Developing guidance on the safe use of air-fed suits in the nuclear industry

Millard, Claire E; Vaughan, N.P.; Webb, Duncan

doi:10.1007/s10111-012-0220-0

Cited by 1 publication

(20 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…This ensures that employees know what gear is appropriate for use in emergency settings, know how to accurately don and doff it, and can be prepared for its physiological burdens. 26,27 Many of the examples of contamination mentioned in the articles stemmed from lack of adherence to the PPE requirements on site or the need for additional PPE. Yoshitomi and Kowatari noted that while full-face respirators may provide some shielding properties to the eyes, it may not be suffiecient.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…19 To compound this issue of insufficiency, workers do not always don nor doff their gear successfully or completely. [9][10][11][12]27 While training is appropriate to address some of these issues, it establishes a need to also enforce the safety requirements. There is a need for better monitoring of worker adherence to the guidance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two articles included underwear as the base layer before donning varying types of full-body protective suits in their work. 27,29 Different types of vests were also mentioned in four articles. One case report from Fukushima noted that tungsten vests were part of the PPE used in areas where radiation doses rate was high.…”

Section: Foot Coveringmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, this extra layer would increase the physiological burden on the wearer or increase entry time. 27 Head coverings were apparent in six articles. Fukushima responders used hard hats in addition to hooded coveralls and respirators in high-contamination zones.…”

Section: Foot Coveringmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…14 The head coverings in the other five articles were combinations of hoods and masks, or hoods as part of the protective suit or coveralls that were worn by responders. 23,[25][26][27]29 One article assessed Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) military ensembles. The MOPP-4 ensemble included a mask/hood combo that was donned by military personnel for emergency response that covered the head.…”

Section: Foot Coveringmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Suit Up: A Systematic Review of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Recommended and Utilized by Various Classes of Responders to Nuclear Radiological Disasters at Nuclear Power Plants

Noel,

Bruce,

Ryan

2024

Prehosp. Disaster med.

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Introduction: Interest in nuclear power as a cleaner and alternative energy source is increasing in many countries. Despite the relative safety of nuclear power, large-scale disasters such as the Fukushima Daiichi (Japan) and Chernobyl (Ukraine) meltdowns are a reminder that emergency preparedness and safety should be a priority. In an emergency situation, there is a need to balance the tension between a rapid response, preventing harm, protecting communities, and safeguarding workers and responders. The first line of defense for workers and responders is personal protective equipment (PPE), but the needs vary by situation and location. Better understanding this is vital to inform PPE needs for workers and responders during nuclear and radiological power plant accidents and emergencies. Study Objective: The aim of this study was to identify and describe the PPE used by different categories of workers and responders during nuclear and radiological power plant accidents and emergencies. Methods: A systematic literature review format following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines was utilized. Databases SCOPUS, PubMed, EMBASE, INSPEC, and Web of Science were used to retrieve articles that examined the PPE recommended or utilized by responders to nuclear radiological disasters at nuclear power plants (NPPs). Results: The search terms yielded 6,682 publications. After removal of duplicates, 5,587 sources continued through the systematic review process. This yielded 23 total articles for review, and five articles were added manually for a total of 28 articles reviewed in this study. Plant workers, decontamination or decommissioning workers, paramedics, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), emergency medical technicians, military, and support staff were the categories of responders identified for this type of disaster. Literature revealed that protective suits were the most common item of PPE required or recommended, followed by respirators and gloves (among others). However, adherence issues, human errors, and physiological factors frequently emerged as hinderances to the efficacy of these equipment in preventing contamination or efficiency of these responders. Conclusion: If worn correctly and consistently, PPE will reduce exposure to ionizing radiation during a nuclear and radiological accident or disaster. For the best results, standardization of equipment recommendations, clear guidelines, and adequate training in its use is paramount. As fields related to nuclear power and nuclear medicine expand, responder safety should be at the forefront of emergency preparedness and response planning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%