Nordic Guidelines
During a nuclear or radiological emergency protective actions are implemented to reduce actual or potential exposure to radiation for workers and the public. In these Nordic guidelines, the radiation protection and nuclear safety authorities in the Nordic countries present a common view on how the internationally accepted radiation protection principles should be applied during a nuclear or radiological emergency, within the framework of national regulations. The guidelines build on the previous Nordic guidelines and recommendations published in 2014. Emergency preparedness and response has developed significantly over the last decade, e.g. with the implementation of Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 (EU BSS Directive) as well as new or updated IAEA safety standards. These developments are reflected in the current version of the Nordic guidelines, together with experiences in the Nordic region.
These guidelines are based on the planning methodology for emergency exposure situations using reference levels, dose criteria and operational intervention levels. These concepts, and their application for the public and workers, are briefly described in an introductory chapter. Radiological criteria for protective actions and other response actions are presented based on the temporal sequence of phases of a nuclear or radiological emergency given by the IAEA. The guidelines are therefore divided into three parts: Part A for the urgent response phase, Part B for the early response phase, and Part C for the transition phase.
The main focus of the guidelines is on actions to protect the public in case of a nuclear or radiological emergency. All types of peacetime nuclear or radiological emergencies, irrespective of their cause, are covered. As a nuclear emergency can affect a large geographical area, the planning for responding to a nuclear emergency affecting more than one country in the Nordic region can be seen as the primary scenario for these guidelines. In particular protective actions being implemented across borders. Where appropriate, the guidelines instead refer to national planning and regulations.
The Nordic guidelines provide a common Nordic starting point for the practical application of protective actions for Nordic national authorities responsible for radiation protection in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency. However, the actual handling of a nuclear or radiological emergency may deviate from the guidelines presented here, depending on the characteristics of a given situation and conditions which may differ between countries.
Nordic guidelines have been developed by a working group from the Nordic radiation protection and nuclear safety authorities working under the Nordic Emergency Preparedness (NEP) group. It was approved by the Directors General of the Nordic radiation protection and nuclear safety authorities at the Nordic Chefsmöte in 2024.
These guidelines can also be referred to as the “Nordic Flag Book”, represented by the Nordic flags on the cover page.