The European ALARA Network (EAN) promotes the optimisation of radiation protection (keeping exposures As Low As Reasonably Achievable – ALARA) across Europe. It brings together professionals, regulators, and stakeholders to share experience, develop guidance, and support the practical implementation of ALARA principles in various sectors, including industry, medicine, research, and the environment.
You can access here the 51th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter. Editorial. With a reminder that ALARA is not a « once and done » process; RECUMo – ALARA at the design of a new facility; The Radium Action Plan in Switzerland; Update of the radon maps in Ireland; A new digital portal is […]
You can download here the minutes of the Administrative Board and the Steering Group held 15 December 2023 on-line and the documents discussed during the meeting: EAN Administrative Board meeting minutes Final account 2023 and provisional account 2024 (N. Stritt) EAN Steering Group meeting minutes Documents discussed during the meeting: Agenda of the meeting Presentation to support discussion on […]
You can access here the 50th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter. Editorial – With a perspective on the content of EAN newsletter 1. Kinsarvik, a high radon area. Current perspective and situation; Radiological protection in NORM involving industries using a graded approach: a methodology proposed from Italy; A synthesis of the EAN Workshop n° […]
You can download here the minutes of the Administrative Board and the Steering Group held 6 June 2023 at CEPN, Fontenay-aux-Roses and the documents discussed during the meeting: EAN Administrative Board meeting minutes Final account 2022 and provisional account 2023 (N. Stritt) EAN Steering Group meeting minutes Documents discussed during the meeting: Agenda of the meeting ICRP […]
EAN 20th workshop ALARA for interventional radiology & nuclear medicine
Vienna, Austria, 2-4 October 2023
You can access here the 50th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter. Editorial – What is ALARA according to ChatGPT Restriction of exposure in veterinary practice; Future challenge in theragnostic centres taking into account all the radiological protection measures; Introducing EAN Workshop n° 20 on Interventional Radiology & Nuclear Medicine; A synthesis of the […]
You can download here the minutes of the Administrative Board and the Steering Group held 6 December 2022 at CEPN, Fontenay-aux-Roses and the documents discussed during the meeting; EAN Administrative Board meeting minutes Provisional account for 2022 and Budget for 2023 (N. Stritt) EAN Steering Group meeting minutes Documents discussed during the meeting: Agenda of the meeting […]
You can access here the 48th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter. Occupational Radiation Protection in the Operation of Accelerators at CERN; Optimisation of Radiation Protection – The Cornerstone of Radiation Protection; Inventory of Territorial Approaches for the Management of Radon in Frances Homes; EAN Workshop n° 20 on Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine; […]
WHY THIS TOPIC? — The International Commission on Radiological Protection system of protection is based on three fundamental principles: justification, optimisation and dose limitation; they apply to three types of situations of exposure to ionising radiations: (those that can be) planned, (in case of) emergency and existing (from sources that already exist when decisions to control them are made) along with three categories of exposures: occupational (i.e. workers), medical patients and the public (ICRP, 2007, ICRPedia).
Radon and NORM (naturally occurring radioactive materials) exposures have been categorized by ICRP as existing exposure situations (ICRP 2014; 2016; Lecomte, 2016; ICRP, 2019). However, both types of sources present specificities, making the choices about the type of exposure situation and the categories of exposure somewhat challenging and areas of confusion [Cool, 2013]. In some circumstances (for example in [Euratom, 2013]), radon and NORM are considered as planned exposure situations and exposure controlled as such. ICRP has recognized that further clarity is needed on the interpretation of exposure situations [Clément, 2021].
ICRP has insisted that the optimisation principle is a systematic process that apply irrespectively of the exposure situation: fundamentally, the exposure of the individuals should always be kept ALARA below certain dose criteria, be it called “reference level” or “dose constraint” depending on the case. Nonetheless, the protection strategy should be designed based on the characteristics of the situation and the circumstances of the exposure and a graded approach might be appropriate.
The application of the optimisation principle is the cornerstone of the activities of the European ALARA Network. Furthermore, the EAN also aims to assist ICRP in the practical implementation of its recommendations and to monitor the development of the new general recommendations [EAN, 2021], as a Special Liaison Organisation.
You can download here the Administrative Board and the Steering Group meeting minutes (14 June 2022) and the documents discussed during the online meeting; EAN Administrative Board meeting minutes EAN Steering Group meeting minutes Documents discussed during the meeting: Agenda of the meeting Final account 2021 and provisional account 2022 (N. Stritt) RP and ALARA in the veterinary […]