 |
Safety and Health
Topics |
| Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDD)/ Dirty Bombs |
|
| Radiological dispersal devices
(RDD), also known as "dirty bombs," consist of radioactive
material combined with conventional explosives. They are designed
to use explosive force to disperse the radioactive material
over a large area, such as multiple city-blocks. Around the
world, there are many sources of radioactive material that are
not secure or not accounted for. Rogue nations and/or terrorist
groups can obtain these materials for dirty bombs. These explosive
weapons may initially kill a few people in the immediate area
of the blast but are used primarily to produce psychological
rather than physical harm by inducing panic and terror in the
target population. Their use would also result in costly cleanup
for decontamination. |
|
Related Safety and Health Topics
What are Dirty Bombs and How are they Hazardous?
- Fact Sheet on Dirty Bombs. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (2002, July), 2 pages.
Includes the following subsections: Background, Impact of a Dirty
Bomb, Sources of Nuclear Material, Control of Nuclear Material,
Increased Security of Nuclear Material, Response to a Dirty Bomb,
and Federal Role.
- Facts about "Dirty Bombs" for Industrial Hygienists. AIHA
(2002, July 15), 1 page. The AIHA Ionizing Radiation Committee
has prepared this simple fact sheet with reference information
for its members and others.
- Radiation Studies: Dirty Bombs. CDC, National Center for Environmental Health (2002,
December 23), 3 pages. Provides basic information about dirty
bombs.
- "Dirty Bombs" Much More Likely to Create Fear than Cause Cancer: Radiation Effects from Such Devices Likely to Be too Low to Calculate, Health Physicist Says. American Institute of Physics (2002,
March 12), 2 pages. Discusses likelihood and severity of radiation-related
health effects following a "dirty bomb" incident.
How will Workers in the Surrounding Area be Protected?
- Guidance for Responding to Radiological and Nuclear Incidents. U.S.
Department of State, 4 pages. This fact sheet provides guidance
on what to do in the event of three types of nuclear/radiological
events: dispersal of radioactive materials by a radiation dispersal
device (RDD); detonation of a nuclear weapon; and an accidental/intentional
nuclear power plant release.
- Guidance for Protective Actions Following
a Radiological Terrorist Event. The Health Physics Society (2004, January), 99 KB PDF file, 4 pages. A Position Statement from The Health Physics Society,
a nonprofit scientific professional organization whose mission
is to promote the practice of radiation safety.
- Background Information on "Guidance for Protective Actions
Following a Radiological Terrorist Event." The Health
Physics Society (2004, January), 164 KB PDF, 12 pages.
Background information on the position statement listed above.
-
Disaster Preparedness for Radiology Professionals: Response to Radiological Terrorism. American College of Radiology (ACR)
(2002, September 23), 43 pages. This primer is provided as a quick
reference in the event of a radiation disaster. It summarizes
current information on preparing for a radiation emergency, handling
contaminated persons, dose assessment and radiation exposure health
effects. It also includes information on radiological findings
related to agents of biological and chemical terrorism.
How will First Responders be Protected?
- Working Group on Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) Preparedness - Medical Preparedness and Response Sub-Group. Department of Homeland
Security (2003, May 1). 340 KB
PDF, 79 pages. Medical Treatment
of Radiological Casualties.
- Management of Terrorist Events Involving Radioactive Material. National
Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Report
No. 138, abstract. (2002), 1 page. Provides guidance to "first
responders" and "emergency medicine personnel"
that would be involved in the management of terrorist events involving
radioactive material. Press release.
- Example Safety and Health Plans
- Survey instrumentation and personal monitoring
- PPE
- Decontamination
- Medical Surveillance
How will Health-Care Workers be Protected?
- Medical Management of Radiological Casualties Handbook. Military Medical
Operations Office, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
(1999, December), 604 KB
PDF, 152 pages. This handbook is a supplement
to the Medical Effects of Ionizing Radiation Course, offered by
the Department of Defense for training health-care professionals
in the management of uncontrolled ionizing radiation exposure.
- Initial Management of Irradiated or Radioactively Contaminated Personnel.
Department of the Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (1998,
December). Provides direction to the Medical Department, civilian
medical personnel of the naval services and Navy and Marine Corps
commands for the initial exposure assessment, management, and
treatment of individuals who are irradiated or externally or internally
radioactively contaminated.
- Disaster Preparedness for Radiation Accidents: Patient treatment and management for acute radiation syndromes. Baylor College of Medicine,
3 pages. Contains tables with brief recommendations for treatment
of patients who have experienced radiation exposure.
How will Clean-up Workers be Protected?
What Organizations and Authorities are involved in RDD Response?
What Can be Done to Secure Radioactive Materials?
-
Summary of Report on Protection Against Nuclear Terrorism.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
(2001, November 30), 2 pages. Press release on the
state of security in various nuclear facilities. Indicates
that in many cases there is a need for improved protection
and control.
- Guarding Nuclear Reactors and Materials from Terrorists and Thieves.
Arms Control Association (2001, October), 6 pages. This
paper promotes more stringent physical protection standards
for nuclear materials.
- Reducing the Threat of Nuclear Theft and Sabotage.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 84 KB PDF,
18 pages. This paper recommends a range of specific steps
to upgrade security at individual facilities and strengthen national
and international standards.
- Ten Principles for Nuclear and Radiological Materials Security.
U.S. Department of Energy (2002, November 14), 10 pages. Remarks
of Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham to the Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace International Non-proliferation Conference.
- Inadequate Control of World's Radioactive Sources. International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) (2002, June 25), 2 pages. Discusses the
availability of the radioactive materials needed to build a "dirty
bomb" and the lack of control and monitoring programs for known
radioactive sources.
- U.S., Russia Agree to Protect "Dirty Bomb" Materials.
U.S. Department of State (2002, May 9), 3 pages. Excerpt from
a news conference on meetings between U.S. Energy Secretary and
Russian Atomic Energy Minister.
- State and Federal Action is Needed for Better Control of Orphan Sources.
Health Physics Society (HPS) (2002, April), 110 KB PDF, 2 pages.
This HPS Position Statement provides recommendations regarding
orphan sources-radioactive sources that have escaped institutional
control, such as, sources that have been lost, stolen, or abandoned.
- Background Information on "State and Federal Action is Needed for Better Control of Orphan Sources." Health Physics Society (HPS)
(2002, April), 193 KB PDF, 6 pages.
- Professional Society of Radiation Specialists Supports Radioactive Source Legislation.
Health Physics Society (HPS) (2002), 96 KB PDF, 2 pages. Presents the HPS position on proposed
radioactive source legislation.
- Reducing the Nuclear Threat in the 21st Century.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (2001, October 29), 42 KB PDF, 8 pages. Discusses possible nuclear threats
and measures to prevent them.
Compliance
- OSHA Standards
- 1910.120,
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response. This HAZWOPER
standard contains requirements relating to ionizing radiation
at hazardous waste sites.
- 1910.1096,
Ionizing radiation (general industry).
- 1926.65,
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response. This HAZWOPER
standard for the construction industry; also contains requirements
relating to ionizing radiation at hazardous waste sites.
- OSHA Directives
- Review Commission and Administrative Law
Judge Decisions
The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) is
an independent federal agency created to decide contests of citations
or penalties resulting from OSHA inspections of American work
places. To locate decisions related to this topic, search for
keywords at the OSHRC
site.
- Standard Interpretations and Compliance Letters
- Definition
of an airborne radioactivity area (1992, October 6), 3
pages.
- Application
of 1910.120 to cleanup of nuclear and hazardous waste
(1990, April 4), 3 pages.
- Clarification
of the jurisdiction's of OSHA and the NRC in nuclear power
plants (1987, January 8), 2 pages.
- OSHA/NRC
Interface Activities and Related Information (1985, January
15), 4 pages.
- Review
of permissible radiation exposure levels (1984, November
5), 2 pages.
- Respirator
air quality standards do not apply where the NRC has jurisdiction
(1979, March 6), 2 pages.
- Federal
Register- Ionizing Radiation Standard; Extension of the OMB's
Approval of the information-Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
(2001, May 2), 2 pages.
More
- Prussian Blue (ferric hexacyanoferrate (II)) for Treatment of Internal Contamination with Thallium or Radioactive Cesium. U.S. Food
and Drug Administration - Center for Drug Evaluation and Research,
(2003, October 3), 1 page, links to PDF files. FDA Approves use
of Prussian Blue for Treatment of Internal Contamination with
Thallium or Radioactive Cesium.
- Dirty Bombs Questions and Answers. Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) (2002, July),
6 pages. Answers many common questions regarding dirty bombs.
- Calculating the New Global Nuclear Terrorism Threat. International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) (2001, November 1), 5 pages. Discusses the
potential for nuclear terrorism in various forms.
- What if the Terrorists Go Nuclear? Center for Defense Information (CDI) (2001, October
1), 7 pages. Threat scenarios regarding nuclear weapons and the
various countries involved.
- Radiological Dispersal Devices: Assessing the Transnational Threat. National
Defense University (1998, March), 5 pages. This paper examines
this threat and differentiates the physical from the psychological—and
therefore political—impact on a targeted population.
- Dirty Bombs: Response to a Threat. Federation of American Scientists (FAS) (2002,
April), 8 pages. Provides background, case studies, and recommendations
regarding dirty bombs.
- IAEA Action Plan to combat nuclear terrorism. International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA). Introduces the IAEA action plan designed to upgrade
worldwide protection against acts of terrorism involving nuclear
and other radioactive materials. This page also includes links
to other related information.
|
| |
Revised: 19 March
2004
|
|
 |
|
Back to Top 
www.osha.gov
