Arrangements for preparedness for a nuclear or radiological emergency: Safety guide

This Safety Guide is intended to assist states in the application of the Safety Requirements publication on Preparedness and Response for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency and to help in fulfilling the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) obligations under the Assistance Convention. In fulfilling its functions under the Assistance Convention and Early Notification Convention, the IAEA works together with other international organizations within an Inter-Agency Committee for Response to Nuclear Accidents (IACRNA). IACRNA has cooperated in the establishment of common requirements for preparedness and response for a nuclear or radiological emergency.

The primary objectives of this Safety Guide are:
- To provide guidance on those selected elements of the Requirements for which guidance has been requested by Member States and for which there is an international consensus on the means to meet these requirements;
- To describe appropriate responses to a range of emergencies;
- To provide background information, where appropriate, on the past experience that provided a basis for the Requirements, thus helping the user to better implement arrangements that address the underlying issues.

The guidance presented in this Safety Guide concerns emergency preparedness for a nuclear or radiological emergency. The range of possible nuclear or radiological emergencies of concern is enormous, extending from a general emergency at a nuclear power plant to emergencies involving lost, stolen or found radioactive material. The guidance presented in this Safety Guide is applicable to the entire range of emergencies, concentrated on the general aspects of emergency preparedness.

This Safety Guide is divided into six sections. Section 2 provides guidance on basic concepts that must be understood to apply the guidance. Sections 3, 4 and 5 provide guidance on how to meet the requirements in the corresponding sections of the Requirements. Section 6 discusses the concept of operations, describing in general terms how the response should proceed for different types of emergency. The Safety Guide also contains eight appendices and an annex which provide further elaboration and clarification. Recommendations expressed as ‘should’ statements carry the implication that it is necessary to take the measures recommended or equivalent alternative measures to comply with the Requirements.