Regulation
Radioactive materials are used in the Commonwealth for medical diagnosis and treatment, electric power generation, national defense, and in academic and industrial settings. Possession and use of radioactive materials for these purposes is strictly regulated. Requirements include licenses, registrations, and special training in procedures for the safe use and control of radioactive materials.
Emergency planning
Misuse of radioactive materials can pose unacceptable risks to people and the environment. Careful planning and design help minimize these risks, but even the best preparation is not enough to completely prevent the possibility of accidents. That is why all people authorized to possess and use radioactive materials must have emergency plans and procedures in place. They must be able to respond to an accident that could involve any of the radioactive materials that they have authorization to possess and use.
Following September 11, 2001, the Agency began expanding its scope of emergency planning activities to include additional provisions for preventing and responding to deliberate acts of terrorism that could involve nuclear or radiological materials.
Most accidents and events that involve radioactive materials can be successfully managed with little or no risk to the people involved. Yet, the range of possible scenarios from an accident or intentional act of terrorism is very complex. A large number of local, state and federal organizations could be called upon to respond to a severe accident at a nuclear power plant or an intentional act of terrorism.
Emergency training
To maintain the Agency's technical training and response capabilities, the Planning Section annually reviews, updates and provides training on written plans and procedures. These plans identify the roles, responsibilities, and appropriate steps that qualified individuals should take to protect people from harmful effects of radiation.
Federal evaluation
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) routinely perform comprehensive evaluations of the Agency's technical leadership role in nuclear power plant drills and exercises to test the effectiveness of its integration and coordination with other local, state, and federal agencies. The NRC performs in-depth reviews of the Agency's responses to actual accidents, incidents, and events. The results of these graded evaluations and integrated comprehensive reviews have repeatedly confirmed that the technical assessments and professional judgments made by the Agency are consistent with the highest standards for protecting people in Massachusetts from unnecessary radiation exposure.
Additional Resources
Contact for Emergency preparedness: Planning Section of the Radiation Control Program
Phone
Rings through to Massachusetts State Police