ASN Report 2018

Major nuclear or radiological accident national response plan 1.3  ̶  Organising a collective response The response by the public authorities to a major nuclear or radiological accident is determined by a number of texts concerning nuclear safety, radiation protection, public order and civil protection, as well as by the emergency plans. Act 2004-811 of 13 August 2004 on the Modernisation of Civil Protection, makes provision for an updated inventory of risks, an overhaul of operational planning, performance of exercises involving the general public, information and training of the general public, an operational watching brief and alert procedures. Several Decrees implementing this Act, codified in Articles L. 741-1 to L. 741-32 of the Domestic Security Code, more specifically concerning the Orsec plans and PPIs, clarified it in 2005. How radiological emergency situations are dealt with is specified in the Interministerial Directive of 7 April 2005 on the action of the public authorities in the case of an event leading to a radiological emergency situation (see Diagram 1). Thus, at the national level, ASN is actively involved in interministerial work on nuclear emergency management. Following the Fukushima Daiichi accident, considerable thought was given nationally and internationally to consolidating and, as applicable, improving the response organisation of the public authorities. Indeed, this accident showed that it was necessary to improve preparation for the occurrence of a multi-faceted accident (natural disaster, accident affecting several facilities simultaneously). The response organisations thus put into place must be robust and capable of managing a large-scale emergency over a long period of time. Better advance planning must be carried out for work done under ionising radiation and, in order to provide effective support for the country affected, international relations must be improved. 1.3.1  –  Local response organisation In an emergency situation, several parties have the authority to take decisions: ∙ ∙ The licensee of the affected nuclear facilities deploys the response organisation and the resources defined in its PUI (see point 1.1.1). ∙ ∙ ASN has a duty to monitor the licensee’s actions in terms of nuclear safety and radiation protection. In an emergency situation, it calls on assessments by IRSN and can at any time ask the licensee to perform any assessments and take any actions it deems necessary. ∙ ∙ The Prefect of the département in which the installation is located takes the necessary decisions to protect the population, the environment and the property threatened by the accident. Within the framework of the PPI, this comprises the Orsec plans or the Off-site Protection Plan (PPE) in the event of a malicious act. The Prefect is thus responsible for coordinating the resources - both public and private, human and material - deployed in the plan. He/she keeps the population and the mayors informed of events. More specifically through its regional division, ASN assists the Prefect in managing the situation. ∙ ∙ The Prefect of the defence and security zone is responsible for coordinating reinforcements and the support needed by the Prefect of the département , for ensuring that the steps taken between départements are consistent and for coordinating regional communication with national communication. ∙ ∙ Owing to his or her role in the local community, the mayor has an important part to play in anticipating and supporting the measures to protect the population. To this end, the mayor of a town included within the scope of application of an Off-site Emergency Plan (PPI) must draw up and implement a local safeguard plan to provide for, organise and structure the measures to accompany the Prefect’s decisions. The mayor also plays a role in passing on information and heightening population awareness, more particularly during iodine tablet distribution campaigns. Diagram 1 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2018  161 04 – RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY AND POST-ACCIDENT SITUATIONS 04