Decision aiding handbooks for managing contaminated food production systems and inhabited areas in Europe

Health Protection Agency, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ, Oxon, UK

Abstract

Information on options for managing contaminated food production systems and inhabited areas has been systematically recorded in a datasheet format and published as compendia of countermeasures. As only subsets of these management options are likely to be required in the event of a radiological incident, generic handbooks to aid decision makers in the selection and combining of options have been developed for use in Europe, in close collaboration with stakeholders. The handbooks contain relevant scientific and technical information, details of the factors influencing implementation of management options, compendia of datasheets and a decision aiding framework comprising for example, of look-up tables, flow charts, decision trees and colour-coded selection tables. Guidance is also provided on customisation of the handbooks and how to engage with stakeholders. Demonstration of the handbooks in emergency centres confirmed their value for both contingency planning and incident management. The demonstrations also provided valuable feedback on aspects which could be further improved. A Handbook Users Group (HUG) was established for managing feedback on the generic handbooks and to provide a forum for information exchange on customised versions in the future.