EMERGENCY PLAN AND PROCEDURE FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AND IRRADIATING APPARATUS

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

CONTENTS
Introduction Sources of Emergency Emergency Classification Emergency Plan Emergency Procedures Emergency Equipment Emergency Preparedness Accident Investigation and Reporting Policy Notifying and Reporting
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Introduction
Accidents or incidents can happen in:
Sale and supply of radioactive material and irradiation apparatus; and Sale and supply of machines or devices containing them.

Accidents or incidents can happen during:

Testing; Commissioning; While doing maintenance; or Delivery of packages containing radioactive materials or devices containing them.

When these accidents or incidents happen, they normally lead to a situation of emergency, which require actions to be taken beyond the normal standard procedures.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Sources of Emergency
Accidents and incidents can be anticipated to occur as a result of: Loss of control of personnel Loss of control of machines or radiation sources Accident during transportation
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Sources of Emergency
Loss of control of personnel:
An unauthorized person get access to the classified area while a machine or a device containing radioactive material or an irradiating apparatus is being tested and the radiation is on. As a result of human error.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Sources of Emergency
Loss of control of machines or radiation sources:
Misplaced, lost or stolen sources. Spread of contamination as a result of leakage of radioactive material solution from a container. Accidental loss of shielding of radiation.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Sources of Emergency
Accident during transportation:
Severe impact from the road accident may cause significant damage to the packages, which may lead to occurrence of contamination and direct exposure.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Classification
Emergency is classified based on the magnitude of the consequences or severity of the hazard involved. Level 1- consequences are limited to a facility/room/building. Level 2 - consequences have spread out but limited to the perimeter of the facility or premise.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Plan
A simple emergency plan should be established to properly manage the situation arising from accidents or incidents.
The plan is established with aims to:
Limit the exposure to as low as reasonably achievable. Control and bring the situation back to normal immediately after an accident happened. Gather information for the purpose of assessment and taking corrective action.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Procedures
The procedures to take action must be standardised, established and made known to all personnel involved so that actions can be taken in a fast and accurate manner.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Procedures
Reporting procedures:
All accidents and incidents must be reported for mitigating actions to be taken without undue delay. Reporting procedures must be made according to the hierarchy of command. Any personnel who discovers occurrence of an accident or incident must immediately take action:
o To control the accident/incident site. o To report the accident/incident to the RPO/RPS.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Procedures
RPOs responsibilities:
Immediately come to the site and take preliminary actions to control the exposure and assess the situation. Verify adequacy of the control measure provided and classify the emergency into Level 1 or Level 2. Together with the supplier and his personnel should take action to mitigate accident.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Procedures
RPOs responsibilities (cont.):
In case of Level 2, if it is beyond the capability of the RPO/RPS to handle, he/she should seek assistance from external support groups. Work together and supervise personnel from any external support group involved in the emergency mitigation. Inform the AELB within 24 hours and submit a written full accident investigation report within 30 days.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Missing Source
Immediately inform the RPO/RPS for further actions.
RPO/RPS should:
Use available personnel and survey meters to search within the premise. If the search within the premise is not successful, extend the search to areas outside the premise. When all possibilities are exhausted and the source or the device is still not found, request for the assistance of outside support groups.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Missing Source
RPO/RPS should:
Notify the AELB and, if necessary, also the Police. If the source, the machine or the device is found, check for physical damage and indication of increased radiation leakage. Declare that emergency situation is over and the situation is back to normal. Prepare a detailed report of the incident to be submitted to the AELB.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

High Radiation
In the event of shutter fails to close or sudden loss of shielding of a radiation source which normally gives rise to high radiation, the supplier should:
Immediately clear the area of all personnel and keep personnel out of the area by putting notices and alarm. Provide local shielding if necessary and practicable, and set up a barrier to mark the new boundary of the controlled or supervised area. Inform the RPO/RPS for further actions.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

High Radiation
The RPO/RPS should:
Plan a means of shutting the radiation beam off or retrieving the radiation source. Notify forthwith the AELB. In the event of difficulty in switching the radiation beam off or retrieving the source, obtain the assistance of outside support groups. In the event of personnel overexposure is suspected or confirmed; take immediate action to return dosimeter(s) for immediate dose evaluation.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

High Radiation
The RPO/RPS should:
If the source has been dropped, carry out a leakage test on the source if it is to be used again. Declare that emergency situation is over and the situation is back to normal. Prepare a detailed report of the incident to be submitted to the AELB.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Physical Damage
In the event of physical damage or suspected mechanical or chemical injury to a sealed source, X-ray tube or its housing, the supplier should cease to test or prevent commissioning of the machine or device until it has been thoroughly examined, tested and confirmed fit for use and inform the RPO/RPS for further actions.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Physical Damage
The RPO/RPS should:
Use survey meters to assess for any possible damage to inherent shielding of the source housing. In the event of damaged shielding or failure of shutter to close, provide additional shielding and store the device until alternative full shielding or shutter operation can be restored. Identify the requirement of and establish controlled or supervised areas by setting up barriers and notices.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Physical Damage
The RPO/RPS should:
Carry out a leak test on the source or the machine before it can be used. Declare that emergency situation is over and the situation is back to normal. Prepare a detailed report of the incident to be submitted to the AELB.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Leakage of a Radiation Source

The sealed source assumed damaged to the extent that it may be leaking radioactive substance if:

In the event of obvious physical damage to a sealed source or its housing.

Potential damage resulting from abnormal mechanical pressure on the source.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Leakage of a Radiation Source

In such situation, the supplier should:
Isolate the source and its housing and items that have been in contact with them and avoid moving them unnecessarily. Erect barriers around the potentially contaminated area(s) and prevent access to them and restrict the movement of persons that have entered them. Inform the RPO/RPS for further action.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Leakage of a Radiation Source

The RPO/RPS should:
Request an immediate test for leakage of radioactive substance. In the event that the source is found to be leaking, notify forthwith the AELB. Obtain further guidance from the AELB on the extent of any contamination, the collection and disposal of contaminated items and assessment of internal doses. Declare that emergency situation is over and the situation is back to normal. Prepare a detailed report of the incident to be submitted to the AELB.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Transport Accident
The driver should take immediate action according to instructions given in the transport document. In addition, the driver should:
Put up a physical barrier and warning signs around the accident site. Immediately inform the RPO/RPS and provide all the necessary information to him/her. Take further action based on advice of the RPO/RPS.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Transport Accident
The RPO/RPS should:
Advise the driver on further course of actions to be taken in case of emergency Level 1. In case of emergency Level 2 and beyond the capability of the RPO/RPS to handle, request for an assistance from outside support groups nearest to the accident site.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Transport Accident
The RPO/RPS should:
Together with the driver, supervise the outside support personnel involved. Notify forthwith the AELB and the consignor. Declare that emergency situation is over and the situation is back to normal. Prepare a detailed report of the incident to be submitted to the AELB.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Equipment
Protective devices and radiation measuring equipment are very important in dealing with accident or incident.
For irradiating apparatus:
One survey meter for measuring radiation. One or two units of personnel dosimeters. Radiation protection devices.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Equipment
For radioactive materials:
At least one survey meter of dual function to measure both radiation and contamination. One or two units of direct reading, medium range personnel dosimeters. Other radiation protection devices such as ropes, shielding material and warning signs.

The equipment and devices reserved for emergency should not be used for routine work.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Emergency Preparedness
Emergency plan should always be in the state of readiness and ready to be utilised. It is, therefore, very important:
Plan should be made known to all workers and be regularly tested (exercised). Always update and review the plan and its procedures and make the necessary changes accordingly. For personnel involved in the plan to be given appropriate allocation for them to undergo a relevant training program. Equipment reserved for emergency should be regularly checked, tested and calibrated.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Accident Investigation and Reporting Policy

All accidents and incidents involving sale and supply of radioactive materials and irradiating apparatus must be investigated and reported to the relevant authorities.

Licensee must have a policy to investigate and report an accident.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Accident Investigation
Among activities that need to be done before investigation includes:
Having a policy requiring all accidents involving the supplier to be reported. Identifying and training the investigator. Assembling the tools for investigation. Deciding on who is/are supposed to read the report and implement the recommendations made.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Accident Investigation
Activities would include acquisition of all information that would explain the causes of the accidents. Accident investigation must focus on the root and secondary causes of the emergency. The whole idea of investigation is not to find fault but rather to find the root cause of the accident.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Notifying and Reporting

Licensee is responsible for notifying the AELB of any radiological accident involving sale and supply of radioactive materials and irradiating apparatus by telephone within 24 hours.
Licensee must arrange for the accident to be investigated and a full accident investigation report must be submitted within 30 days after the accident.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer