Review of the Development of incidents databases and feedback mechanisms: Irid, Relir, Euraide and Radev

Technologies that make use of ionising radiations are widespread. They provide many benefits but, as with other technologies, the use of ionising radiations carries with it the potential for incidents and accidents. Their severity can vary from the trivial to the fatal and may involve substantial economic penalties. In order to minimise the number of incidents and their consequences it is important that there are mechanisms to learn the lessons from those that do occur. This paper reviews the development of incident databases in the United Kingdom and France together with initiatives by the European Union (EU) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to improve feedback mechanisms. These initiatives necessarily cover a wide range of radiation uses. However it will be seen that a significant proportion of incidents and accidents relate to industrial radiography and that these initiatives provide mechanisms for learning the lesson. (Author)