tance to the plant processes. In the case of food plants, 

 careful assessment should be made of the vulnerability 

 of raw and processed materials, and all possible efforts 

 should be made to protect them against attack. 



Actual reduction of vulnerability may be accom- 

 plished in several ways. These include eliminating or 

 minimizing as many hazards as possible, dispersing 

 new installations, providing protective construction 



and special arrangements to shield food materials from 

 the effects of an attack. 



If a company is located in a likely target area, the 

 plant manager should be alert to relocating at least 

 certain phases of the operation to less vulnerable areas. 

 Dispersal may have other advantages since it is likely 

 that many food plants could operate in non-target 

 areas without greatly increasing costs. 



PROTECTIVE CONSTRUCTION 



Protective construction is a major factor in reduc- 

 tion of food plant vulnerability. It might be the means 

 by which the personnel, plant and equipment survive 

 the blast, fire and radiological effects of a nuclear 

 explosion. 



The term "protective construction" has been used in 

 many senses. As used here, the term means certain 

 design precautions taken to increase the survivability 

 of occupants and contents of facilities subjected to the 

 effects of a nuclear detonation. For example, a fall- 

 out shelter is a protective structure which protects the 

 occupants from the effects of fallout radiation. In addi- 

 tion to radiation protection, if the plant manager deter- 

 mines that the nuclear threat includes blast and fire, 

 then the protective structure should be sjjecifically 

 designed to resist these effects also. 



Even though protective construction may in some 

 instances involve significant expense, plant officials 



should consider it in connection with expansion of 

 existing plants or construction of new facilities. It 

 will be much easier on the budget if it is incorporated 

 into the regular construction program. 



The Office of Civil Defense has sponsored an exten- 

 sive professional development program to acquaint 

 architects and engineers with the techniques of protec- 

 tive construction. A directory of those qualified in 

 fallout shelter design and analysis is available. Any 

 plant planning an addition, rehabilitation, or new con- 

 struction should utilize a design firm which has a quali- 

 fied analyst on their staff or available as a consultant. 



The Office of Civil Defense has published a number 

 of technical guides dealing with radiation and blast 

 protection. It is actively engaged in a number of 

 studies designed to develop new techniques and to pro- 

 duce cost data for various degrees of protection, both 

 for new construction and for modifying existing 

 structures. 



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