Evaluation of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Policies and Procedures for Emergency Evacuation of Disabled Personnel

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) headquarters occupant emergency plan includes adequate procedures to facilitate the emergency evacuation of disabled personnel and other personnel needing assistance. However, the agency must remedy problems with two-way communication systems, area of refuge signage, and fire door accessibility to align with safety codes and better support personnel needing assistance during emergency evacuations. Additionally, NRC headquarters personnel could benefit from more frequent limited-scope training to supplement annual full-scope evacuation and accountability drills.This report makes four recommendations to improve two-way communication systems, area of refuge signage, and fire door accessibility, and one recommendation to enhance training for personnel needing or rendering assistance during an emergency evacuation.