epr-method (2003) - IAEA Publications - International Atomic Energy ...

2.2.4. TASK 1 – REVIEW NATIONAL POLICY
Review and document the legal infrastructure and policies to ensure that there is agreement on
planning responsibilities at the national level. This is a crucial step, and without such
agreement it will be impossible to produce effective plans.
Include the outcome of the review in the NREP and ensure that all the major ministries that
may have a role in response to an emergency endorse it. The NREP (see Appendix 12) should
include:
(1) a list of the national laws or acts which define who is responsible for planning,
decisions and actions for conventional or radiation emergencies or response to criminal
activities;
(2) a brief description of the roles, responsibilities and capabilities of the major national
ministries;
(3) a brief description of the responsibilities of local government and operators;
(4) a brief description of how response to radiation emergencies is integrated into the
planning for other types of emergencies; and
(5) a brief description of the arrangements for emergency management (command and
control) of the overall response under different conditions.
Ensure that responsibility for overall co-ordination for all types of potential radiation
emergencies is addressed, including those involving licensed uses, military uses, unlicensed
sources, transboundary releases, transportation incidents or terrorist acts. Ensure that the roles
of police, military and other non-technical agencies are clearly defined and agreed upon.
Clarify how responsibilities and authorities could change as the emergency progresses. It is
also important to identify those organizations that believe they have a role during the response
but do not. They must then be informed and agree that they do not have a role.
The planning may identify necessary revisions to the legal infrastructure. It may also identify
necessary revisions to roles and responsibilities in emergency response. However, if the legal
and regulatory infrastructure is not complete or is conflicting, it is not necessary to enact new
laws before the emergency planning process can start. In fact, doing so would most likely
delay the implementation of an effective emergency response capability by several years. A
preliminary report (indicated by a in Figure 5) based on readily available information
should be quickly developed for use as input in the development of an interim capability. If
needed, government policy statements or agreements between response organizations can be
used in the interim to resolve or reduce the conflicts.
2.2.5. TASK 2 – PERFORM THREAT ASSESSMENT
Conduct a national threat assessment to identify practices and facilities that may necessitate
emergency interventions within the State to define the level of preparedness required by
determining which threat categories (Section 2.1.2) apply. This assessment could include
facilities outside the State.
The threat assessment should identify facilities, sources, practices, on-site areas, off-site areas
or locations for which radiation emergencies could warrant:
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