What should be done immediately after a radiological incident?

After a radiological incident, the immediate and crucial step is to report the incident to the appropriate authority and initiate emergency protocols. This action is imperative because it ensures that trained professionals and emergency response teams can quickly assess the situation and implement necessary safety measures to protect personnel and the environment.

Initiating emergency protocols allows for a structured response to the incident, which typically includes containment of the radioactive materials, medical evaluations for potentially exposed individuals, and communication with external emergency services if needed. Prompt reporting also helps to ensure that any required regulatory notifications are made and that additional resources or support can be mobilized quickly.

Continuing operations as normal would pose severe risks to individuals and the facility, while simply informing coworkers to remain calm does not address the need for systematic action and can lead to confusion or inadequate response in a crisis situation. Performing an audit, though important for long-term safety and compliance, is not an immediate response action after a radiological incident and does not contribute to ensuring safety in the critical moments that follow an event.