Radiological and Nuclear Emergency

Technical competence promoting safety for the benefit of society

A team on duty to respond  to radiological and nuclear emergencies, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, during all days of the year

Foto: Luiz Tadeu Duarte

Ionizing radiation is an important part of the technological matrix for several essential activities, such as energy generation, industry, medicine and research. However, the use of radiation or radioactive material must be safe for workers and members of the public. Moreover, a preventive approach to safety issues requires efficiency and promptness in the initial response to both radiological and nuclear emergencies.

In the event of an accident or incident involving ionizing radiation, the Institute of Radiation Protection and Dosimetry (IRD) is responsible for the assessment of the radiation emergency, for both persons and the environment, in order to support the decision making process, from the early to the long term phase of an accident. In this context, all the emergency measures are applied on the protection of occupationally exposed workers, members of the public and the environment.

To improve its response capability the IRD provides mobile survey and analytical units that can be deployed to the field. Furthermore, in situ analytical laboratories perform the identification and quantification of the radioactivity in environmental or other samples such as excreta, providing data for the subsequent radiological follow-up of both public and occupationally exposed individuals.

IRD also counts on its Radiation Emergency Assessment Team, a team of experts responsible for the assessment of data collected in the field, scenarios and other information using validated methodology to carry out assessments to individual dose and environmental impact.

The main activities of the Division of Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Response (DIEME/IRD) comprise:

• Planning, preparedness and response to radiological and nuclear emergencies, in accordance to CNEN
• National Regulations and IAEA recommendations, as well as other relevant national and international
• protocols and agreements;
• Coordination of the IRD activities in the support of radiological and nuclear security in major public events;
• Participation in national committees on nuclear emergency planning and response coordinated by the National System for the Protection of the Brazilian Nuclear Program (SIPRON);
• Participation in full scale nuclear emergency exercises for the Almirante Alvaro Alberto Nuclear Power Plant (Angra NPP), in Angra dos Reis, RJ, as well as for the Nuclear Fuel Factory (FEC/INB), in Resende, RJ;
• Provide training to first responders and to professionals with a role during the response to a radiation emergency.
  
  

* Preparedness as a key point for teh response to a nuclear or radiological emergency.

* IRD  plays an important role  in  planning and sharing experiences and knowledge on radiological security at major public events.