Circular No. 25/2014/TT-BKHCN on the preparation for and response to radiation and nuclear accidents, and the establishment and approval of emergency response plans for radiation and nuclear accidents

 

CIRCULAR

Article 24provides for the preparation and response to radiation and nuclear accidents,

 establishes and approves emergency response plans for radiation and nuclear accidents

_________________

 

Pursuant to the Atomic Energy Law on June 3, 2008;

Pursuant to Decree No. 07/2010/NĐ-CP dated January 25, 2010 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Atomic Energy Law;

Pursuant to Decree No. 20/2013/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2013 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science and Technology;

On the proposal of the Director of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Agency;

The Minister of Science and Technology issues the Circular stipulating the preparation for and response to radiation and nuclear accidents, establishing and approving emergency response plans for radiation and nuclear accidents.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. This Circular provides for:

a) The preparation and response to radiation and nuclear accidents at all levels;

b) The establishment and approval of emergency response plans for radiation accidents and nuclear accidents at facility level and provincial level.

2. This Circular applies to:

a) Organizations and individuals participating in the preparation for and response to radiation and nuclear accidents;

b) The competent authority issuing permits for radiation work and approving emergency response plans for radiation and nuclear accidents.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Radiation and nuclear accident (hereinafter referred to as "accident") is a situation of loss of radiation safety; loss of nuclear safety; loss of security for radioactive sources, nuclear materials, nuclear equipment, radiation facilities, and nuclear facilities.

2. Emergency response is the application of all measures to respond quickly and promptly to minimize the consequences of the accident affecting safety and health of people, causing environmental and property damage.

3. Emergency preparedness is the preparation of human resources, equipment, means, and procedures to ensure the implementation of emergency response actions.

4. Emergency response plan is a document stipulating principles of operation, division of responsibilities, management mechanisms, and coordination among organizations and individuals participating in emergency response; assessing risks; providing general emergency response procedures.

5. Intervention is the implementation of actions aimed at reducing exposure, avoiding or preventing exposure from the accident such as sheltering, evacuation, prophylactic intake of Potassium Iodide (KI).

6. Emergency Protection Zone (PAZ) is the entire area around the facility that needs to be prepared to carry out emergency protective actions to reduce the risk of deterministic biological effects on people outside the facility when an accident occurs.

7. Planned Protective Action Zone (UPZ) is the entire area around the facility that needs to be prepared to carry out emergency protective actions to prevent exposure to the public outside the facility when an accident occurs.

8. Long-term exposure is exposure over a long period of time (more than one year) from radionuclides with long half-lives in the environment.

9. Initial Response Team is the main force participating in the preparation and response to accidents, including the command post, police, fire and rescue, medical services, technical support for radiation and nuclear safety, and the facility's response team.

10Deterministic Biological Effect is a biological effect caused by radiation on humans, which only occurs when the radiation dose exceeds a threshold, and the severity of the effect increases proportionally with the dose; some manifestations of deterministic biological effects include vomiting, skin burns, necrosis, death.

11Stochastic Biological Effect is a biological effect caused by radiation on humans, the probability of occurrence increases with increasing dose, and the severity of the effect on humans is independent of the dose received; some manifestations of stochastic biological effects include leukemia and cancer.

12. Accident Risk Group (hereinafter referred to as "risk group") is a group of facilities, radioactive sources, radiation equipment, nuclear equipment, and activities capable of causing an accident with equivalent levels of damage.

13. Intervention Level is the avoidable dose of radiation when implementing specific protective actions in the event of an accident or long-term exposure.

14. Operational Intervention Level is the intervention level expressed as a dose rate or activity of dispersed radioactive material, air concentration, surface or subsurface integrated concentration of radioactive material, concentration of radioactive material in environmental samples, food samples, and water samples. The operational intervention level serves as the basis for determining corresponding intervention actions.

15. Alert level is an indication of the severity or urgency of the ongoing or imminent accident situation to determine appropriate emergency response measures and the level of mobilization of emergency response personnel.

16. On-site Commander is the person appointed by the competent authority to direct on-site response activities and coordinate national support activities at the site where the accident occurred.

17. Radiation Protection Specialist is an individual trained in health physics, radiation safety, and capable of performing dose assessment, radiation measurement, contamination control, and advising on the application of emergency protective actions.

18. Control Room is the place where the control system, display devices, measuring instruments, and parameters of the nuclear power plant and research reactor are installed.

Article 3. Principles and requirements for emergency preparedness and response activities

1. Emergency preparedness and response activities must comply with the following principles:

a) Intervention actions must ensure more benefits than harm caused by those actions;

b) The form, scope, and duration of intervention actions must be optimized to achieve maximum practical benefits;

c) The emergency response plan must ensure timely, managed, coordinated, and effective response to accidents at facility, provincial, and national levels;

d) The division of responsibilities between organizations and individuals participating in the response must be clear, and the direction in emergency response must follow the principle of centralized unity as stipulated in the approved emergency response plan.

2. Emergency response activities must meet the following requirements:

a) Controlling the development of the accident;

b) Preventing and minimizing consequences at the scene;

c) Preventing the possibility of deterministic biological effects on emergency responders and the public;

d) Providing initial relief measures and treatment for victims;

đ) Minimizing the possibility of stochastic biological effects impacting public health;

e) Preventing the maximum possible non-radiological consequences for individuals and the public;

g) Reducing property and environmental damage to the lowest extent possible;

h) Creating favorable conditions for long-term accident recovery work and planning to resume economic and social activities to normal status.

Article 4. Risk Groups, Intervention Levels, and Alarm Levels

1. Risk groups shall serve as the basis for emergency preparedness and response activities. Risk groups are divided into five categories: I, II, III, IV, and V, as specified in Appendix I of this Circular.

2. Organizations and individuals participating in emergency response shall base their intervention actions on the intervention levels as prescribed in Appendix II of this Circular.

3. Alarm levels shall be applied as the basis for mobilizing resources to conduct emergency response activities. Alarm levels are defined in Appendix III of this Circular.

Article 5. Responsibilities of Organizations and Individuals Participating in Emergency Preparedness and Response Activities

1. Radiation facilities, nuclear facilities, and areas where radiation work occurs as stipulated in Article 18 of the Atomic Energy Law below shall collectively be referred to as facilities.

The heads of radiation facilities, nuclear facilities, and the person primarily responsible for areas where radiation work occurs as stipulated in Article 18 of the Atomic Energy Law below shall collectively be referred to as facility heads.

Facility heads are responsible for emergency preparedness and response activities at the facility.

2. Organizations and individuals who develop emergency response plans pursuant to Clause 5 of Article 83 of the Atomic Energy Law shall have the responsibility to:

a) Establish and submit to the competent authority for approval the Emergency Response Plan;

b) Appoint or submit to the competent authority for approval the Head of the Command Board and other members of the Command Board;

c) Develop human resources, equipment (refer to Appendix V of this Circular), means, and necessary infrastructure for emergency preparedness and response activities in accordance with specific conditions; organize training and regular drills;

d) Develop coordination regulations among organizations and individuals involved in emergency preparedness and response activities; establish mechanisms for transferring command authority among organizations and individuals involved in emergency response activities;

đ) Develop coordination regulations between management agencies at various levels, emergency response forces, and facilities in implementing intervention measures.

3. Organizations and individuals participating in emergency preparedness and response activities shall fulfill their functions and responsibilities as prescribed in the Emergency Response Plan within their jurisdiction; they shall cooperate with other organizations and individuals as required.

4. The Head of the Command Team has responsibilities:

a) To assign responsibilities and direct the implementation of specific tasks for Command Team members;

b) To report incidents, initiate and terminate emergency responses;

c) Direct and mobilize forces participating in emergency response activities; direct the implementation of intervention measures with the advice of organizations and individuals assigned tasks according to the approved emergency response plan;

d) Appoint on-site commanders suitable for each specific situation;

đ) To compile and evaluate the situation of the incident to report to competent authorities;

e) Appoint representatives to provide information to the public in accordance with the law;

g) When changes affect the implementation of the emergency response plan, update and supplement the plan and notify the competent authority approving the emergency response plan;

5. Command boards at all levels shall have the responsibility to:

a) To coordinate the provision of necessary human resources, equipment, means, and infrastructure based on requirements for emergency preparedness and response activities and specific conditions;

b) Organize emergency response activities in accordance with the Emergency Response Plan;

c) Organize regular training and drills.

6. On-site emergency response commanders have responsibilities:

a) Direct and manage forces participating in emergency response activities at the site;

b) Direct and mobilize all available resources and technical facilities for emergency response activities;

c) Serve as the focal point for receiving, processing, and providing information at the site;

d) Follow the directives of the Head of the Command Board.

Article 6. Emergency Response Center

1. Facilities belonging to risk groups I and II must establish an independent Emergency Response Center from the Control Room; the Emergency Response Center must be equipped with sufficient devices to facilitate communication with the Control Room, participating organizations, and forces at all levels, monitor radiation information, and be equipped with radiation protection devices.

2. For risk groups I and II, the Emergency Response Center located outside the facility must be constructed and fully equipped with necessary emergency response devices and means, and must ensure safety; the headquarters of the Emergency Response Center located outside the facility, and initial emergency response forces must be established and maintained according to the national-level emergency response plan.

3. Provincial-level emergency response command boards must establish provincial emergency response centers equipped with necessary devices and means to respond to emergencies in accordance with local specific conditions.

Chapter II

PREPARATION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Section 1

REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES

Article 7. Organization and Management in Emergency Preparedness

1. Command bodies at various levels are responsible for:

a) Establish systems for managing and directing during emergency responses;

b) Develop strategic objectives and address issues related to the lack of synchronization in functions, responsibilities, authorities, resource distribution, and priority rights among emergency response organizations;

c) Prepare for radiation and nuclear emergencies in conjunction with preparations for other types of emergencies.

2. Heads of facilities belonging to risk groups I, II, and III must prepare:

a) Procedures for transitioning from normal operation status to emergency status of the facility and methods for implementing such transitions without compromising the safety features of the facility, affecting the ability to comply with safe operating procedures, and performing actions to mitigate the consequences for operational staff;

b) Clearly define the responsibilities of individuals involved in the transition process as mentioned in Point a of Clause 2 of this Article.

3. Heads of facilities belonging to risk groups I and II are responsible for preparing for:

a) Coordination between emergency response forces within the facility and external emergency response organizations;

b) Close coordination between organizing emergency response activities and the provincial emergency response plan within the UPZ and PAZ regions.

Article 8. Preparatory work for accident confirmation, notification, and activation of the emergency response system

1. Command bodies at various levels are responsible for:

a) Establish mechanisms for receiving and processing information accordingly;

b) Establish a point of contact for continuous 24 hours per day, 7 days per week (24/7) reception and processing of information on accidents, requests for assistance, and initial response recommendations;

c) Organize training for radiation workers and emergency responders to recognize potential accident signs and issue appropriate notifications and timely warnings when an accident occurs;

d) Organize training for initial emergency response forces to recognize radiation warning signs and issue appropriate notifications and timely warnings when an accident occurs.

2. The command boards at all levels, based on the alarm levels specified in Appendix III of this Circular, and design requirements, shall be responsible for establishing a detection, identification, classification, notification, and activation system for the emergency response that complies with legal regulations.

3. In the national emergency response plan, the functions and responsibilities of organizations and individuals responsible for receiving accident information, processing information, activating the emergency response system, declaring a state of emergency; notifying and requesting assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency and other countries under the Early Notification Convention on Nuclear Accidents and the Assistance Convention in the Event of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency must be stipulated.

Article 9. Work on Preparation for Mitigation of Consequences

1. For Group IV risks, the command board shall be responsible for:

a) Providing technical advice and supplying radiation protection support forces for accident responders and initial response forces;

b) Organizing training for radiation workers on measures to mitigate the potential consequences of an accident, protecting workers and the public around the accident site.

2. The command board shall inspect and direct the organization of training for initial response forces on timely actions to respond to potential or ongoing accidents related to radioactive material transport.

3. Facilities using radioactive sources belonging to Groups 1 and 2 according to the "National Technical Regulation on Radiation Safety - Subdivision and Classification of Radioactive Sources" - QCVN 6:2010/BKHCN issued together with Circular No. 24/2010/TT-BKHCN dated December 29, 2010 of the Minister of Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as QCVN 6:2010/BKHCN) must establish timely communication relationships and methods with radiation assessment organizations or radiation protection experts as stipulated in the accident response plan in case of an accident to minimize all consequences.

4. Facilities belonging to Risk Groups I, II, and III have the responsibility to prepare to implement actions to mitigate consequences to achieve the following objectives:

a) Preventing escalation of incidents;

b) Returning the facility to a safe state;

c) Reduce the likelihood of radioactive material dispersion;

d) Reduce the likelihood of exposure;

đ) Provide timely technical support to operating staff;

e) Provide timely emergency response teams;

g) Prepare to receive support from organizations participating in provincial or national-level emergency responses.

5. Organizations and individuals involved in developing the Emergency Response Plan as prescribed in Clause 5, Article 83 of the Atomic Energy Law shall be responsible for building resources to meet the requirements set forth in Clause 3, Article 19 of this Circular.

Article 10. Preparation for the Implementation of Emergency Protective Actions

1. The command boards at all levels shall be responsible for informing the initial response forces to immediately implement measures to save people and prevent serious injuries when there are signs or indications of the presence of radioactive substances at the site.

2. Facilities belonging to Groups I and II shall be responsible for preparing to make decisions and carry out emergency protective actions within the facility. This preparation includes:

a) Describing the technical characteristics of the emergency planning zone (EPZ for facilities in Group I and PAZ for facilities in Groups I and II);

b) Establishing procedures (based on alarm levels and actual conditions within and around the facility) for issuing recommendations to implement emergency protective actions outside the facility;

c) Specifying individuals with responsibilities and authorities to promptly provide recommendations for implementing emergency protective actions outside the facility to the competent authorities specified in the multi-level emergency response plan;

d) Specifying timely notification to the competent authority for the implementation of emergency protective actions within the PAZ and EPZ according to Appendix VI of this Circular.

3. Facilities belonging to Groups I, II, and III shall ensure the safety of all individuals within the facility when an incident occurs, including:

a) Notifying the incident to all individuals within the facility;

b) Counting all individuals within the facility;

c) Identifying and searching for missing persons;

d) Implementing emergency protection actions;

đ) Providing timely first aid.

4. The provincial command board where the PAZ and EPZ areas are located shall prepare and coordinate with other response forces to implement emergency protective actions outside the facility as follows:

a) Protecting response personnel;

b) Notifying the public in the PAZ and EPZ areas according to the approved emergency response plan;

c) Implementing emergency protection actions;

d) Protecting food and water supplies;

đ) Requesting restrictions on food consumption in the area;

e) Inspecting and decontaminating evacuated persons;

g) Caring for evacuated persons and controlling access to the area.

Article 11. Preparation for Information Provision

1. Facilities belonging to Groups I and II shall be prepared to provide information about the incident to the competent authorities specified in the emergency response plan. The information includes:

a) Current hazardous situation;

b) Methods of warning, notification, and actions that citizens need to take when an incident occurs.

2. Command boards at all levels shall be responsible for:

a) Specifying agencies, organizations, and individuals with the authority to notify about the incident, necessary intervention measures, and related information to appropriate recipients;

b) Building infrastructure for information provision such as communication means and backup equipment.

Article 12. Preparation for Alarm Level Assessment

1. Facilities belonging to Groups I, II, and III shall be responsible for preparing (human resources, equipment, means, procedures) for timely assessment:

a) Abnormal conditions within the facility;

b) Radiation exposure or radioactive substance release scenarios;

c) Radiation status inside and outside the facility;

d) Any potential or actual radiation exposure situations for the public.

2. Facilities belonging to Groups I, II, and command boards at all levels shall be responsible for preparing for:

a) Assessing radioactive contamination, radioactive substance dispersion, and radiation dose to make decisions on implementing emergency protective actions within the PAZ and EPZ;

b) Having trained human resources and equipment for the implementation of Point a, Clause 2 of this Article;

c) Storing information related to alarm level assessment to serve emergency response work.

3. Facilities belonging to Group IV shall be responsible for preparing for:

a) Determining the scale and severity of abnormal radiation exposure or radioactive contamination situations;

b) Proposing immediate mitigation and protection actions in the affected area;

c) Identifying individuals in the public who may be exposed to radiation;

d) Informing the level of danger and recommending protective actions to the competent authorities.

Article 13. Preparations for Health Management in Response to Incidents

1. Medical forces participating in incident response must be trained on:

a) Radiation safety;

b) Clinical symptoms caused by radiation exposure;

c) Notification procedures and initial treatment procedures for victims in radiation and nuclear incidents.

2. Facilities in risk groups I, II, and III must prepare to treat a certain number of employees overexposed to radiation or contaminated with radioactive material. Treatment includes first aid, dose assessment, transportation, and initial medical care for patients contaminated with radioactive material or exposed to high doses of radiation at local hospitals.

3. Command bodies at all levels for the UPZ and PAZ areas of facilities in risk groups must develop plans to classify and transfer overexposed individuals to specialized hospitals.

4. Medical forces specified in the incident response plan have the responsibility to prepare:

a) Emergency personnel, equipment, and treatment resources;

b) Appropriate treatment protocols for early diagnosis and treatment of radiation diseases;

c) Consultations with other specialized organizations regarding severe injuries affecting the health and lives of response personnel and the public.

Article 14. Preparations for Limiting Food Consumption and Long-term Protection

1. Competent authorities defined in the multi-level incident response plans within the area and activities in risk group V are responsible for preparing to implement agricultural protection measures such as limiting consumption, distribution, and sale of foodstuffs in areas affected by radioactive contamination. Preparation includes:

a) Establishing operational intervention levels;

b) Methods for evaluating operational intervention levels;

c) Ensuring continuous monitoring of radioactive contamination in agricultural areas;

d) Ensuring analysis of water and food samples;

đ) Agricultural protection measures.

2. Competent authorities defined in the multi-level incident response plans are responsible for preparing to manage radioactive waste and contaminated materials resulting from the incident, including establishing monitoring and analysis plans to classify contaminated samples and radioactive waste caused by the incident.

3. The provincial command body coordinates with the national command body to prepare for temporary evacuation of people inside and outside the UPZ; prepare for radiation contamination checks on vehicles, people, and property entering and exiting the emergency response zone (including both inside and outside the UPZ).

Article 15. Minimizing Non-Radiological Consequences of Incidents and Incident Response Operations

Provincial and national command bodies are responsible for preparing to:

1. Have sound justifications and optimal measures to implement intervention levels in food management and long-term preventive measures.

2. Consider economic and social development impacts, long-term social welfare impacts, and other impacts.

3. Be ready to advise the public.

4. Timely explain health risks and advise the public on protective actions to take and avoid to minimize incident consequences.

5. Promptly prevent excessive actions.

Article 16. Preparations for Ending Protective Actions, Interventions, and Environmental Recovery

1. Command bodies at all levels are responsible for planning the announcement to end incident response operations, including establishing criteria for ending protective and intervention actions based on intervention levels and on-site radiation safety conditions.

2. Command bodies are responsible for developing environmental recovery plans that clearly define:

a) Roles and functions of related organizations;

b) Information provision methods;

c) Methods for assessing radiological and non-radiological consequences;

d) Methods for modifying recovery actions to minimize radiological and non-radiological incident consequences;

đ) Measures to ensure radiation safety and control occupational radiation exposure.

Section 2

REQUIREMENTS FOR INCIDENT RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

Article 17. Organization and management in emergency response activities

1. Organizations participating in emergency response activities shall be responsible for:

a) Ensuring synchronized coordination among organizations and individuals participating in emergency response both within and outside the facility;

b) Evaluating necessary information to issue decisions on mobilizing resources throughout the entire incident.

2. Organizations and individuals participating in emergency response shall be responsible for implementing emergency response according to the provisions in the emergency response plan and ensuring that the emergency response is carried out promptly, effectively managed without reducing the safety performance of the facility, and not causing more serious consequences regarding radiation and nuclear safety.

3. Organizations outside the facility participating in emergency response in the UPZ and PAZ areas of facilities belonging to risk groups I and II shall be responsible for coordinating and supporting each other in emergency response.

Article 18. Confirmation of incidents, notification, and activation of the emergency response system

1. When there is information related to an incident at the facility, the facility must confirm the incident, determine the level of alert, and notify the information reception point as specified in the facility-level and provincial-level emergency response plans.

2. When there is information related to an incident in the locality, the provincial-level information reception and processing point must confirm the incident, determine the level of alert, and notify the organizations participating in emergency response.

3. The provisions regarding the time for confirming incidents, notification, and activation of the emergency response system are presented in Appendix VI of this Circular.

4. In cases where an incident has the potential to affect another country, in accordance with Clause 8, Article 84 of the Atomic Energy Law, the agency assigned under the law shall be responsible for notifying the incident to international organizations or directly to the affected country.

Article 19. Implementation of measures to mitigate consequences

1. Initial emergency response forces shall base on specific circumstances and intervention levels to implement appropriate intervention measures to mitigate the consequences of incidents caused by risk group IV.

2. Facilities belonging to risk groups I, II, III, and IV shall be responsible for promptly implementing appropriate intervention measures to mitigate the consequences of incidents.

3. Emergency response support resources at all levels, including technical equipment, communication, prophylactic medication, evacuation sites, and other essential supplies, must be ready to support emergency response for facilities in risk groups I, II, and III.

Article 20. Implementation of urgent protective measures

Organizations and individuals participating in incident response shall be responsible for:

1. Prioritizing the implementation of all appropriate measures to rescue people.

2. For nuclear incidents, urgent protective measures such as sheltering, evacuation, and distribution of potassium iodide (KI) tablets shall be implemented to reduce radiation dose and prevent deterministic health effects; for radiation incidents, appropriate radiation protection measures shall be implemented.

3. Adjust urgent protective actions based on the development of the incident using information obtained from the incident.

4. Cease urgent protective actions when they are no longer appropriate.

Article 21. Provision of information and guidance to the public

Command bodies at all levels are responsible for:

1. Based on the level of alert, specific conditions, and field monitoring data, timely warnings and protective action guidance for the public shall be provided within the scope of authority.

2. Provide official information to limit the spread of false and inaccurate information.

Article 22. Protection of emergency responders

Organizations and individuals participating in emergency preparedness and response activities shall be responsible for implementing protective measures for personnel, dose control according to procedures established in the emergency response plan and in accordance with Circular No. 19/2012/TT-BKHCN dated November 8, 2012, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology, concerning radiation safety control and assurance during occupational and public exposure.

Article 23. Evaluation of Alert Levels

Organizations and individuals assigned to evaluate alert levels in the emergency response plan shall be responsible for:

1. Based on the provisions in Appendix III of this Circular and the evaluation results, determine the severity and potential consequences of the incident throughout its course to apply appropriate alert levels.

2. Conduct radiation monitoring and environmental sample analysis to promptly identify potential hazards and adjust response strategies.

3. Provide timely information to response organizations about the incident status, incident assessment, and recommended protective actions.

Article 24. Medical Management in Emergency Response

1. Health organizations assigned tasks in the emergency response plan shall be responsible for implementing initial first aid measures and reporting to the information reception point specified in the emergency response plan when signs of radiation-induced illness are observed; issue KI to suitable subjects based on intervention levels.

Organizations and individuals who observe signs of radiation-induced illness shall be responsible for reporting to the information reception agency specified in the emergency response plan.

2. Individuals exposed to radiation and contaminated with radioactive substances must be treated at specialized hospitals.

3. Health organizations assigned tasks in the emergency response plan shall be responsible for proposing measures to assess the increase in cancer rates among emergency responders and the public; propose appropriate treatment measures if necessary.

Article 25. Limiting Food Consumption and Long-Term Protection

1. The provincial and national command boards shall be responsible for implementing protection measures, limiting food consumption, and long-term protection in accordance with the provisions in Appendix II of this Circular.

2. Command boards at all levels shall be responsible for organizing the management of radioactive waste and decontamination caused by the incident.

Article 26. Termination of Protective Actions, Interventions, Incident Level Notifications, and Environmental Recovery

1. Command bodies at various levels are responsible for:

a) Determine the time to terminate protective actions, interventions, and notify the public according to authority;

b) Evaluate the incident level in accordance with Clause 3, Article 82 of the Atomic Energy Law and notify the public according to authority.

2. Command boards at all levels shall be responsible for organizing the assessment of occupational radiation doses for personnel involved in environmental recovery activities upon completion of the recovery process.

3. Environmental recovery shall be concluded when the following conditions are met:

a) The effective dose from radiated environments does not exceed 10 mSv/year;

b) Recovery measures have been applied on the principle of minimizing exposure as reasonably achievable;

c) There is evidence that continuing recovery actions would yield benefits smaller than the cost of implementing such actions.

4. Command boards at all levels shall be responsible for deciding to revoke restriction, intervention, and recovery measures based on national and international regulations.

5. In necessary cases, the Ministry of Science and Technology shall coordinate with relevant ministries and command boards to set reference dose levels to terminate recovery actions.

Chapter III

PREPARATION AND APPROVAL OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS FOR RADIATION AND NUCLEAR INCIDENTS AT THE LOCAL AND PROVINCIAL LEVELS

LOCAL AND PROVINCIAL LEVEL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS

Section 1

LOCAL LEVEL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

Article 27. Emergency Response Plan for Facilities Belonging to Risk Groups I, II, and III

The Emergency Response Plan for facilities belonging to risk groups I, II, and III shall have the following structure:

1. General provisions:

a) Description of the scope regulated and the subjects to which the emergency response plan applies;

b) Explain the concepts and terms used in the emergency response plan;

c) Provide information related to the list, address, and contact phone numbers of organizations and individuals participating in emergency response and those providing support;

d) List other relevant emergency response plans such as those for natural disasters and fire prevention and extinguishing that are effective within the province or centrally governed city.

2. Legal basis for establishing the emergency response plan:

Present a list of normative legal documents issued by central and local state agencies with authority and quote the main contents of these documents.

3. Risk Analysis at the Facility:

a) Based on the risk groups defined in Clause 1, Article 4 of this Circular, analyze the risks, scenarios, and the greatest consequences caused by emergencies;

b) Analyze risks related to security breaches affecting the facility or radioactive sources.

4. Organizational structure and responsibilities of organizations and individuals participating in emergency response:

a) Specify the organizational structure and emergency response organization chart of the facility;

b) Clearly define the responsibilities of each organization and individual within the facility related to preparation and emergency response, including the head of the facility; the Emergency Response Command Board; members of the Command Board; departments and individuals participating in emergency response; other departments and individuals supporting emergency response.

The responsibilities of organizations and individuals must be detailed as required by Articles 5; 6; 7; Clause 1 and Clause 2 of Article 8; Clause 2, Clause 3, and Clause 4 of Article 9; Clause 1, Clause 2, and Clause 3 of Article 10; Article 11; Clause 1 and Clause 2 of Article 12; Clause 2 of Article 13 and Article 16 of this Circular.

5. Preparedness and Readiness for Emergency Response:

a) Clearly state the human resources and equipment of the facility to ensure the fulfillment of responsibilities specified in Point b, Clause 4 of this Article;

b) Determine the PAZ and UPZ zones for facilities belonging to risk groups I or II according to the provisions in Appendix IV of this Circular;

c) Develop training and drill plans (scenarios, timing, frequency) for organizations and individuals involved in emergency response;

d) Specify procedures for updating and supplementing the emergency response plan.

6. Emergency Response Activities:

a) Apply emergency response principles as stipulated in Article 3 of this Circular to emergency response activities;

b) Establish management mechanisms during the emergency response process as prescribed in Article 17 of this Circular;

c) Develop manpower and equipment mobilization plans appropriate to alarm levels, meeting the requirements set out in Clause 1 and Clause 3 of Article 18 of this Circular;

d) Establish corresponding emergency response stages based on the provisions in Appendix VII of this Circular, criteria to be achieved in each stage, and specific procedures and guidelines to meet these criteria; emergency response stages must comply with the requirements set forth in Clause 2 of Article 19; Article 20; Article 21; Article 22; Article 23; Clause 1 and Clause 2 of Article 24; Article 25 of this Circular;

đ) Establish an internal information system, assistance requests, and notifications to individuals within the PAZ and UPZ zones.

7. Appendices Accompanying the Emergency Response Plan:

a) Documents serving emergency response work such as: facility maps, floor plans, sample notification content and information reception forms as prescribed in Appendix VIII of this Circular; determine alarm levels and response levels; manpower and equipment mobilization levels; appointment of on-site commanders;

b) Specific guidance on providing information during emergency response; instructions to ensure safety for emergency responders and the public when incidents occur; recommendations for establishing safe zones for incidents as prescribed in Appendix VIII of this Circular;

c) Based on environmental recovery regulations in Article 26 of this Circular, develop procedures for ending emergency response operations and long-term recovery goals;

d) Based on Clause 3 of Article 27 of this Circular, develop specific response scenarios and procedures for incidents;

đ) Develop report templates;

e) Develop an emergency response log.

Article 28. Emergency Response Plan for Facilities at Risk Group IV

1. Facilities conducting radiation work using radioactive sources for industrial radiography shall develop an emergency response plan in accordance with Article 27 of this Circular and adjust it to suit the scale, quantity, and level of danger of the radiation sources.

2. Facilities conducting radiation work using radioactive sources belonging to Group 2 (excluding radioactive sources for industrial radiography), Group 3, and Group 4 as stipulated in QCVN 6:2010/BKHCN, X-ray equipment for industrial radiography, and accelerators shall develop an emergency response plan structured as follows:

a) Legal basis as prescribed in Clause 2, Article 27 of this Circular;

b) Analysis of the risk of accidents occurring at the facility as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 27 of this Circular;

c) Clearly state the organizational structure and responsibilities of departments and individuals within the facility related to accident preparation and response, including provisions on resource allocation for the facility's emergency response operations.

The responsibilities of these organizations and individuals must specify the requirements for accident preparedness as stipulated in Article 5; Clause 1, Article 7; Clause 1, Article 8; Clauses 1 and 2, Article 9; Clause 3, Article 12; and Article 16 of this Circular.

The responsibilities of these organizations and individuals must specify the requirements for accident response as stipulated in Clauses 1 and 3, Article 18; Clauses 1 and 2, Article 19; Clauses 1, 3, and 4, Article 20; Article 22; Clause 1, Article 23; Clause 2, Article 24; and Article 26 of this Circular.

d) Based on Point b, Clause 2 of this Article, develop several scenarios for responding to certain accidents such as transportation accidents involving sources, dropped sources, stuck sources, lost sources, and overexposure incidents.

đ) Provisions on notification, requesting assistance, and reporting to competent authorities in accordance with the law. _{thẩm quyền theo quy định của pháp luật. ||| authority as provided for by law.}

3. Facilities conducting radiation work using radioactive sources belonging to Group 5 as stipulated in QCVN 6:2010/BKHCN shall develop an emergency response plan structured as follows: risk analysis, situations related to loss of radioactive sources, safety issues related to radioactive sources, developing response scenarios based on those situations, and provisions on reporting responsibilities when an accident occurs.

4. Facilities using X-ray diagnostic equipment and other X-ray emitting devices not covered under Clause 2 of this Article shall develop an emergency response plan structured as follows:

a) Provisions on reporting responsibilities when radiation workers, patients, and other individuals are exposed to excessive doses.

b) Content of the accident report.

c) Provisions on the responsibility for dose assessment methods and health monitoring of individuals exposed to excessive doses.

Section 2

PROVINCIAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

Article 29. Provincial Emergency Response Plan

The provincial emergency response plan is structured as follows:

1. General provisions as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 27 of this Circular.

2. Legal bases as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 27, and additional legal bases for mobilizing, assisting with human resources, assets, means, and compensating losses for emergency response operations.

3. Analysis of risks leading to incidents in the province:

a) Based on the risk groups defined in Clause 1, Article 4 of this Circular, analyze the risks, scenarios, and the greatest consequences caused by emergencies;

b) Analyze risks related to security breaches concerning radioactive sources within the province.

4. Organizational structure and responsibilities of organizations and individuals participating in emergency response:

a) Clearly define the organizational structure and present a diagram of the emergency response organization;

b) Detailed responsibilities of each organization and individual according to the requirements for accident preparation and response, specifically: the structure and composition of the Emergency Response Command Board; responsibilities of the Emergency Response Command Board; responsibilities of each member of the Board; responsibilities of the Board Chair; responsibilities of participating organizations; and responsibilities of supporting organizations.

The responsibilities of these organizations and individuals must specify the corresponding requirements as stipulated in Articles 5 and 6; Clause 1, Article 7; Clause 1, Article 8; Clauses 1, 2, and 5, Article 19; Clause 4, Article 10; Clause 2, Article 11; Clause 2, Article 12; Clauses 1, 3, and 4, Article 13; Articles 14 and 15; and Article 16 of this Circular.

5. Preparedness and Readiness for Emergency Response:

a) Clearly state the provisions on preparing human resources, equipment, and financial resources of participating organizations to ensure compliance with the responsibilities specified in Point b, Clause 4 of this Article.

b) For provinces with Risk Groups I or II, must develop response plans ensuring technical facilities, means, and human resources for emergency response suitable for the PAZ and UPZ areas.

c) Develop training and drill plans (scenarios, timing, frequency) for organizations and individuals included in the emergency response plan.

d) Provisions on the working location of the Provincial Emergency Response Command Board appropriate to the specific conditions of the locality.

đ) Provisions on reviewing, updating, and supplementing the plan.

6. Emergency Response Activities:

a) Apply emergency response principles as stipulated in Article 3 of this Circular to emergency response activities;

b) Establish management mechanisms during the emergency response process as prescribed in Article 17 of this Circular;

c) Develop mobilization plans for human resources and equipment suitable for alarm levels, meeting the requirements stipulated in Clauses 2 and 3, Article 18 of this Circular.

d) Establish response phases corresponding to the provisions in Appendix VIII of this Circular, criteria to be achieved in each phase, and specific procedures and guidelines to achieve these criteria; response phases must meet the requirements stipulated in Clauses 3, Articles 19 through 26 of this Circular.

đ) Develop methods and contents for informing relevant information about the progress of emergency response to participating organizations, mass media during the emergency response process, following the guidelines stipulated in Appendix VIII of this Circular.

e) Develop regulations on notification, assistance, and requests for assistance from related localities during emergency response.

7. Appendices:

a) List and detailed contact addresses of the Command, organizations, and individuals participating in emergency response;

b) Documents serving emergency response operations such as templates for notifications and information reception; determination of alarm levels and mobilization of response forces; deployment and appointment of on-site commanders.

c) Some guidance and instructions such as information provision during emergency response; ensuring public and responder safety when an incident occurs; recommendations for safe zones during emergencies.

d) Based on the environmental recovery provisions in Article 26 of this Circular, establish procedures for deciding to end response activities, long-term recovery goals.

đ) Based on Clause 3, Article 29 of this Circular, develop specific response scenarios and procedures for various incidents.

e) Develop report templates;

g) Develop an emergency response log.

Section 3

APPROVAL OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

Article 30. Documents for Approval of Emergency Response Plans

1. The documents for approval of emergency response plans at the facility level include:

- A request letter for approval;

- Three copies of the emergency response plan at the facility level established in accordance with the structure and content stipulated in this Circular; Each copy of the emergency response plan must be signed by the head of the facility and stamped by the facility, with all pages sealed together and having a hard cover page.

2. The documents for approval of emergency response plans at the provincial level include:

- A request letter for approval;

- Four copies of the emergency response plan at the provincial level established in accordance with the structure and content stipulated in this Circular; Each copy of the emergency response plan must be signed and stamped by the competent authority drafting it, with all pages sealed together and having a hard cover page.

Article 31. Competent Authority to Approve Emergency Response Plans

1. The competent authority to approve emergency response plans at the facility level is the authority issuing permits for radiation work as provided for in Article 23 of Circular No. 08/2010/TT-BKHCN dated July 22, 2010, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology on reporting and issuing permits for radiation work and certificates for radiation workers.

2. The authority to approve emergency response plans at the provincial and national levels is stipulated in Clause 5, Article 83 of the Atomic Energy Law; The Ministry of Science and Technology shall approve emergency response plans for nuclear power plants when reviewing safety analysis reports during the construction and operation licensing phase.

Article 32. Procedures for Approval of Emergency Response Plans

1. Organizations and individuals requesting approval of emergency response plans at the facility level must submit one set of documents in accordance with Clause 1 of Article 30 of this Circular to the competent authority for approval as prescribed. Within ten working days from the date of receipt of complete documents, the competent authority is responsible for reviewing the documents and approving the emergency response plan if the documents meet the requirements. In case of disagreement with approval, the competent authority must respond in writing and specify the reasons.

2. Provincial People's Committees requesting approval of emergency response plans at the provincial level must submit one set of documents in accordance with Clause 2 of Article 30 of this Circular to the Ministry of Science and Technology. Within ten working days from the date the Ministry of Science and Technology receives complete documents, the Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible for establishing a Review Board for provincial-level emergency response plans. Within sixty days from the completion of the Review Board's review, the Ministry of Science and Technology will issue a decision to approve the provincial-level emergency response plan. In case the Ministry of Science and Technology disagrees with approval, it must respond in writing and specify the reasons.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 33. Transitional Provisions

1. Emergency response plans that have been established and approved in accordance with Circular No. 24/2012/TT-BKHCN dated December 4, 2012, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology on guiding the establishment and approval of emergency response plans for radiation incidents and nuclear incidents at the facility and provincial levels do not need to go through the approval process again.

2. Emergency response plans that have been established but not yet approved before the effective date of this Circular must be revised and submitted according to the provisions of this Circular.

Article 34. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from November 24, 2014.

2. This Circular replaces Circular No. 24/2012/TT-BKHCN dated December 4, 2012, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology on guiding the establishment and approval of emergency response plans for radiation incidents and nuclear incidents at the facility and provincial levels.

3. During implementation, if there are difficulties or new issues arise, organizations, entities, and individuals are requested to promptly report to the Ministry of Science and Technology for consideration and appropriate amendments and supplements./.