Da Nang conducts drills to respond to radiation and nuclear incidents

DNO - On the morning of July 26, at the Center for Research and Development of Radiation Technology (Hoa Son Commune, Hoa Vang District), the Department of Science and Technology organized a city-level radiation and nuclear incident response drill in 2024 with the situation of "insecurity of group A radioactive sources". Attending were Director of the Department of Radiation and Nuclear Safety Nguyen Tuan Khai and Vice Chairwoman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi.

Performed by: QUOC CUONG - VAN HOANG

In her opening speech, Vice Chairwoman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi said that the radiation and nuclear incident response drill plays an important role in propaganda work, raising awareness and responsibility of the community in ensuring radiation safety and security of radioactive sources.

From there, improve the capacity of leadership, direction, command and coordination between forces in incident response work in the city.

The exercise scenario focuses on strengthening coordination capabilities and improving the capacity to respond to radiation and nuclear incidents for a number of forces under the City's Steering Committee for Radiation and Nuclear Incident Response.

The drill is the basis for assessing the suitability of the approved city-level nuclear and radiation incident response plan with actual conditions, thereby promptly adjusting and supplementing it, contributing to perfecting the plan in the following years.

Vice Chairwoman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi delivered the opening speech at the rehearsal on the morning of July 26.

This is the 7th time the city has organized a city-level nuclear and radiation incident response drill according to Plan No. 6819/KH-UBND dated August 27, 2015 on promulgating the Da Nang city-level nuclear and radiation incident response plan.

Accordingly, the drill situation was at the irradiation line of the Da Nang Radiation Technology Research and Development Center, an incident occurred where a Co-60 source was hooked to a container and left the irradiation chamber, posing a risk to nuclear radiation safety and security.

At the same time, radiation from the power bar, has the potential to cause a fire in the cargo container. Realizing that the situation is likely to exceed the response capacity of the facility, the Center reported and requested assistance from the authorities.

Here, the forces participating in the incident response exercise performed tasks such as: bringing the source bar to the source tank; measuring and evaluating the dose rate in the cargo compartment area; fire fighting; medical care; assessing radioactive contamination for victims and response forces; disinfecting the cargo compartment (simulating the cargo compartment and source tank at the exercise site)...

Director of the Department of Radiation and Nuclear Safety Nguyen Tuan Khai (Ministry of Science and Technology) highly appreciated the drill on handling radiation and nuclear incidents in Da Nang city.

Mr. Nguyen Tuan Khai, Director of the Department of Radiation and Nuclear Safety (Ministry of Science and Technology) assessed that Da Nang is one of the localities approved to conduct a radiation and nuclear incident response drill quite early. This was a drill at an industrial irradiation facility, using a group A radioactive source - the highest level among radioactive sources.

The scenario is quite suitable for the operation of industrial irradiation facilities and is a typical incident that has occurred in the world. The scenario is built to assess the facility's understanding in the process of operating and handling radioactive sources; technical capacity, level, and coordination of forces in the process of handling incidents.

The Director also noted that the first incident handling procedure requires assessing human impact, followed by assessing radiation safety. During the handling process, Da Nang used robots, which is the highest safety measure, avoiding direct impact that poses risks to humans.

On the other hand, even though the drill has been conducted according to the scenario, it is necessary to pay attention to situations that may occur in reality. For example, when the source has not been removed, the fire has already flared up, so it is necessary to prioritize fire fighting to avoid spreading radiation as well as long-term effects. After extinguishing the fire, the forces need to continue to deal with the issue of radiation, contamination, etc.

After discovering the incident, forces were quickly dispatched to the scene.

Medical staff quickly deployed first aid and care for the victim while waiting for the team to check for contamination.

The technical support unit sets up control points for entering and exiting hazardous areas and arranges radiation safety inspectors in the incident response force's operating areas.

The irradiation facility immediately started the VINA-Res robot to enter the irradiation chamber, pick up the source bar that was hooked to the cargo box and drop it into the source tank to reduce the dose rate in the irradiation area back to normal.

Firefighting and rescue forces controlled the fire after putting the power rod into the power tank.

Firefighters and rescuers controlled the fire after placing the power rod into the power tank.

Forces are measured for radioactive contamination by officers after completing their mission.

Firefighters are measured for radioactive contamination by officers after completing their duties.

After the fire was controlled, technical support staff wore specialized anti-radiation clothing to measure and assess the radioactive contamination in the irradiation chamber area.