Developments in standards and other guidance for individual monitoring

Abstract

In recent years there has been a huge increase in the development and publication of standards, documents of relevance and other guidance for individual monitoring (IM), particularly for external radiation. An extensive list of the main documents published by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU), International Organisation for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), CEN/CENELEC, European Council (EC) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can be found elsewhere [Fantuzzi, E., Alves, J.G., Ambrosi, P., Janzekovic, H., Vartiainen, E., 2004. Implementation of standards for individual monitoring in Europe. Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 112 (1), 3–44; Fantuzzi, E., 2007. Standards, documents of relevance and directives in individual monitoring: is European individual monitoring in compliance with standards? Radiat. Prot. Dosim., doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncl568]. In March 2007 ICRP approved a new set of fundamental recommendations that will replace ICRP Publication 60. Similarly to what has happened in the past with previous ICRP Publications 26 and 60, it is expected that this document will inspire the revision of the Basic Safety Standards of the IAEA [Safety Series 115, 1996. International Basic Safety Standards for Protection Against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources. IAEA, Vienna] and of the European Union (EC Council Directive 96/29/EURATOM) and consequently of national legislation in the respective member states. In order to implement the radiation protection principles laid down in the BSS both the IAEA and EC have regularly published guidance documents. EC published in 1994 EUR 14852 entitled Technical recommendations for monitoring individuals occupationally exposed to external radiation that was a powerful tool for all the participants to the field of IM (radiation protection authorities, individual monitoring services and users) summarizing concepts and contributing to the improvement of quality and the reliability of results. Particularly over the last decade, EURADOS WG2 has actively contributed to harmonization of IM in Europe, publishing reports ( Bartlett, D.T. et al., 2000, van Dijk, J.W.E. et al., 2004), organizing an intercomparison in 1999. A “series” of workshops on IM to disseminate WG activity star ( Bartlett, D.T. et al., 2000, van Dijk, J.W.E. et al., 2004), organizing an intercomparison in 1999. A “series” of workshops on IM to disseminate WG activity started: IM-2000 was held in Helsinki organized by STUK ( Hyvönen, H., et al., 2001), IM-2005 was held in Vienna organized by ARCS, EURADOS and IAEA (Radiat. Prot. Dosim. advance access). Recent WG2 actions included the review of EUR 14852 and the preparation of a proposal to organize self-sustained intercomparisons. In September 2006, EC issued a call for a tender on the establishment of European technical recommendations. A consortium comprising GAEC and EURADOS prepared and presented a proposal. Following the evaluation procedure EC awarded a contract to the consortium: the EU-Trimer project. This paper will cover the main ICRP and ICRU quantities and requirements, standards and other guidance documents recently published or in course of development in order to achieve harmonization of practices and procedures for IM of external radiation. The main aspects of the EU-Trimer project will also be addressed.