What do we do at the DSA? 

Notification agreements 

The DSA is a national and international contact point for radiological and nuclear incidents both in Norway and abroad. Under the International Convention on Early Notification, the DSA should be alerted by the authorities in countries of any emissions of radioactive substances that could affect Norway. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) relays emission warnings to all its members. 

We also have our own bilateral agreements on notification and information exchange with the other Nordic countries, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, France, the UK and Ukraine. 

Emergency response

The DSA is required to have a 24/7 officer on duty to receive notifications of major incidents and accidents. The officer on duty passes alerts on internally and, if necessary, alerts and assembles the secretariat and the Crisis Committee for Nuclear Preparedness on the orders of the director of the DSA. 

Agreements on harmonised preparedness

The DSA has good relationships with other Nordic countries regarding emergency preparedness. The countries have agreed on a common framework for action to protect life, health, the environment and other social interests in the event of a nuclear incident: 

• Protective Measures in Early and Intermediate Phases of a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency. Nordic Guidelines and Recommendations.

Internationally, there is also extensive cooperation to develop and maintain the best possible preparedness against nuclear accidents. Meetings are held regularly to discuss and share ideas on how to deal with major and minor incidents so the experience can help to further enhance the national emergency response to radiological and nuclear events.

We also have agreements on joint notification drills, and we observe each other’s emergency response exercises to constantly learn from each other. 

Emergency preparedness section

The Emergency Preparedness and Response section of the DSA is responsible for assessing and notifying management in the event of an accident. 

The section handles the ongoing development of systems for emergency preparedness and crisis management. If an incident occurs, it is the section’s responsibility to ensure good and effective crisis management.  

If something happens that cannot be dealt with in our day-to-day operations, the DSA will call inn additional resources to act as the secretariat and alert and assemble the Crisis Committee for Nuclear Preparedness. 

Tools and resources to monitor the environment

• Radnett - a nationwide measurement network with 33 stations that measure radioactivity in the environment. The purpose of the measurement network is to provide an early warning if an unknown radioactive discharge should affect Norway. These measurements will also be an important factor in any decision taken by the Crisis Committee for Nuclear Preparedness at an early stage after a discharge. Details of radiation levels at all stations are available online.

• Air filter stations - We have six air filter stations to monitor the air in Norway. Three of the stations are located in the north, two in the south and one in Central Norway. The stations are important for mapping radioactivity in the air and for assessing the scale and composition of emissions from incidents and accidents. Similar stations can be found throughout Europe, and cooperation between the countries makes it possible to track any emissions of radioactive substances. 

• The Civil Defence measurement patrol function, the ‘Radiac’ service, is an important element of Norway’s nuclear preparedness. The patrols are part of the national measurement readiness function and take regular background measurements at around 350 fixed measurement points. The purpose of the measurements is to map the normal situation, and to maintain measurement readiness. In the event of an incident, the Radiac patrols can scramble and take measurements. They can also take environmental samples and send them to the DSA for analysis.