Emergency planning in Sweden

ABSTRACT

The Swedish system for nuclear safety adminstration for commercial and research reactors derives from national legislation first introduced by the Nuclear Accident Protection Act in 1960, which includes provisions for responsability and authority concerning off-site emergency planning and preparedness. In Sweden, the National Institute of Radiation Protection has the overhall plannning responsability and the County Boards are responsible for emergency preparedness at the local level. The most important improvements in emergency preparedness have now been implemented (a)24-hour emergency staff is now available for responsible agencies and bodies; (b) a programme of education and training of the vairous staff categories has been introduced; (c) an organization for prompt area contamination has been created for measurements within a 50 km zone around each site; (d) a telecommunication system has been set up; (e) iodine tablets have been distibuted and information what to do in the event of an alarm has been distributed to the public within a zone of about 15 km around each site; (f) an alert system including both an outdoor alaram system and telephone alarma signals has been implemented. (AU)