What if? ICRP guidance on potential radiation exposure

Underpinning the world's regulations for radiation safety are the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP), based in Sweden. In the 1990s, experts have focused on the unexpected - namely, the analysis of 'what if?' situations that theoretically could expose people to potentially dangerous sources of radiation. The ICRP has examined the accidents affecting one or a few persons only (sometimes with severe consequences). This article reviews the ICRP conceptual framework, criteria, and methodology of radiation protection from potential exposures in selected cases. Protection against such exposures starts with a structured analysis, using methods more familiar to safety engineers than to radiation protection specialists