SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Nordic Flagbook
–
What next in Finland?
Tarja K. Ikäheimonen
Radiation and Nuclear Safety
Authority – STUK
FINLAND
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Our terminology (1) Early phase (an emergency exposure situation)
A threat or urgent phase of an emergency; includes
– release and dispersion of radioactive material into environment or
deterioration of shielding of a radioactive source or threat of such
events
– continues up to the moment when radiation levels in the environment
are not longer increasing and there is no threat o new releases, or in
case of accident with radiation source, a successful recovery of the
source
Intermediate phase (an emergency exposure situation)
A situation when radiation levels are stabilised and there is no longer a
threat of deterioration of situation
– a need to consider if protective actions implemented during early
phase can be lifted or modified
– activation of longer term actions to reduce exposure and to remove
radioactive substances from environment
– includes transition to recovery
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Terminology (2)
Recovery phase (an existing exposure situation)
• radiation situation in inhabited areas is permanently acceptable
from a point of view of the society
• activities of the public and society are adjusted to remaining
radiation situation
• actions for reducing exposure during this phase are typically
those made by people themselves (based on advice and guides
given by experts)
• decontamination of environment may continue together with
management of contaminated waste
• if needed, long term restrictions of use of land and water areas
are given, or use of areas / production in areas is redirected
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Background
• The first Nordic Flag Book was completed in 2001.
• Using the Finnish VAL Guides (STUK) for early and intermediate
phases of nuclear or radiological emergencies and further developed
through Nordic cooperation since 2010, the Nordic Flag Book 2014
was developed.
• The new Nordic Flag Book was approved by the heads of Nordic
regulatory bodies in September 2013.
Nordic
Approach
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Joint Nordic Guidelines and Recommendations
The Nordic Flag Book:
Protective Measures in
Early and Intermediate
Phases of a Nuclear or
Radiological Emergency;
published in 2014 by all
Nordic radiation protection
and nuclear safety
authorities
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
The Nordic Flag Book
• Each Nordic country will implement the Flag Book, e.g. by
preparing a national version in its own language specifying for
example the reference levels which may deviate from each
other. BUT the triggers and the operational intervention
levels will stay the same in all the Nordic countries.
• The Nordic Flag Book 2014 is comprehensive, practical, generic
and covers all types of RN-events.
• The Flag Book covers the early (including urgent) and
intermediate phases.
• The Nordic Flag Book 2014 provides a common starting point
for the of the Nordic countries' national plans.
Nordic
Approach
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Protective actions in an
early/urgent phase
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Protective actions in an
intermediate phase
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Contains criteria for implementing … and lifting … protective measures
– Dose during certain period of time; Note! projected dose, not
averted!!
– Triggers (e.g. plant conditions, emergency action levels,
anticipated duration of an action) which are expected to be
promptly available and can be used directly to initiate
appropriate protective measures
– Operational intervention levels, quantities which can be
directly measured (external dose rate, magnitude of surface
contamination, concentration level) expressed in orders of
magnitude.
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Examples of triggers
A domestic NPP event:
A planning basis for emergency planning zone (about 20 km) is that
protective actions can be completed in about 4 hours after respective
decisions.
– Operator announces site area emergency (= safety may
deteriorate significantly): intensifying capabilities for protective
actions incl. instructions to the public
– Operator announces general emergency (= significant threat of
releases): at latest evacuation of 5 km zone; shelter indoors + ITB
elsewhere in the EPZ where releases might disperse
NOTE: If there are reasons to assume that the reactor can be
damaged rapidly, evacuation of 5 km zone shall be implemented
immediately irrespective of the on-site emergency class.
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Examples of OILs (early phase)
Dose rate Protective action
1 microSv/h – Protection of food production
10 microSv/h – Partial sheltering indoors
– ITB for children under 18 years and pregnant
women
– Temporary banning of foodstuffs and other
natural goods
– Protection of commodities and products
– Protection of indoor areas of factories and
production facilities
100 microSv/h – Sheltering indoors
– ITB for adults
– Access control
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Examples of OILs (intermediate phase)
Dose rate Protective action
1 microSv/h – Decontamination of indoor areas
– Decontamination of vehicles, machinery and tools
– Restrictions of built-up recreational areas
10 microSv/h – Partial sheltering indoors
– Actions to reduce doses to workers
– Thorough cleaning of all indoor surfaces
– Urgent decontamination of built-up environment
– Restriction of recreational use of natural areas
100 microSv/h – Sheltering indoors; BUT if a need for sheltering is
longer than for two days => evacuation
– Restrictions on entering contaminated area
NOTE: There are calculation examples as the basis
of OILs in an annex.
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Example of waste categories
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
The Flag Book is
available on web
– www.stuk.fi
– www.ssm.se
– www.nrpa.no
– www.sis.dk
– www.gr.is
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
What next?
In Finland
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
”How much is much? ”
We saw a need in developing our strategy and
operational criteria to define e.g.
• What is a level of dose received by the public due to
contaminated environment which should be taken into
account and minimised ?
• What is a level of contamination which can be
categorised as a severely/moderately/slightly
contaminated area?
• How clean is clean enough?
• How contaminated is contaminated waste and what kind
of categories do we need for handling taking into
account both radiation protection and environmental
aspects?
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Protective actions are interlinked
Although in our guidance each protective action is
individual they have implications to other actions and to
other decision making bodies e.g.
– Access control to logistics, businesses
– Evacuation to social services
– Close of ventilation during sheltering indoors also apply
among other to public buildings and factories
– Continuation of production in even slightly contaminated
areas
Efficient co-operation and coordination is needed!
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
About acceptability…
A central tool is continuous and efficient communication,
counselling, support and dialogue between decision makers
and stakeholders throughout the emergency, and this
should continue during recovery phase, too
• the public in Finland is generally active and wants to participate
in improving the situation
• active involvement of private sector is essential for ensuring
restoration of public services, critical infrastructure and
economics
NOTE ! Private sector is categorised as decision makers;
many resources needed in implementing protection strategy in
Finland belong – e.g. due to outsourcing – to private
companies.
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
“From dose criteria to practical arrangements…”
• Processes for lowering annual reference level during an
ongoing emergency needs to be planned describing
– Decision making arrangements concerning possible modifications
in overall protection strategy and setting new goals for residual
doses
– Involvement of stakeholders; communication and dialogue
arrangements
• Processes for transition from emergency to existing exposure
situation needs to be planned describing
– Decision making arrangements, involvement of stakeholders and
acceptance by the society; communication and dialogue
arrangements
• Processes needs to be tested in exercises involving long term
issues.
We have still much to do!
SÄTEILYTURVAKESKUS • STRÅLSÄKERHETSCENTRALEN
RADIATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AUTHORITY
Thank you for
your attention!