Update on Activities of the International Radiation Protection Association

1. Update on Activities of theInternational RadiationProtection Association ICRU Annual Meeting Singapore, June 2019 Christopher Clement, IRPA Executive Council

2. What is IRPA? IRPA is the international professional association for radiation protection. Through national and regional Associate Societies and radiation protection professionals, IRPA promotes excellence in radiation protection by providing benchmarks of good practice and enhancing professional competence and networking. IRPA encourages the application of the highest standards of professional conduct, skills and knowledge for the benefit of individuals and society. VISION: IRPA is the international voice of the radiation protection profession.

3. Who is IRPA? 52 Associate Societies Representing 66 countries Over 18 000 individual members Members cover all fields of radiation protection including practitioners in medical, nuclear and other industry sectors, regulators, government advisers and researchers We encompass the full spectrum of national experiences, from large developed countries through to practitioners working in small developing nations

4. Organisation The General Assembly made up of representatives from the Associate Societies, is the representative body of the Association. It delegates authority to the Executive Council for the efficient administration of the affairs of the Association. Commissions, Committees, and Task Groups: • Commission on Publications • International Congress Organising Committee • International Congress Programme Committee • Montreal Fund Committee • Rules Committee • Sievert Award Committee • Societies Admission and Development Cttee • TG on Public Understanding of Radiation Risk • TG on the Impact of The Implementation of the Eye Lens Dose Limits • TG on The Security of Radioactive Sources • Young Generation Network

5. Executive Council2016 – 2020 President Roger Coates, UK Vice-President Eduardo Gallego, Spain Vice-President Congress Affairs Jong Kyung Kim, South Korea Executive Officer Bernard Le Guen, France Treasurer Richard Toohey, USA Publications Director Christopher Clement, Canada Ana Maria Bomben, Argentina Marie-Claire Cantone, Italy Alfred Hefner, Austria Klaus Henrichs, Germany SigurðurMagnússon, Iceland Hiroko Yoshida, Japan

6. Strategic Programme Promote our role as the international voice of the RP profession through engagement with other international organisations and professional bodies on the development of the system of protection, giving emphasis to impacts on practical implementation Support the needs of the Associate Societies by developing, enhancing and sharing good practice and high standards of professionalism Support the education and training of RP professionals Enhance IRPA governance and the interface with the Associate Societies

7. Priorities from the Strategic Programme (1/2) Liaison with partner International organisations • Consultation on the system of protection Horizon scanning Enhancing the interface with key international organisations in the medical sector RP culture Ethics in RP Public understanding • Implementation of the lens of eye dose limit Security of radioactive sources • Young Generation Network Sharing Good Practice Voice of the RP Profession Good Practice and Professionalism

8. Priorities from the Strategic Programme (2/2) Education and training practices • IRPA’s congresses Coordination and promotion of AS training activities and associated events Database of training events Scientific developments update IRPA governance and regional engagement Interface and communications with the Associate Societies The ‘View of the Profession’ Guidance for the organisation of IRPA Congresses Education and Training of RP Professionals Governance and Interface with Associate Societies

9. Consultation on the System of Protection

10. Consultation on the System of Protection: Introduction Consultation with the Associate Societies on effectiveness of the system of protection and its ability to be widely communicated and understood by interested parties. To provide information from the 'user community' to those engaged in the development of the system To inform IRPA on how to assist the Associate Societies in the communication of radiation and risk to stakeholders outside the profession Results published in JRP https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6498/aa9e5c

11. Consultation on the System of Protection: Main Findings General perceptions Uncertainty in risk estimates The context of natural background exposure Dose limitation and dose limits Optimisation, ALARA and 'reasonableness' Communication and public understanding of radiation and risk

12. Consultation on the System of Protection: General General perceptions Whilst the system of protection has proved capable of delivering an adequate level of protection, there is concern that it must integrate better into a more holistic approach which takes account of other risks. A further key concern is the link between the complexity of the system and the resulting challenge to its effective communication. There is a case for rebalancing the system to reduce reliance on 'fine print' explanations which are not easily visible or readily understood during communication with wider stakeholders.

13. Consultation on the System of Protection: Uncertainties Uncertainty in risk estimates The important factors are seen as the over-riding importance of honesty in presentation, together with the recognition that, whilst we do not know everything, we do know that at the most relevant exposure levels the risk is bounded and must be quite small. It was noted that by far the overwhelming number of exposure situations in practice involve doses around a few mSv/y or less, and it is important to focus on how best to make decisions in this dose range.

14. Consultation on the System of Protection: Background Exposure The context of natural background exposure There is wide support for using the typical levels of natural background exposure to which we are all exposed as a means of giving context to our understanding of radiation risk and exposure situations in our communications, especially outside the profession. Whilst an additional exposure cannot be justified, or deemed as acceptable, solely on the basis of it being within the range of such natural exposures, there is evidence from many practitioners' day to day communication experiences that an understanding of natural background and its variability can have a significant influence on an individual's personal perspective and attitude to different exposure situations.

15. Consultation on the System of Protection: Dose Limits Dose limitation and dose limits The word 'limit' has a clear connotation in public consciousness as the delineation between safety and danger. In addition, the apparent profile given to dose limits presents communication challenges for existing and emergency exposure situations, resulting in the term 'limit' as used in various contexts being widely regarded as unhelpful. Indeed, the definition of a public dose limit which is less than natural background exposure levels can reinforce a perception that man-made radiation is particularly dangerous, even though there are logical explanations in the 'fine print' of the system of protection. It would be helpful to have a broader, more comprehensive and more readily available approach to limitation of exposure in all situations. This would aim to bring together limits, constraints and reference levels, ideally in the wider context of optimisation and ALARA. This need for a more flexible approach to limitation was a fundamental message from the IRPA professionals.

16. Consultation on the System of Protection: Reasonableness Optimisation, ALARA and 'reasonableness' It is universally accepted that the optimisation principle is the central pillar for the practical implementation of radiation protection and is the dominant factor controlling exposures in any well-developed system of protection. The most widespread concern was in the interpretation of what is 'reasonable' and proportionate, and that an overly-simplistic approach is leading to continuing expectations of ever lower doses. There was a strong desire to seek ways of placing more formal recognition that ALARA does not generally mean consistently lower doses, and that there is a balanced approach to optimisation which results in value to society.

17. Consultation on the System of Protection: Public Understanding Communication and public understanding of radiation and risk The importance of enhancing our efforts on public understanding of radiation and risk is recognised both by IRPA and the Associate Societies. There was a strong request for IRPA to assist societies and individual members in providing tools and training to improve our ability to communicate effectively outside of our profession. The consultation has identified many steps which are important for effective communication, and which must be developed into a programme to help the profession meet this very significant challenge.

18. IRPA Comments on Operational Quantities Report

19. IRPA Comments on Operational Quantities Report The proposed approach represents an improved scientific accuracy in the measurement of dose from external radiation. However, organisations which develop international recommendations should take account of the implications for practical application. Science is but one input into the system of protection. • No discussion on the implications for the practical application of the proposed approach, e.g. the potentially significant cost of amending measurement instrumentation • Any perceived benefit from improved scientific accuracy needs to be judged against the costs of implementation and other impacts • The report should as a minimum identify the principal issues in moving towards application in practice

20. Implementation of the Lens of Eye Dose Limit

21. Implementation of the revised dose limits for the lens of the eyes In 2012 IRPA established a TG to identify key issues in the implementation of the revised eye dose limit. The TG reported its conclusions in 2013. In Jan. 2015, IRPA asked the TG to review progress with the implementation of the recommendations and to collate current practitioner experience. The TG worked towards the development of practical recommendations about when and how eye lens dose should be monitored and of guidance on use of protective tools depending on the exposure levels. The document IRPA Guidance on Implementation of eye dose monitoring and eye protection of workers’ was published in 2017

22. Implementation of the revised dose limits for the lens of the eyes The IRPA Task Group on the implementation of lens of the eye is conducting a 3rd survey The purpose is : • to promote a wide exchange of experiences, at an international level and among  all the IRPA ASs, • and to determine the  different approaches that are emerging in the RP community,  seven years after the ICRP proposal to reduce the dose limit for the lens of the eye The questionnaire consists of 27 questions on the implementation of the revised eye lens dose limits A final report will be prepared by the IRPA Task Group

23. Young Generation Network

24. The future of our profession – finding and supporting the next generation Many countries/societies report a concern over ‘where are the next generation, and how do we transfer our knowledge?’ The IRPA programme: • Share good ideas on informing and enthusing students on RP as a career • Young Generation Network, linking national association groups and sharing good ideas • Every IRPA congress has a Young Persons programme: • including YP Prize for best presentation • engagement in the full scientific programme (eg session co-chairs) • networking opportunities (including opportunities to meet the ‘big names’)

25. IRPA15KEY DATES September 2019 Abstract submission due February 2020 Early registration ends March 2020 Full paper submission due April 2020 Standard registration ends 11-15 May 2020 IRPA15 Congress!