[en] Considerable guidance is available to managers of an irradiator plant on ways and means to produce safe, wholesome, quality irradiated foods. The foundation for good manufacturing practices (GMPs), which apply to all food processes, is the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene. These principles provide good common sense procedures in the handling of food for human consumption in order to ensure safe, wholesome quality products. The GMPs cover the growing, harvesting, preparation, processing, packaging, storage, transport, distribution and sale of food. They provide good check lists for safety and quality. More detailed guidelines specifically aimed at food irradiation are found in the Codex Code of Practice for the Operation of Irradiation Facilities and in the Codes of Good Irradiation Practice (GIPs) developed by the International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation. GIPs are available for eight commodity groups. They provide guidance on pre-irradiation handling (including microbiological guidelines), packaging, pre-irradiation storage and transport, irradiation facilities and absorbed doses, post-irradiation storage and handling, final product specifications, labelling, re-irradiation and the quality of irradiated products. In order to apply GIPs effectively, it recommended that the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point concept (HACCP) be implemented. The HACCP concept emphasizes prevention of, rather than detection of defects. The HACCP concept has been adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and is being applied to Codex Codes of Practice. (author). 7 refs

[en] Upon a decision of the Board of Governors, the IAEA is now engaged in substantive preparations for an international convention on nuclear safety. Part I of this paper examines member states' attitudes and outlines the process and the proposals culminating in the commencement of the negotiations. Part II then considers the possible elements of an ideal convention on nuclear safety. Section A surveys legal instruments in the fields of industrial safety and environmental protection that might serve as possible models for a solution, while Section B contains a commentary on the proposed structure and substance, with reference to the existing practice of states in relation to safety standards and external safety assessments. (author)

[en] Radiation protection law has experienced a stormy development in recent years. Further significant changes are to be expected in the near future. Two events are decisive here - firstly the Chernobyl accident, and secondly the reassessment of the Hiroshima effects, leading to changed risk assessments, and thereby to the reformulation of the fundamental recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The accession of the new Laender has also brought new focuses in radiation protection law. EC law is acquiring increasing importance in the further development of radiation protection law. (orig.)

[en] Short communication

[en] Abstract only

[en] This article analyses the recent amendments to the 1966 and 1975 Decrees on general radiation protection principles and radiation protection of workers in large nuclear installations respectively and also describes national radiation protection law. In particular, the amendments incorporate the revised EURATOM basic radiation protection standards and the new international units (sievert and becquerel replace rem and curie) in the Decrees. (NEA)

[en] This paper reviews radiation protection measures, their harmonization, and the basic principles for legislation in this respect. It makes an in-depth study of such measures in the context of itinerant radiological workers, food irradiation, consumer goods, building materials, etc (NEA)

[en] The author examines the provisions on environmental radioactivity monitoring given in the EURATOM treaty and in the EC standards on radiological protection, the measures taken by the EC institutions in response to the Chernobyl reactor accident, and the EC Regulation on radiological protection, issued on Nov. 22, 1987, determining radioactivity limits. The author is doubtful about the legal validity of radiation protection provisions made in the form of an immediately binding regulation based on the EURATOM treaty. In this case, the EC regulation is to be considered primarily as a preparatory regulation defining the procedure for determination of the maximum permissible limits of radioactivity contamination of food after a reactor accident. (HSCH)

[en] There are problems arising in connection with section 9, sub-sec. (1), first sentence of this Act, according to which the Federal Minister for Environmental Affairs, Nature Preservation and Reactor Safety is entitled to issue recommendations on suitable behaviour of the population. The term 'recommendations' used in the text conceals the fact that especially in environmental law, recommendations have become a common, new category of sovereign act. It is to be examined whether a Federal Ministry really has the right to issue such recommendations, and whether it has the regulatory competence. (orig./HSCH)

[en] The regulations for the purpose of preventing ionizing radiation hazards in accordance with the Labor Safety and Hygiene Act. The enterprises concerned should make efforts to reduce, as far as possible, employee exposure to ionizing radiation. Covered are the following: controlled areas and limitations on exposure doses, protection from external radiation, prevention of contamination, emergency measures, the person in charge of X-ray operation and the person in charge of gamma-ray radiography operation, special education, work environmental measurements, health examination, and so on. (Mori, K.)