EMERGENCY PLAN AND PROCEDURE IN INDUSTRY
INVOLVING NORM/TENORM
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Contents

• Introduction
• Types of Emergencies
• Transportation Accident
• Fire
• Injury to Personnel
• Emergency Response Plan (ERP)
• Hierarchy of Command
• Accident Reporting
• Monitoring and Assessment
• Immediate Control Measure
• Coordination With Authorities
• Emergency Equipment
• Decontamination
• Emergency Preparedness

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Introduction

• Radiological emergency is defined as a situation
  that produces extraordinary or abnormal radiation
  exposure or contamination or both.
• Such emergency may originates from the processing
  and handling of NORM/TENORM.
• The uniqueness of this emergency over other
  radiological emergency makes handling of such
  emergency unique.

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Types of Emergencies

• Emergency related to NORM/TENORM is largely
  attributed to accidental release or dispersion of
  mineral or dust containing TENORM into the
  environment.
• Such emergency happens due to
• Accidental and uncontrolled discharge of effluent
  - transportation accident involving shipment of
  TENORM
• Fire in NORM processing plant.
• The water used in the extraction of valuable
  minerals containing TENORM is accidentally
  discharged into the open water system e.g. river.
• Uncontrolled or accidental discharge of effluent
  containing TENORM posed radiological hazards to
  the environment.

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Transportation Accident

• TENORM are normally transported in bulk.
• An accident during transportation of TENORM can
  cause its dispersion or release into the
  environment and which subsequently lead to
  radiological contamination of man, the
  environment and living organisms.
• Transportation of TENORM should comply with
  regulations and guidelines as set by AELB.

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Fire

• A fire in a TENORM facility or plant can cause a
  radiological emergency.
• High temperature from a fire incident facilitates
  spread or release of TENORM into the environment.
• The release results in abnormal and unwanted
  concentrations of radiological materials in the
  environment and could affect the public including
  the rescue teams.

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Fire

• Fire and Rescue team members can be exposed to
  contamination from TENORM if they are not aware
  of such hazards.
• RPO needs to brief fire and rescue team on such
  potential radiological hazards prior to allowing
  them to response to a radiological emergency.

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Injury to Personnel

• Personnel may be exposed to both external and
  internal radiation from NORM/TENORM.
• External radiation exposure is due to exposure of
  radiation present outside the body.
• Internal radiation exposure is due to exposure of
  radiation present inside the body.
• Modes of entry of radionuclides into the body
  are by
• Ingestion
• Inhalation
• Absorption (through wound)
• Care must be taken prevent entry of radionuclides
  into the body during any emergency.

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Emergency Response Plan (ERP)

• The emergency response plan for industry
  involving TENORM should be specific to the
  potential accidents arising from such industry.
• Objectives of emergency response plan are
• To limit the radiation exposure to as low as
  reasonably achievable or lower than the
  permissible equivalent dose.
• Reduce the impact of the radiological accident.
• To bring the situation back to normal.
• To save life by providing first aid to victim.

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Hierarchy of Command

• Success and failure of emergency response is
  dependent on the effectiveness in executing
  emergency response plan.
• Clear and operational hierarchy of command to
  manage emergency quickly and effectively should
  be established and implemented.
• Hierarchy of command for radiological emergency
  should be integrated with other occupational
  safety and health emergency hierarchy of command
  so as to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of
  response.
• The RPO/RPS should be competent to establish or
  ascertain that the radiological emergency
  situation has happened.

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Hierarchy of Command

• The RPO may be appointed to act as Site Emergency
  Coordinator (SEC) with the overall command of the
  radiological emergency and to provide liaison
  with the authority (AELB) and external support
  teams.
• Example of external support team includes Fire
  and Rescue Department., First Aider, Radiological
  Monitoring Team, Decontamination Team, Historian
  and Record Keeper.
• RPO should declare that the radiological
  emergency is back to normal (emergency ended) and
  subsequently inform the relevant authorities of
  such action.
• Hierarchy of command must be reviewed
  periodically to ensure its effectiveness.

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Accident Reporting

• There are two stages in the reporting of
  accident
• Notification of accident and
• Full accident investigation.
• Company or organisation must make it a policy for
  their workers to notify all incidences at the
  work place.
• The Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 (Act 304)
  and Occupational Safety Health Act 1994 make it
  mandatory for licensee and employer to notify all
  accidents.
• AELB requires all accident to be notified to them
  verbally as soon as possible or within 24 hours
  of happening.

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Accident Reporting

• RPO carries out a through investigation of the an
  accident when the an emergency is over and the
  condition is safe for him/her to carry out the
  investigation.
• The finding of an investigation is evaluated, the
  corrective and preventive measures recommended
  are to be implemented and subsequently monitored
  for completion.
• Full investigation report of the radiological
  accident is submitted by the RPO to AELB within
  30 days from the date of accident.

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Monitoring and Assessment

• The absorbed doses, dose rates and contamination
  levels of persons involved in the emergency and
  the emergency area should be determined using
  appropriate methods and equipments.
• All film badges and/or TLD worn by personnel
  involved in the accident shall be collected and
  sent to accredited institution for evaluation of
  the absorbed dose immediately.
• Radiation data collected via portable survey
  meter, personal dosimeter or area radiation
  monitoring system must be gathered, analysed and
  evaluated to ascertain contamination or
  exposure level.
• In the case of off site emergency , radiological
  environmental monitoring may be considered and
  conducted.

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Immediate Control Measure

• In case of the release of radioactive material,
  an immediate control measure such as the
  following should be used to prevent a further
  release of radionuclide and safety protection of
  workers
• Close the ventilation system to isolate the
  affected within or connected with incident area.
• Transfer the workers out away from the danger
  area to a safe area.
• Perform first aid / emergency treatment to
  victim (if any required).
• If require, Control access/egress to affected
  area by putting up barricade or warning sign to
  close the entrance to the affected area Inform
  RPO.

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Coordination With Authorities

• Radiation emergency response action activities
  are coordinated with AELB and other relevance
  local authorities responsible in planning and
  responding to radiological emergency.
• The authorities involved in responding to
  radiological emergency include Police, Fire and
  Rescue Department, Nuclear Malaysia, Hospital,
  Malaysian Universities such as UKM, USM and
  external (IAEA) experts.

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Emergency Equipment

• Radiation emergency equipment can be divided into
  two categories, i.e. radiation detection and
  measurement equipment and radiation protection
  equipment.
• Examples of radiation monitoring and measurement
  equipment are portable radiation survey meter,
  geiger meter etc.
• Examples of radiation protection equipment are
• SCBA
• Chemical/radiation protection suit
• Contamination special suit
• Shielding materials, radiation sign, warning
  sign, first aid box

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Decontamination

• Decontamination of an individual is to be
  supervised by RPO using an appropriate approved
  method, procedures and equipment.
• Decontamination on the injured of a radiation
  victim must be assisted and supervised by
  medical team.
• Surface decontamination at the working place is
  carried out by well trained decontamination team.
• The effectiveness of decontamination exercise is
  assessed, evaluated and verified by RPO.
• Completion of any decontamination procedure to be
  declared by RPO.

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Emergency Preparedness

• The emergency response plan should be informed to
  all radiation workers.
• All radiation workers should be familiar with the
  contents of the emergency response plan and
  relevant procedures.
• The radiation workers involved in emergency
  response should be properly explained and trained
  on the procedures of the emergency response plan.
• The emergency response plan should be tested, by
  conducting regular drills.

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Summary
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