Emergency Action Planning

DOE-STD-1136-2004

Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiological Protection in Uranium Facilities

equivalent. The frequency of bioassay monitoring will depend on the specific case to be evaluated.

Selection of the appropriate sampling frequency is based on the previously discussed performance

capabilities for workplace monitoring programs, consultations with internal dosimetry specialists, and

the cooperation of the affected employee.

5.10.1 Emergency Action Planning

The management at the uranium facility should be prepared to follow an emergency action plan for

response to an uranium intake. If a worker accidentally inhales or ingests uranium or is injured by a

uranium-contaminated object, the action plan should be initiated immediately. A rapid response is

important because any delay in implementing appropriate action could lessen the effectiveness of

decorporation therapy and increase the probability for internalized uranium to deposit in the kidneys or on

bone surfaces.

5.10.2 Medical Emergency Response Plan

The health physicist and medical staff must establish an emergency action plan for the appropriate

medical management of an accidental intake of uranium. The elements of the plan should include the

following:

decision levels for determining when monitoring data or accident events require emergency medical

response,

responsibilities of the affected worker, health physicist, medical staff, and management or

supervisory personnel,

instructions for immediate medical care, decontamination, monitoring, and longer-term follow-up

response, and

provisions for periodically reviewing, updating, and rehearsing the emergency action plan.

The sequence and priority of the emergency action plan may vary with the magnitude and type of

accidental conditions and their severity. An initial early assessment of the incident should focus, first, on

treatment of life-threatening physical injuries and, second, on the radioactive contamination involved.

Minor injuries should be treated after decontamination.

A rapid estimate of the amount of internal contamination by uranium or other alpha-emitters may

not be possible. If a significant intake (meaning one that exceeds 10 times the ALI) is suspected, medical

staff should proceed with decorporation therapy after first treating major injuries.

5.10.3 Responsibilities for Management of Internal Contamination

Responsibilities should be assigned for action in response to an accidental internal uranium

contamination. The affected worker has the responsibility to inform the health physicist, radiological

control technician (RCT), or his immediate supervisor as soon as an intake is suspected. The health

physicist or RCT should make an initial survey of the extent of the contamination and immediately

contact his supervisor and, when action levels are exceeded, contact a member of the medical staff.

Monitoring and radiation safety support to the medical staff and supervisors should continue during the

5-41