10.14 INCIDENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
RF incidents can include suspected or confirmed overexposure, a personal-monitor alarm, unauthorized access, a failed interlock or isolation, unexpected source operation, an RF burn or shock, or a near miss. The RF safety program and applicable Plans should provide a prompt, coordinated response for each type of event.
The immediate objectives are to protect people, obtain first aid or medical assessment, stabilize the source and work area, and preserve the information needed to reconstruct the exposure. Investigation and corrective action then address both the immediate event and the underlying technical, procedural, coordination, or management causes.
An overexposure means that an applicable exposure limit was exceeded; it does not by itself establish that injury occurred. RPS S-1 notes that its limits are set well below levels at which harm has been shown. A suspected event must nevertheless be treated seriously, assessed promptly, and managed under the planned procedure.
10.14.1 Emergency Planning
The organization should develop incident arrangements in advance. Each RF Radiation Safety Plan should apply them to its scope and identify:
- how an alarm, suspected overexposure, injury, or other RF incident is raised;
- the Responsible Person, source operators, supervisors, first aiders, and emergency contacts;
- safe source-control, isolation, access-restriction, and evacuation arrangements;
- first aid, emergency treatment, and medical-assessment arrangements;
- the exposure information and records to be collected and preserved;
- internal and external notification and reporting requirements; and
- responsibility for investigation, corrective action, authorization, and return to service.
People who may need to act should receive instruction and, where appropriate, participate in drills or scenario exercises. Emergency action must not require an unprotected person to enter an RF hazard area.