The Production and Operation of the Nuclear Industry Road Emergency Response Plan (NIREP)

Abstract

For many years, radioactive material, ranging from small sources used for medical and commercial purposes to large consignments of irradiated fuel, has been safely moved by road in Great Britain. All such movements are controlled by law and have to meet clearly specified safety requirements concerning packaging and shielding to ensure that if the transporting vehicle is involved in an accident, there is no increase in the hazards involved because of the nature of its load. There are currently some 40,000 movements by road every year, but over more than 25 years, during which there have been significant movements of radioactive material, there has never been an incident which has led to any significant radiological impact to members of the public. A national scheme to provide contingency arrangements in the event of a road accident involving radioactive materials has now been set up by the major users and consignors of radioactive material. Called NIREP (Nuclear Industry Road Emergency Response Plan), the member industries have agreed immediately to despatch, from the nearest organisation to the incident, qualified health physicist personnel to deal with any incident involving radioactive material belonging to (or consigned by) any of the participating companies. With their widespread location of establishments, all parts of the UK mainland are covered. Participating companies are AEA Technology, Amersham International, British Nuclear Fuels, Ministry of Defence, Nuclear Electric, Rolls-Royce and Associates, and Scottish Nuclear. Vehicles covered by the scheme will display a NIREP placard, thus giving the Police, or other emergency services, an emergency telephone number of a coordinating centre and information on the site responsible for the load.