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.
In June 2006, a new Working Group on ALARA Training has been set up at the request of the ENETRAP (European Network on Education and Training in RAdiological Protection) research project to provide the European Commission with the input of the EAN on what is needed at the European level as training material for improving […]
The 19th issue of the EAN Newsletter has now been published and can be downloaded in the Newsletter section.
Download the 19th issue in PDF format
The 19th issue of the Newsletter presents in its first article the new European Radiation Protection Authority Network (ERPAN) and its Terms and References. The second article presents the European Platform on Training and Education in Radiation Protection (EUTERP Platform). Then two articles analyse a radiological
incident. The last article summarizes the update of a survey on justification, optimisation and dose limits in the national regulation of the European Countries.
Finally, the last announcement and the programme of the 10th EAN
Workshop on Experience and new developments in implementing ALARA in
occupational, public and patient exposures (Prague, Czech Republic –
12-15 September 2006) is included.
The European ALARA Network is coordinated by the two following organizations: The following organizations are financially supporting EAN: […]
« Experience and new Developments in Implementing ALARA in Occupational, Patient and Public Exposures », Prague, Czech Republic, 12-15 September 2006
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See the pictures of the 10th Workshop
Introduction
Previous EAN Workshops have focused on the optimisation principle in specific circumstances, for example for a specific work sector or particular types of exposure. The subjects have been chosen to reflect areas with potential for the further development and implementation of the concept of ALARA.
This was the 10-year anniversary of the EAN Workshops, and the aim was to consider the optimisation principle as a whole. This principle is fundamental to radiation protection, and the Workshop aimed to draw together key stakeholders to discuss its past, present and future status. In particular, the Workshop has considered the practical implementation of ALARA, and how this might be improved in the next 10 years.
Objectives and scope of the Workshop
The main objectives of the 10th EAN Workshop were to:
"Occupational Exposure to Natural Radiation", Augsburg, Germany, October 2005
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See the pictures of the 9th Workshop
The aim of the 9th EAN Workshop was to focus on exposures arising from natural radiation sources in the workplace, in particular from Naturally Occuring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and from radon gas. Assumptions lead to estimate that it concerns approximately 100 000 workers in the NORM area in Europe and may be up to 1 000 000 exposed workers to radon.
The objectives of the Workshop were to consider the following questions:
More than 50 participants from 14 European countries attented the Workshop as well as representatives of 3 International Organisations with . In total, there were 23 oral presentations, and 6 posters presentations, organised under the following subjects:
Two afternoon sessions were devoted to discussions in small groups on the following specific issues:
The reports from these Working Groups were presented and discussed on the final day, from which the key findings and the 8 recommendations from the Workshop were derived.
"Occupational Radiological Protection Control through Inspection and Self-assessment", Uppsala, Sweden, September 2004
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The 8th EAN Workshop was devoted to Occupational Radiological Protection Control through Ispection and Self- assessment. The objective of the Workshop was to assess how regulatory authorisation and inspection, and internal controls (peer reviews, self assessment, etc.) contribute to achieving ALARA for occupational exposure. A total of 70 participants from 19 European countries attended the Workshop; respectively half and one third of the audience were from the regulatory bodies and utilities from medical and industry sectors.
In total, there were 14 oral presentations, and 10 poster presentations, organised under the following titles:
The opening session included a presentation of the results of an EAN questionnaire on the size and structure of national regulatory authorities. It also identified a series of issues and questions for later consideration by the Working Groups. Half of the time was devoted to this discussions in small groups on the following specific issues:
8 main recommendations were produced and unanimously agreed on by the participants. They are dealing with inspectors training,as well as with the facts – that self assessment should become a regulatory requirement and give rise to guidance – and that the workers themselves should become active stakeholders in these processes or that regulatory bodies network should be set up to harmonising inspections.
"Decommissioning of Installations and Site Remediation", Arnhem, The Netherlands, October 2003
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The 7th EAN Workshop was devoted to decommissioning and site remediation. This was the first time that a workshop re-visited a specific topic: the 1st EAN Workshop (Saclay, 1997) was devoted to ALARA and decommissioning. The main objectives of the workshop were to provide a means of reviewing the recommendations of the first Workshop, progress made in the application of ALARA in decommissioning and the remaining needs both in the nuclear and non-nuclear sectors.
Some 60 participants from 11 European countries attended the Workshop. There were 20 oral presentations, mainly devoted to case studies of work undertaken in a variety of different situations (from accelerators and hot cells, to mineral wool (NORM) facilities and contaminated apartments). In addition to a scene setting session there were sessions on:
"Occupational Exposure Optimisation in the Medical and Radiopharmaceutical Sectors", Madrid, Spain, October 2002
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The 6th EAN Workshop on "Occupational Exposure optimisation in the Medical and Radiopharmaceutical sectors" allowed more than 80 participants from 12 European countries, to attend to 31 high level oral presentations and to discuss more than 20 posters. It has been officially supported by the International Society of Radiographers & Radiological Technologists and some National Societies of medical physicists, health physics and nuclear medicine like . The participants were a mix of most concerned stakeholders: international bodies such as IAEA, national regulatory bodies, health physicists, physician from different fields, radiographers, radio pharmaceuticals manufacturers, trainers and other types of experts.
The work in small groups on six topics has been very fruitful and led to more than 12 recommendations dealing with the necessity of national and international practical guidances on many specific items, the role of qualified experts, the prior risk assessment, the training, the development of specific operational dosimeters:
1. Impact of BSS on Radiation Protection in the Medical Field;
2. Radiation Protection Training in the Medical Field;
3. Dose Monitoring and Medical Surveillance;
4. How to improve Safety Culture in the Medical Field;
5. Occupational Exposure for Pregnant Workers;
6. Links between Patient and Worker Doses.