Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001

Operator’s emergency plan

7.—(1) Where the assessment made by an operator in accordance with regulation 4(1) or regulation 5 shows that it is reasonably foreseeable that a radiation emergency might arise (having regard to the steps taken by the operator under regulation 4(2)), the operator shall prepare an adequate emergency plan (in these Regulations referred to as an “operator’s emergency plan”) designed to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the restriction of exposure to ionising radiation and the health and safety of persons who may be affected by such reasonably foreseeable emergencies as are identified by the said assessment.

(2) Without prejudice to paragraph (1), the operator’s emergency plan shall contain the information specified in Part I of Schedule 7.

(3) A person shall not carry out work with ionising radiation to which the assessment made in accordance with regulation 4(1) applies unless—

(a) the operator has complied with the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2); and

(b) the Executive has complied with the requirements of regulation 9(1), (2), (3), (9) and (10) and has provided confirmation of this to the operator in accordance with regulation 9(14).

(4) The operator’s emergency plan shall be drawn up having regard to the principles set out in Part I of Schedule 8.

(5) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), the operator’s emergency plan shall secure, where appropriate, intervention for the purposes set out in Part II of Schedule 8.

(6) For the purpose of preparing the operator’s emergency plan pursuant to paragraph (1) or of reviewing the plan pursuant to regulation 10(1), the operator shall consult—

(a) his employees, any person carrying out work on behalf of the operator, the Executive, the emergency services, the Health and Social Services Board for the area in which the premises of the operator are situated and the Department of the Environment; and

(b) such other persons, bodies and authorities as the operator considers appropriate,

and, in a case where the emergency services form part of the plan, shall give such information to those services as will enable them to perform their functions in accordance with the plan.

(7) The operator shall ensure that any employee who may be involved with or may be affected by arrangements in the operator’s emergency plan is or has been provided with—

(a) suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training; and

(b) the equipment necessary to restrict that employee’s exposure to ionising radiation including, where appropriate, the issue of suitable dosemeters or other devices obtained in either case from the approved dosimetry service with which the operator has entered into an arrangement under regulation 21 of the 2000 Regulations.

(8) The operator shall provide to the Executive upon request and within such reasonable time as the Executive may specify a copy of the operator’s emergency plan or such parts of that plan as the Executive may require.