3 Regulatory framework for Nuclear and Radiation Safety in Tajikistan
3.5 Emergency Preparedness and Response
3.5.1 General Principles on Operation of State Civil Protection System
BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES.
In 2011, the Republic of Tajikistan ratified: 1) Convention on early notification of a Nuclear Accident and 2) Convention in assistance in case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency.
As the regulatory body for all radiation safety and security matters, NRSA is responsible for approval of norms and rules in radiological emergency planning. The functions and responsibilities of users (licensees) for ensuring the protection of workers and the public in the event of radiological emergencies are clearly defined by the Law on Radiation Protection (Article 23) [1] and in the updated regulation. Requirements on measures which should be taken in emergencies during transportation of radioactive materials are detailed in chapter 22 of the safety rules during transportation of radioactive materials (No.599) [5] that were developed based on IAEA document TS-R-1 (ST-1 revised, IAEA, 2000) [18] and fully includes all its provisions.
NRSA works in good cooperation with the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CES CD) under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan. Under existing legislation, the CES CD acts as a national co-coordinating authority and is the executive body of the Uniform State Emergency Prevention and Elimination System (USEPES). The USEPES unites governmental bodies, local executive and
administrative bodies, enterprises and institutions authorized to take preventive and elimination measures in the event of any emergency or accident of natural and man-made character including radiation and nuclear emergencies. It consists of permanent functional (branch) and territorial subsystems, including state, regional, local, and enterprise (operator) levels, each coordinated by the CES CD.
The USEPES is established based on an all-hazard concept, and the management staff and procedures will depend on the specific emergency. Accidents and abnormal events with radioactive sources are
coordinated by the Department for Protection of the Public and Territories (DPPT) under the CES CD.
There is a national 24 hours/day and 7 days per week point of contact established at the Emergency Management Center at the CES CD to receive notifications of any actual or potential emergencies.
The roles, functions, authorities, and responsibilities of the off-site response organizations acting within the framework of USEPES are to be documented as part of the appropriate national and local emergency response plans that are in the process of preparation. To properly organize an emergency response management system, procedures/instructions for the coordination of organizations involved in nuclear and radiological emergencies need to be established.
The Education and Training Service section under the TSO to NRSA regularly provides courses for transport workers and other involved individuals and organizations on the relevant emergency
preparedness and response provisions and how to apply them at a regional training center. This training facility also regularly conducts emergency exercises with law-enforcement agencies as well as enterprises involved in transportation activity to ensure that an effective and smooth mechanism is in place for any emergencies that may arise in the future.
ASSESSMENT OF THREATS
A threat assessment and categorization of facilities/practices in accordance with the five threat categories of GSR Part 7 [15] has not been done by Tajikistan authorities. A brief assessment conducted by the Emergency Preparedness Review Service mission in December 2007, in accordance with Table I of the GS-R-2 [14] identified facilities/practices in threat categories III, IV, and V.
Notably, there is a facility-oriented approach to categorizing radiation-related hazards established by the
"National Basic Sanitary Rules for Ensuring Radiation Safety" (PORB-08) [4]. The four facility categories specified in this document are utilized to implement a graded approach to regulatory requirements for the design, siting, and construction of radiation facilities, including the requirements for emergency response actions within the design documentation.
NSRA maintains a register of all facilities and radioactive sources used or stored throughout Tajikistan.
PROTECTING EMERGENCY WORKERS
Requirements on protection for emergency workers are determined by the National Safety Standards (NRB-06) [3] and other subordinate regulations. NRB-06 defines the maximum single year dose limit for occupational exposure in case of emergency situations (50 mSv), with the exception of saving lives and/or preventing overexposure of people. Operators are required to ensure the availability of radiation control devices and individual dosimeters and to have emergency stock of protective equipment.
Practical arrangements are in place for handling emergencies involving uncontrolled sources: the CES CD first responders team has individual direct-reading electronic dosimeters, TLDs and protection equipment.
First responders have also been trained to undertake emergency response actions under hazardous conditions.
The NRSA has the capacity and qualified personnel to assess and record the external doses received by emergency workers as well as by other personnel who can be involved in undertaking response actions.
However, a formal procedure for record-keeping and controlling the doses received by emergency workers has not yet been established.
ASSESSING THE INITIAL PHASE
The National Safety Standards (NRB-06) [3] established default operational intervention levels (OILs) of dose for acute exposure by organ or tissue and generic action levels for foodstuffs which are consistent with those given in Annex II and III of GS-R-2 [14]. These levels will be updated according GSR Part 3 [10]and GSR Part 7 [15].
MANAGING THE MEDICAL RESPONSE
No special services or procedures are in place for the medical response to a radiological emergency.
However, a standard procedure may be provided to overexposed people in the National Burn Management Center with the support of radiologists from the National oncology center. Efforts are being made to improve the situation.
TAKING AGRICULTURAL COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST INGESTION AND LONGER-TERM PROTECTIVE ACTIONS
A group of experts from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Irrigation, the Ministry of Emergency and Civil Defense, Sanitary and Epidemiological Service, Veterinary Service, and the NRSA is responsible for planning and implementing agricultural countermeasures. The group of experts was assigned by the Interagency Council on Radiation Safety.
Officially established procedures for restricting consumption of locally produced foods are in place. The responsibility for implementing this measure is assigned to the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service and Veterinary Service. General rules for implementing countermeasures are also in place. Procedures to implement countermeasures for specific areas (e.g. food production including livestock, gardening, forest products, fishing and water supplies) are under development.
The Radiation Safety Standards (NRB-2006) established intervention levels for environmental
measurements (dose rates, levels of soil contamination) and generic action levels above which foodstuffs must be restricted for general consumption for one year after an emergency, which are in full compliance with the international recommendations. The generic action levels for drinking water are established in NRB-06, Annex II-2.
Procedures on the management of radioactive waste arising as a result of agricultural countermeasures being implemented are under development. The development of procedures/guidance concerning agricultural countermeasures, including the establishment of OILs, will take into consideration new recommendations of IAEA established in new BSS [10] or GSG-2 [19].
MITIGATING THE NON-RADIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE EMERGENCY AND THE RESPONSE.
In accordance with their statute, the NRSA and the CES CD media center are responsible for communication with the public to explain health risks and which measures can reduce the risks from radiation exposure. Press-centers established in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency and Civil Defense are ready around the clock to advise the population about risks, rules of conduct and about medical establishments available to help them. The NRSA annually issues information leaflets to the public about radiation that helps to keep them informed and avoid inappropriate actions in case of a nuclear or radiological emergency.
There are 14 established civil defense services which include units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health, community services and special unit of the Ministry of Emergency and Civil Defense.
One of the tasks of these services is the prevention of panic in emergency situations.
3.5.2 Functional Subsystem for the Safety of Nuclear Facilities
1) General Provisions
ESTABLISHING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS.
The NRSA implements an authorization and inspection program, which includes control of EPR
arrangements at all facilities and practices dealing with radioactive and nuclear materials. According to
‘The Regulation on Procedures for Registration, Execution, and Issuing of Licenses’ (January 2006), a plan
for responding to a potential radiological emergency or accident is a prerequisite for issuing an authorization (license) for any practice or source which could give rise to a radiological accident or
emergency. The command and control system for local and national response to any emergency is realized through the USEPES.
IDENTIFYING, NOTIFYING AND ACTIVATING.
There is a national 24 hours per day and 7 days per week point of contact established at the Emergency Management Center at the CES CD to receive notifications of any actual or potential emergencies.
Owners of scrap metal shipments across the border into Tajikistan are required to provide clearance from NRSA to a customs officer, confirming that the shipment does not contain radioactive materials. To get the clearance the shipment owners must invite an NRSA worker to measure radioactivity of the cargo. No written regulations currently exist on notification of a suspected emergency, but personnel of scrap metal collection facilities and custom officers, as well as local officials, know unofficially of the necessity to notify the CES CD and the NRSA. The process of equipping Tajikistan borders with portal monitors is underway and the NRSA is developing special regulations.
The USEPES provides for prompt notification and initiation of an off-site response in the event of a conventional emergency which seems to be functioning adequately in the event of radiological hazards.
Potentially available off-site first responders include local medical and fire brigades, emergency service personnel, and local officials who should support the early response. Most of these responders are trained based on an all-hazard approach and are not given special instructions concerning radiation indicators and immediate actions warranted if radiological consequences are suspected. For events involving
uncontrolled (orphan), radioactive sources and their illicit trafficking, a dominant role in initiating and performance of response actions are allocated to the DPPT and staff of the Radioactive Waste Storage Facility. The DPPT has experienced staff trained in radiation protection.
TAKING MITIGATING ACTION.
Expertise and professional radiological assessment can be provided promptly in the case of a nuclear or radiological emergency by the Research Department of NRSA, Republican Chemical and Radiometric Laboratory of CES CD, and the Physics and Technical Institute of the AS RT. Some other institutions are also available, in which radiation professionals are skilled in measuring radiation levels and contamination.
However, in most cases, the expertise and services in question are provided by the DPPT and its Republican Chemical and Radiometric Laboratory whose capabilities are not yet sufficient but are being upgraded.
Existing regulations require all operators to elaborate and agree upon with the relevant state authorities a special “instruction on the prevention of accident and fire and actions to be taken for the mitigation of their consequences”. Most operators have these instructions in place, and they are updated through the ongoing licensing process. Under the Law on Radiation Protection (article 23) [1], licensees are required, in the event of a radiation accident, to make arrangements to localize the source of the radioactive
contamination, prevent releases of radioactive materials, and make arrangements to return the radiation situation to a normal safety state. However, the capabilities of operators to meet this requirement may be insufficient. The consistency is checked during the ongoing licensing process.
In the CES CD there is a team of radiologists trained for searching for lost sources. The CES CD and NRSA are equipped with several sets of searching detectors and staff are trained in performing this task. More than 200 orphan sources have been discovered within the framework of the international Global Search and Secure Program.
TAKING URGENT PROTECTIVE ACTION
Seemingly there are neither facilities nor practices in Tajikistan that would warrant urgent protective action off-site. The appropriate arrangements for effectively making decisions on urgent protective actions may be related to some exclusive situations, e.g. large scale radionuclide contamination of the area owing to a large transport accident or terrorist attack. Nevertheless, national legislation and national safety standards (NRB-06 [3]) addresses this issue, and the USEPES structure is prepared for
implementing protective actions in case of large-scale radionuclide contamination. Within the framework of the USEPES, the decision on implementation of urgent protection actions will be taken by the local and/or regional officials according to the local/regional off-site emergency plan. The CES CD is a major body responsible for taking and implementing decisions.
The National Radiation Standards (NRB-06) [3] establish national intervention levels which are generally consistent with international standards.
The arrangements to ensure the safety of all persons on the site is the responsibility of the operator, and this requirement is included in the Law on Radiation Safety [1]. The facilities in threat categories III and IV have instructions on actions of personnel in the case of a radiation accident. However, there is no substantial information on how these instructions are implemented in practice.
2) NRSA Information and Emergency Center
PROVIDING INFORMATION AND ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS TO THE PUBLIC.
This requirement contains specific guidance on providing instructions to the population within the
emergency planning zones around facilities in threat categories I and II. In Tajikistan, this requirement may be applicable only to some exclusive radiation emergencies (e.g., a large transport accident, a fire involving a source, or large-scale contamination). Notification of the endangered population in the event of such emergencies is addressed in the Law on Radiation Safety [1], but no practical arrangements are currently in place.
KEEPING THE PUBLIC INFORMED
The CES CD has a 24/7 press-center which is the single point for informing the public and mass media regarding any emergency occurring in the territory of Tajikistan. It organizes press conferences for the mass media on a regular basis and is responsible for keeping the public informed about any emergency situation in the country. However, at present, information being presented on this subject is not sufficient.
3) Emergency training
Several training courses have been organized by IAEA on EPR to nuclear and radiological accidents in the country, where a number of participants from the CES CD have participated.
4) Automated Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) Systems
There is currently no automated IEC system established in Tajikistan, but there is a national 24 hours/day and 7 days per week point of contact established at the Emergency Management Center at the CES CD to receive notifications of any actual or potential emergencies.
3.5.3 Radiation monitoring
Tajikistan is not a member of the INES Platform.
NRSA, in cooperation with the CES CD, elaborated a National Plan (Program) on EPR (Approved by
Government on 2013 #770) in compliance with IAEA standards. Under this program, it is planned to develop several legislative documents to implement IAEA Safety Standards on EPR.
Currently, radiation monitoring for the detection of nuclear and radiological emergency situations in the country is carried out manually by the CES CD on a local basis.