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Technological Hazard >> Radiation hazard >> Nuclear and radiological accidents, protection measures
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Nature of radioactivity, types of radiation Interaction radiation with matter Radiation sources, natural and artificial radiation |
What
is Nuclear or Radiological Accident? What
is radiological emergency management?
The
average doses of population exposure due to all nuclear industry and man-made
radioactive sources is about 1% from doses due to natural radiation (see
Radiation sources), but it is not the case of nuclear or radiological
accident. Nuclear or Radiological Accident – generally refers to
events involving the release of significant levels of radioactivity and
exposure of workers or the general public to radiation. The nuclear (power,
military or research) reactors are the main sources of radiation. The
radioactivity of nuclear reactor core in millions times higher, than any other
man-made sources of radiation. Although construction and operation of nuclear
power plants are closely monitored and regulated, an accident, though
unlikely, is possible. The potential danger from an accident at a nuclear
reactor is exposure to radiation. This exposure could come from the release of
radioactive material from the plant into the environment, usually
characterized by a plume (cloud-like) formation. The size of the area affected
is determined by the amount of radioactive material released from the plant,
wind direction and speed, and weather conditions (i.e., rain, snow, etc.),
which would quickly drive the radioactive material to the ground, causing
increased deposition of radionuclides. Significant contamination could affect
areas up to Radiological accidents can occur wherever radioactive materials are used, stored, or transported. In addition to nuclear power plants, hospitals, universities, research laboratories, industries, major highways, railroads, and shipping yards could be the site of a radiological accident. The main purpose of protective actions is to minimize the health effects to the public and workers.
Nuclear
emergency protective actions include: a.
urgent protective actions, which must be taken within hours of an
accident to be effective. These
include: evacuation, intake of stable
iodine tablets and sheltering
(protect the
public from exposure to direct radiation and inhalation from an airborne
plume); b. longer-term protective actions, which may need to be adopted in a matter of days following an accident. These include: restrictions on the use of contaminated food and water, relocation and resettlement. What
is radiological emergency management? Radiological emergency management is a term that describes efforts to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from an event that could result in significant radiation-related effects. Efforts to prevent radiological emergencies include actions to stop such events from happening and actions that decrease the harmful effects of such an occurrence. Efforts to prepare for a radiological emergency include learning the warning signs and knowing what to do during an emergency. Responding to a radiological emergency means taking appropriate actions to protect yourself and others from harm. Recovering from a radiological emergency includes actions performed after an emergency to return to normal. |