The IRPA [International Radiation Protection Association] perspective

The development of guidelines, recommendations, standards, and criteria in radiation protection is the task of many government and nongovernment organizations. These standards are used in all applications of ionizing and nonionizing radiations and also relate to natural sources as well as accidental sources of radiations. The primary purpose of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) is to serve as a medium for international communication and cooperation in radiation protection with the goal of advancing sound and effective radiation protection in all parts of the world. The IRPA is an association of 30 independent associate societies active in 35 countries, and the organization is governed by its 13,000 individual members who elect the general assembly. To encourage this process, IRPA has set up formal links with the international organizations and, for example, occupies an observer position on committees of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)