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LLNL Emergency Plan Rev-23 October 2017 82 8.2 Protective Action Implementation 8.2.1 Objective The primary objective of protective actions is to limit individual doses or exposures. In the short- term, this may be accomplished by taking action (e.g., shelter-in-place) to keep exposure levels below the thresholds for severe early health effects. In the longer term, additional actions may be required to reduce or avoid additional exposure (e.g., evacuate populations), which may cause temporary exposure to higher plume concentrations than would occur during shelter-in-place, for the purpose of avoiding a higher dose over an extended period of time, thereby producing a positive net benefit. The overall risk to workers and the public should be limited, to the extent practicable, by reducing the population or collective dose (or exposure). Protective actions, when implemented individually or in combination, accomplish this objective. Following implementation of initial protective actions and prior to activation of the EOC, the IC and EMDO will continuously evaluate the situation, including operational and weather conditions, to determine if modifications to the initial protective actions are warranted. After the EOC becomes operational, the IC retains responsibility for protecting only what is defined as the incident scene. Any onsite areas outside of the incident scene fall under the protection of the ED. The IC and the ED must therefore have a conversation to define and agree on what falls within the incident scene onsite. This decision should be briefed to responders at the scene and to the ERO. Protection of offsite areas always remains the responsibility of the IC; however, it is the duty of the ED to issue protective action recommendations to the IC, as well as to offsite authorities. 8.2.2 Onsite Protective Actions Evacuation and/or sheltering are likely to be the most effective protective actions that can be taken to minimize risk to workers close to the event scene. Workers closest to the scene of an emergency will probably be subjected to the highest risk from the effects of the accident conditions with the least warning time. Depending on the particular circumstances of the emergency, either method of protective actions, or a mix of the two, may be implemented to avoid or minimize the exposure of individuals to the hazardous materials (chemical, radiological, or biological) released. Sheltering may be the appropriate protective action when: • Workers have access to a facility that provides protection • The dose or exposure will be less than that associated with evacuation • It places workers in a position where additional instructions can be rapidly disseminated • Rapid evacuation is impeded • Plume arrival is imminent