Cabinet Office UK Resilience

Main navigation

Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN)

On this page:

• Links to guidance & regulations
  • Home Office Guidance & Newsletters
  • Department for Communities and Local Government Guidance
  • Defra Guidance
  • Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure
  • Others
• Links to other sources of Information
• Training

Guidance and Regulations

Home Office

• Home Office CBRN Newsletter, Issue 4, Nov 2005 [PDF 12 pages, 860KB]

• Strategic National Guidance - the decontamination of people exposed to CBRN substances or material [PDF 45 pages 396KB] - Second Edition

• The release of CBRN substances or material - guidance for Local Authorities

• CBRN Resilience Programme [External website] - The programme brings together expertise on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear terrorism from across government and partner agencies. The main aim is to ensure that, in the event of a terrorist incident, the response from all concerned will be quick and effective, so lives are saved and the impact on property and the environment is minimised.

• CBRN Newsletter, Issue 3, June 2005 [PDF 12 pages 761KB] - Latest update on CBRN-related matters and events.

• CBRN Newsletter, Issue 2, Jan 2005 [PDF 8 pages 579KB] - Latest update on CBRN-related matters and events.

• CBRN Newsletter, Issue 1, Oct 2004 [PDF 6 pages 219KB] - Quarterly publication from the Home Office with news and articles from key partners and stakeholders on a range of CBRN issues.

DCLG

• Strategic National Guidance - the decontamination of buildings exposed to CBRN substances or material [External website]

• Precautions to minimise the effects of a CBRN Event on Buildings and Infrastructure [External website]

• DCLG: New Dimension Mass Decontamination Photos [External website]

Defra

• Strategic National Guidance - The decontamination of the open environment exposed to CBRN substances or material

• Government Decontamination Service [External website] - The Service will help authorities and organisations prepare for and deal with incidents where chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) materials are released into the environment.

Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure

• Handling bomb threats [External website]

• Chemical, biological and radiological attacks  [External website]

Others

• Edition 7 of the Local Authority & Emergency Services Information (LAESI) [External website] (06 October 2009) - Information for the emergency services, and local and health Authorities on contingency arrangements for the transport of nuclear weapons, special nuclear material (SNM) and new and used submarine reactor fuel.

• MoD: Directorate of Safety & Claims - Nuclear Accident Response [External website] The Ministry of Defence maintains a Nuclear Accident Response Organisation (NARO) to deal with the consequences of any accident (including one arising through terrorist acts) affecting the UK, or Overseas Territories, involving nuclear weapons, special nuclear materials, nuclear facilities or naval reactors.

• HPA: UK Recovery Handbook for Radiation Incidents 2008 [External website] - developed to guide UK decision-makers through a menu of recovery options following a release of radioactive material into the environment. It will help users identify the key issues and evaluate a range of timely, effective actions and countermeasures so that they choose the options most suited to their particular circumstances.

• NHS: Emergency Planning Guidance 2005 [External website]

• Department of Health: Deliberate Release (Emergency Planning Coordination Unit) Guidance [External website]

• HPA: Deliberate Release - information for Health Professionals [External website]

• REPPIR - Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 [External website]

• HSE: Biological or Chemical Threats by Post [External website]

• HPA: Responding to Suspect Packages and Materials - Actions to be taken [External PDF, 7 pages, 163KB]

Other Sources of Information

• The Royal Society Report: Making the UK safer: detecting and decontaminating chemical and biological agents (2004) [External website]

• HPA Exercise Programme [External website]

• Exercise Osiris at Bank Tube Station - September 7th 2003

Training

• The Emergency Planning College is the leading provider of training for emergency preparedness, attracting delegates with responsibility for preventing, planning for, responding to or recovering from a major incident. The EPC runs these courses on CBRN as well as other aspects of civil protection:
  • CBRN1 - Recovering from a CBRN Incident
  • CBRN2 - Strategic Considerations to Enable Recovery

[return to top]