[en] A new body has been created: the COCT, the guidance council on working conditions. The COCT will take part into the elaboration of decrees and laws related to security at work, it will allow for consultation with social partners and experts, it will deal with radiation protection issues, it is an advisory body made up of 6 commissions. A new organisation of radioprotection is being studied. This new organisation is the consequence of the transposition into French law of the European directive 2013/59/EURATOM that sets the basic standards for the protection of the workers against ionizing radiations. For instance a person called 'radiation protection counsellor' is proposed to replace the ancient 'qualified person in radioprotection' in enterprises, its missions will be enlarged and defined in a new decree. (A.C.)

[en] This report contains an evaluation of data available about the deleterious effects of exposure of people to ionising radiation, assuming that the total exposure is low (low dose) or that exposure to dose takes place gradually (low dose rate). It is a revision of the 1985 Health Council report on 'The scientific foundations for radiation protection policy based on the UNSCEAR-77, -82, and BEIR reports'. The report is also meant to be a reply to a request for advice made by the Minister of Welfare, Public Health and Culture in 1989. Scientific opinion on induction of cancer by radiation has clearly changed since 1988. This is a consequence of new publications of epidemiological studies among survivors of the atomic explosions of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Committee that has produced the present report has paid much attention to this development. Besides, in the request for advice just mentioned it is asked whether the margins of uncertainty which complicated the quantitative assessment of the radiation risk can be reduced. Consequently the Committee has dealt extensively with the potential errors and uncertainties in available data. Especially these 2 elements - a careful consideration of a recent shift in scientific opinion and a constant attention for the magnitude of potential uncertainties - have had a predominant influence on the content and design of this report. The Committee has tried to answer as fully as possible the complex question how to transform results of scientific research into a well-organised data set on which the government can base its radiation protection policy. The Committee had also compared its evaluation to the recent recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the points of view of the Dutch policy directive 'Dealing with radiation risks'. (author). 111 refs.; 12 tabs

[en] Full text: A review of the current radiation protection principles and standards applicable in Australia is presented highlighting both Commonwealth and State updates with respect to Radiation Protection Legislation and Codes of Practice. Possible future changes to International recommendations are also highlighted flowing from papers presented at the 10th International Congress of IRPA, Hiroshima, Japan, May 2000

[en] Any entity (enterprise, laboratory, university, hospital,...), in which ionising radiations are used or produced, has to hire a person competent in radiation protection (PCR). This person has 6 main missions: 1) assessing the risks, 2) taking adequate protection measures, 3) delimiting risk areas around radiation sources (zoning), 4) informing and training the staff, 5) ensuring the dosimetric follow-up of the workers, and 6) ensuring the adequate follow-up of the equipment (periodic controls, maintenance). In France between 8000 and 15000 PCRs operate and most work partially in this activity. According to the sector where they work, PCRs' profiles can be very different: from technician to engineer but all have passed the same specific certification. Now, the new law imposes 3 levels of certification according to the risks involved in the sector: for instance the lowest level for the transport sector and the highest level for the management of radioactive wastes. (A.C.)

[en] Radioactivity and ionizing radiation are relevant in a multitude of life domains, and their applications are rapidly increasing worldwide. That is why presently among the IRPA Associate Societies the development of ''Guidelines for a culture in radiation protection'' is discussed. This contribution summarizes the state of the discussion, gives a first definition of what is meant with ''radiation protection culture'', and treats all four aspects of radiation protection culture: the content ones, the categoric/practical ones, the societal ones, and the spatially and temporally traditional ones. (orig.)

No abstract available

[en] The basic scientific principles for new a radiation protection act is presented. They include basic radiation protection principles and direct protection measures as well as nuclear safety measures. Some new topics following these measures are discussed. (author)

[en] This is the final report II to amend the guideline /BfS 05/; it describes model investigations in two sites, i.e. urban areas in the city of Oranienburg and a backwater area of the river Rhine in the lower Rhine region (Rheinberger Altrehein). The Oranienburg site is dominated by thorium, which makes it different from other contaminated sites where uranium or radium prevail, but it is a typical example of soil contamination in an abandoned industrial site in urban areas. The Rheinberger Altrhein site is a sedimentation area for effluents of coal mining, and the soils in this area are contaminated with significant concentrations of radium. The site was selected because radium contamination occurs also elsewhere in Germany but there have been hardly any systematic investigations so far. The data from earlier investigations and the new findings provided a knowledge base for investigating aspects of the application of the BglBb and the corresponding guideline /BfS 05/. (orig.)

[en] The remit. Pursuant to the Government's authorisation of 11 December 2008, the Head of the Ministry of the Environment has appointed a Committee of Inquiry to examine the prospects for harmonising the rules concerning activities in the field of nuclear technology and radiation protection

[en] According to the PARCOM Recommendation 91/4 contracting parties shall, in accordance with the guidelines annexed to this recommendation, every four years present a statement on progress made in applying best available technology (BAT) in order to minimise and, as appropriate, eliminate any pollution caused by radioactive discharges from all nuclear industries, including research reactors and reprocessing plants, into the marine environment. BAT for the reduction and prevention of radioactive discharges is applied at the Ringhals nuclear power plant during the time period covered by this report. The report concerns the implementation of (BAT) in order to minimise and, as appropriate, eliminate any pollution caused by radioactive discharges from in the nuclear power plant at Ringhals, the only Swedish nuclear facility concerned, in accordance with PARCOM Recommendation 91/4. The report covers the years 2008 - 2011