IAEA/RCA has been endeavoring to achieve sustainability of regional radiation protection infrastructure through various activities during the past many years. Australia has been a good contributor to this project. As part of these endeavors, this time, IAEA/RCA organized a field exercise for experts of the Member States in order to enhance their capability to respond radiological emergencies. To this end, a field exercise is being arranged at Slavutych, Ukraine from 14-18 May 2007.

Slavutych is the area where the Chernobyl accident occurred on 26 April 1986. The IAEA/RCA field exercise will mainly be carried out around the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to give a realistic environment. Participants will have exercise and training in radiation dose rate measurements, surface and airborne contamination monitoring, identification of gamma emitting radionuclides and interpreting measurement results and recommend appropriate protective actions under the assumption that these are real. It is noted that any facility or operation involving potentially hazardous materials requires suitable emergency response procedures and response teams trained and equipped. This requirement applied to the use of radioactive materials in both nuclear and non-nuclear applications.

The field exercise will be conducted in co-operation with the Government of Ukraine through Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology for the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

For further information contact Mr Mykhailo Bondarkov at bondarkov@chomobyle.net, or fax: +38(04479) 6 15 62.