Emergency arrangements - NII response to a class 4 event

Issue Date:

28/04/09

Review Date:

28/04/12

Open Government Status:

Fully open

Approved By:

R Gray

1. Purpose and scope

1.1 This document gives NII policy for responding to an irradiated fuel flask transport emergency - a Class 4 Event in NII's emergency arrangements. It sets the procedure NII will follow in responding to such an event.

2. Policy

2.1 NII inspectors are not deployed automatically to Class 4 Events.

2.2 The lead government department for these events is the Dept. for Transport (DfT). Events of this nature fall within the nuclear industry's 'Radsafe' scheme which provides radiological advice and support. The NII is only notified where there is a breach of containment. The NII's role in such events is to respond to requests for advice / assistance from DfT and elsewhere in central government.

3. Responsibilities

3.1 The Nominated Inspector is responsible for consulting with a Deputy Chief Inspector (DCI) on the need for any further action. The DCI should keep the Chief Inspector (CI) informed as appropriate.

4. Definitions

4.1 Class 4 Event : An irradiated fuel flask transport emergency, is defined as:

A nuclear event involving the release of radioactivity from a flask carrying irradiated fuel during rail or road transport to or from a nuclear site.

5. Procedure

The Nominated Inspector will have been informed of a nuclear event by either the ND Duty Admin Office or the HSE Duty Officer. The Nominated Inspector will have followed the procedure on notification and classification, and hence made a return call and obtained sufficient information to classify the event (as Class 4).

5.1 The Nominated Inspector should advise the caller to HSE that all further contact with the NII is to be made directly to themselves until told otherwise.

5.2 The Nominated Inspector should contact the DCI for the relevant site(s), or failing that any other DCI, on the need to liaise with the CI / deputy (Emergency Arrangements Communications Directory (EACD) List 4).

5.3 The Nominated Inspector and DCI should consider the need for further action including the issuing of a Fast Stream Report (see INS/011 ).

6. Associated documents

6.1 Overview of NII response to nuclear events, NII Emergency Procedures Handbook.

6.2 INS/015 - Initial Notification and Event Classification.

6.3 Emergency Arrangements Communications Directory, NII Emergency Procedures Handbook.

6.4 INS/011 - ND's Fast Stream Reporting Process