As in most accident situations, the action taken during the first few hours following a nuclear or radiological accident is crucial in terms of managing the emergency and its potential consequences for human health and the environment. For this action to be effective, the nature of the accident and its radiological impact must be identified rapidly and accurately, in order to provide the relevant public authorities with reliable decision support.
Radiological incidents and accidents
In the event of a radiological accident or incident, IRSN is called upon to assess the consequences for irradiated individuals and the environment, and to help decide on the most appropriate course of action.
Topics IRSN worked on in 2014:
- IRSN designated by IAEA as expert consultant to treat a victim of a radiation accident in Peru
For more information about these topics, consult
IRSN's Activity Report 2014 - Chapter Activities / Emergency and post-accident situation.
Topics IRSN worked on in 2012:
- Accidental contamination due to objects containing radium in Lyon
- Mobilization following an incident at the Penly nuclear power plant.
For more information about these topics, consult
IRSN's Activity Report 2012 - Chapter 03: Activities / Emergency and post-accident situation.
Topics IRSN worked on in 2011:
- Fukushima-Daiichi accident in Japan
- Radiological accident in Bulgaria
- Explosion in a metal waste furnace at Marcoule (France)
- Release of iodine-131 in Hungary
For more information about these topics, consult
IRSN's Activity Report 2011 - Chapter 03: Activities / Emergency and post-accident situations.
Emergency and post-accident preparedness and response
IRSN provides support to public authorities in case of incident or accident, and puts forward recommendations to the safety authorities on technical, health and medical actions to protect population and environment in the area concerned, and to bring the facility under control.
For IRSN’s teams, preparedness is tested mainly through participation in national and international exercises. IRSN is involved in preparing French policy on managing the post-accident phase of a possible nuclear accident. Within this context, it works on analyzing feedback from post-accident management of the Fukushima accident.
Topics IRSN worked on in 2015:
- Coordination exercises
- Measurements coordination and reliability
- Improved mapping tools and products to support the authorities
- FASTNET project
- Feedback on waste post-accident management resultin from the Fukushima accident.
For more information about these topics, consult
IRSN's Activity Report 2015 - Chapter Activities / Emergency and post-accident situations.
Topics IRSN worked on in 2014:
- Development of mobile monitors and data retrieval system for Criter
- Emergency response tool for naval nuclear facilities.
For more information about these topics, consult
IRSN's Activity Report 2014 - Chapter Activities / Emergency and post-accident situation.
Topics IRSN worked on in 2013:
- Participation in the development of thr French National Emergency Response Plan
- Participation in a post-accident field exercise in Fukushima (Japon)
- Participation in the national major emergency exercise
SECNUC
- Updgrade of the C3X tool for short-range dispersion calculations
- New interactive consulting tool for accident impact assessment maps
- Preparation and participation in a large-scale cross-border nuclear emergency exercise in Cattenom.
For more information about these topics, consult
IRSN's Activity Report 2013 - Chapter 03: Activities / Emergency and post-accident situation.
Topics IRSN worked on in 2012:
- New method for assessing accidental atmospheric releases
- First emergency response exercise for urinary radiotoxicology
- Development of internal field exercises
- Biological dosimetry in a simulated emergency
- New emergency response vehicles
For more information about these topics, consult
IRSN's Activity Report 2012 - Chapter 03: Activities / Emergency and post-accident situation.
Topics IRSN worked on in 2011:
- Taking dietary habits into account in dosimetric assessments
- Faster analysis for biological dosimetry: Validation of a semi-automated dosimetry method to enable rapid triage of irradiated and un-irradiated people in the envent of a radiological accident
- Assessment of the CRITER tool for centralization and diffusion of results of environmental measurements
- New decision support tool in the event of pollution in the Mediterranean
For more information about these topics, consult
IRSN's Activity Report 2011 - Chapter 03: Activities / Emergency and post-accident situations.
