IRPA Consultation: Is the system of protection 'fit for purpose' and can it be readily communicated? Views of the RP professionals

IRPA Consultation: Is the System of Protection ‘Fit for Purpose’ and can it be readily communicated? Views of the Radiation Protection Professionals

Over the past two years IRPA has been running a consultation, seeking views from the Associate Societies on current issues relating to the System of Protection. It is a pleasure to announce that the report has now been published as a Memorandum in the Journal of Radiological Protection.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6498/aa9e5c

The consultation was focussed on seeking views from the professional radiation protection community on the effectiveness of the system of protection and its ability to be widely communicated and understood by interested parties.

Many international organisations have a key role in the evolution of the system of protection and in formulating standards and guidance supporting its implementation. However, the practical implementation of radiation protection is undertaken by thousands of practitioners around the world, including operators, medical personnel, regulators, researchers and specialist advisors, who have this crucial day to day role, including communicating requirements and approaches to a wide range of lay persons. It is IRPA’s task to ensure that this practical experience is able to be fed back into the ongoing development of the system.

We now look forward to working with the Associate Societies, representing the practitioner community, and with the international organisations over the coming period in order to explore the issues raised in this report.

This report is by no means the end of this discussion. The evolution of the System of Protection is a long term process, and we would welcome further views over the coming period. To this end we would encourage all Associate Societies to ensure that the report is given the widest circulation amongst the radiation protection community, and to develop further views and experiences which would add to the debate in due course