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Radiation protection - response plan for incidents and accidents

This information applies to all units at NTNU that have radiation sources.

Norsk side: Strålevern - beredskap ved uhell og ulykke

DFU 10 - Accidents and accidents with radiation sources (in Norwegian) in NTNU's central and local contingency plan (in Norwegian) provides overall information on handling incident with radiation sources. Supplementary measures and notifications relevant when a radiation source is involved are specified here. The measures must be combined with another relevant action plan. Depending on the type of incident, the other actions may be based on the following DFUs (Definerte Fare- og Ulykkessituasjoner – Defined Hazard and Accident Conditions):

  • DFU 01 Missing person / injury / death - Student, employee or visitor
  • DFU 06 Fire, explosion and evacuation
  • DFU 09 Incidents with negative environmental impact

First response

First response for acute injury caused by X-ray, laser or UVC

  • Switch off the source. Get an overview of the injuries.
  • If emergency medical services are needed, phone 113 (ambulance).
  • For severe eye injuries:
  1. Phone the Department of Ophthalmology at St. Olavs hospital directly, telephone number 06800.                                                                               
  2. Another employee must go with the injured person to the hospital. This employee should preferably know the radiation source involved.
  • Note that a latent period may occur for all types of injury caused by these types of radiation. If there is any doubt about whether an injury has occurred: Consult a doctor / ophthalmologist.
  • Notify the person responsible for the room / the person responsible for instruments and the local radiation protection coordinator

First response to incidents / accidents with radioactive radiation 

  • Concentrate the first response on shielding the area that may be contaminated.
  • Evacuate and close the room if there is a spill or a malfunction in the ventilation system.
  • Notify the person responsible for the room / the person responsible for instruments and the local radiation protection coordinator.
  • The response at the scene of the incident is headed by the person responsible for the room / person responsible for instruments / local radiation protection coordinator in accordance with the guidelines available for the radioactive source in question.
  • Wear the necessary protective equipment when cleaning up spills. Check the radiation level before and after cleaning up the spill.
  • If there is a malfunction in the ventilation system, personnel with competence in radiation protection and measuring equipment should help the operating personnel.
  • Register anyone who has been exposed.

Definition of accidents, incidents and abnormal events involving radiation sources

According to Section 20 of the Radiation Protection Regulations (in Norwegian – an English translation is available), the terms incident, accident and abnormal event refer to:

  • Events that cause or might have caused accidental exposure of employees, patients or others to levels of radiation that significantly exceed the normal values or unexpected radiation injuries
  • Loss, theft or sabotage of radiation sources
  • Unintended discharges of radioactive substances into the environment
  • Events that might involve irradiation of the public so that an individual might be exposed to more than 0.25 mSv/year
  • Technical malfunction at the radiation source that has an impact on radiation protection
  • Significant deviation from the intended dose absorption or activity for the treated tissue of a patient
  • Significant radioactive contamination of an area or equipment
  • Discovery of orphan radiation sources

Fire in rooms with radioactive sources is also a potential event.

All events described in Section 20 of the Radiation Protection Regulations must be reported to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA, formerly Statens strålevern)

Duties - person responsible for the room / person responsible for instruments

Incident where there is a risk that radioactive material will spread

Notify the following:

  1. The immediate manager and head of the department
  2. The local radiation protection coordinator
  3. The central radiation protection coordinator, telephone (+47) 91 87 78 56. If necessary, call NTNU’s emergency response telephone at 800 80 388 to notify the person responsible outside normal working hours.
  4. The Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, telephone  (+47) 67 16 25 00 must be notified is the central radiation protection coordinator is not able to do so.
  5. The person responsible for the building (if cleaning personnel or operating personnel need to take special precautions)
  6. The local senior safety representative

 

Loss or theft of radiation sources

Notify the following:

  1. The immediate manager and head of department
  2. The police, phone 02800
  3. The local radiation protection coordinator
  4. The central radiation protection coordinator, mobile phone (+47) 91 87 78 56 (if necessary, call NTNU’s emergency telephone number 800 80 388 to notify the person responsible outside normal working hours).
  5. The Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, telephone  (+47) 67 16 25 00 must be notified is the central radiation protection coordinator is not able to do so.

Serious injury (laser, X-ray, UVC)

  1. Notify those specified in the central emergency response plan, DFU 01 Missing person / injury / death - student, employee or visitor.
  2. Also notify:
  • The local radiation protection coordinator
  • The central radiation protection coordinator, telephone (+47) 91 87 78 56. If necessary, call NTNU’s emergency response telephone at 800 80 388 to notify the person responsible outside normal working hours.
  • The Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, telephone  (+47) 67 16 25 00 must be notified is the central radiation protection coordinator is not able to do so.

If more information is needed, you can contact:

  • The supplier of the radiation source / equipment / instrument
  • The Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) for assistance in analysis and handling.

 

Reporting to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA)

  • Notify the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) verbally immediately after the episode.
  • Send a written report within three (3) days of the episode. If you are not sure whether the event must be reported, phone the central radiation protection coordinator or the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.
  • The report must be written by the person responsible for instruments / person responsible for the room, together with the local radiation protection coordinator and any other relevant people involved (the person with academic responsibility, operators, laboratory technicians, etc.).
  • Send the report to the central radiation protection coordinator, who will forward it to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.  The report can also be sent directly to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority with a copy to the central radiation protection coordinator.

As a minimum, the report must include:

  • The name and address of the organization where the incident occurred.
  • The licensing number [godkjenningsnummer] and/or reporting number [meldenummer] of the organization.
  • Information about who prepared the report.
  • The names of everybody involved.
  • The time and place of the incident, that is, where in the organization it happened.
  • A description of the sequence of events.
  • What measures have been / will be implemented to rectify the situation.
  • A calculation / estimate of the radiation doses received by the people involved.
  • Preventive measures, i.e. measures designed to prevent or reduce the risk of similar incidents.

Reports of episodes involving open radioactive sources must also include:

  • A calculation / estimate of internal and external doses of radiation
  • Information about the type of radioactive material and the amount of activity involved
  • An estimate of the volume of the radioactive materials accidentally released into the environment, if any

Follow-up

Report the episode as a non-conformance.

Duties - local radiation protection coordinator

  • Assist the person responsible for the room / person responsible for instruments in connection with radiation-related incidents.
  • Make a quick risk assessment of the situation. Assess the need for setting up a barrier around rooms, using protective equipment, alerting operating staff, etc.
  • Take over responsibility for handling the incident if the person responsible for the room / person responsible for instruments does not have adequate competence or is not present.
  • Assist the person responsible for instruments / person responsible for the room with reporting to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.

Follow-up 

  • Check that the report is sent to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority within 3 days.
  • Follow up non-conformances and actions that have been identified in the report to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.
  • Follow up the students and staff involved who have been subjected to accidental exposure, including registration in the exposure index (Section 31-4 of the Regulations concerning the performance of work).
  • Conduct an evaluation after the episode.
  • Review and update of local procedures

Duties - central radiation protection coordinator

  • Assist the local radiation protection coordinator and emergency response management (local and possibly central) with expert knowledge.
  • Consult external experts, such as the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.
  • Report on the episode to the HSE director.
  • Participate in an evaluation meeting to follow up the lessons learned from the adverse event.
  • Inform local radiation coordinators about the lessons learned. 
  • Update information in central guidelines.

Information to the person responsible for the area / building 

  • Any evacuation that is needed must take place according to the local emergency response plan / local evacuation plan, in consultation with the fire service if needed.
  • Emergency services can enter the area because the amounts and strength of NTNU’s radioactive sources are below the levels that would make it necessary for them to stay out.
  • However, if lasers are used in an area, it may be risky to go into the room without protection.

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Last edited 04.11.2020