Occupational Radiation Protection During High Exposure Operations

Occupational exposure to radiation can occur as a result of various human activities, including work associated with the different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle; the use of radiation in medicine, scientific research, agriculture and industry.

The IAEA Fundamental Safety Principles (SF-1) present the fundamental safety objective and principles of protection and safety. Requirements designed to meet the fundamental safety objective and to apply the safety principles specified in the Fundamental Safety Principles, including requirements for the protection of workers exposed to sources of radiation, are established in Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards, General Safety Requirements, No. GSR Part 3 and Preparedness and Response for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency, General Safety Requirements, No. GSR Part 7. Worker protection aspects of radiation protection programme or emergency response plans in relation with high radiation areas requires worker information through well-established training programmes similar to other routine activities.

IAEA-developed training material on occupational radiation protection during high exposure operations (HEO), including twelve modules, based on GSR Part 3 to provide basic background and an overview of practical experience for protection of workers and others involved in preparation and conduct of unusual operations and radiation controls of facilities during an event with high occupational exposure, including operation and radiation control of the facilities in question.

Approved training packages may be copied, distributed, displayed, incorporated in customized presentations and used for non-commercial use as long as the source of the material is referenced to the IAEA approved training package.

1) Introduction

• Background to High Exposure Operations
• IAEA References: Safety Requirements and Guides
• Basis of Radiation Protection on Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies
• Radiation Protection Principle

2) Basic Concepts of ORP in Emergency

• Occupational Exposure of Emergency Workers
• Responsibilities
• Protection of Emergency Workers
• Justification and Optimization
• Management of High Exposure Operations (HEO)
• Assessment of HEO
• Medical Supervision

3) Practical Radiation Monitoring and Dose Evaluation

• Workplace Monitoring
• Individual Monitoring
• External Exposure
• Internal Exposure
• Total Dose

4) Personal Protection and Dose Reduction Measures

• Protective Ware
• Respiratory Protection
• Decorporation
• Iodine Thyroid Blocking
• Personal Shielding
• Personal Hygiene

5) Roles and Responsibilities

• Government
• Registrants and Licensees
• Operating Organizations
• Workers

6) Preparedness and Action in Emergency

• Emergency Preparedness Categories
• Emergency Classes and Action in Emergency
• Emergency Planning Zones and Distances
• Summary on Expected Levels of Health Risks for Emergency Workers

7) Medical Management

• Basis of Medical Management of Radiation Injury
• Decontamination of Skin and Hair
• Management for Contaminated Skin Injury
• Management for Internally Deposited Radionuclides
• Diagnosis and Medical Management of Radiation Syndromes
• Psychological Support

8) Health Effects

• Dosimetric Quantities for Use in Characterization of Exposure Situations
• Deterministic Health Effects
• Stochastic Health Effects
• Linear Non-Threshold Hypothesis

9a) Nuclear Accidents - Chernobyl

• General information
• Emergency and Preparedness Regulation in the USSR Revised due to the Chernobyl Acccident
• Categories of Emergency Workers
• Reflex Phase: 26 April 1986
• Early Phase: 27 April - 20 May 1986
• Intermediate Phase: 21 May - 30 November 1986

9b) Nuclear Accidents -Fukushima Accident Part 1

• Overview of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident

9c) Nuclear Accidents -Fukushima Accident​ Part 2

• Radiation Control Overview
• Access Control of Workers
• Radiation Protection
• Worker's Dose Control
• Remarkable Events Brought About Radiation Exposure
• Efforts to Reduce Worker's Dose
• Radiation Monitoring
• Lessons Learned

9d) Radiological Accidents - Goiãnia Accident

• Overview of the Goiania Accident
• Emergency Response
• Radiation Monitoring and Protection
• The Worker and Members of the Publics' Doses
• Lessons Learned

​9e) Nuclear Accidents - Samut Prakan Accident​

• Overview of the Samut Prakan Accident
• The Emergency Response
• Radiation Monitoring and Protection
• The Worker and Members of the Publics' Doses
• Lessons Learned

10) Sources of HEO

• Nuclear Accident Sources
• Radiological Accident Sources
• Transport Accident Sources

11) Communication

• Principles of Communication
• Internal Communcations 
• Communicating with the Media and the Public
• International Communication and INES Scale

12) IAEA Documents

• Background 
• Safety Standards
  • Safety Fundamentals, Safety Requirements, Safety Guides, Safety Reports - IAEA TECDOC
• Practical Radiation Technical Manuals
• EPR Related Publications