SOCIAL-INTERVENTION AND RISK REDUCTION - INDIRECT COUNTERMEASURES

An indirect countermeasure (IC) is an action which is intended to miti gate detrimental effects experienced by individuals or the community a fter an accident. Indirect countermeasures (ICs) achieve this, not by averting radiation risks arising from the accident, but by removing or reducing other risks and sources of stress or harm to which the commu nity may be subject. ICs naturally fall into two categories: social ac tion ICs, which range from introducing compensation payments to provid ing information centres; and risk reducing ICs which mitigate risks to which the population might be exposed, such as radon. By including a consideration of ICs in an assessment of the optimal response, it is l ikely that a decision maker will become aware of a greater range of ha rms and benefits that might result from the application of a counterme asure. The decision maker will then be in a better position to judge t he appropriateness of any action.