Recent Recommendations on Emergency Exposure Situations and aDiscussion on Setting Reference Levels with the NEA Perspective

Abstract

Expert Group on Implementation of New International Recommendations for EmergencyExposure Situations (EGIRES) of the Working Party on Nuclear Emergency Matter (WPNEM) hasbeen mandated by the Committee of Radiation Protection and Public Health (CRPPH) of theOECD Nuclear Energy Agency to investigate issues in, and approaches to, the implementationof the new ICRP recommendations and revised Basic Safety Standards of the IAEA foremergency exposure situations, specifically nuclear/radiological emergencies includingaccidents and consequence management for malicious acts. This also includes theapplication of optimisation of protection strategies, setting of reference levels and theinclusion of stakeholder input in this process. The expected output of the expert group isto prepare a report on issues covering mentioned topics. Emergency exposure situations, asdefined by the ICRP, are unexpected situations that may require urgent protective actions,and perhaps longer-term protective actions to be implemented. The Commission continues torecommend optimisation and the use of reference levels to ensure an adequate degree ofprotection with respect to exposure to ionising radiation in emergency exposuresituations. Setting reference levels is a responsibility of national authorities andreference levels represent the level of dose or risk, above which it is judged to beinappropriate to plan to allow exposures to occur and for which therefore protectiveactions should be planned and optimized. EGIRES decided to analyze the establishedprocesses for optimization of the protection strategy for emergency exposure situationsand practical implementation of reference levels concept in several member states of theNEA by performing a survey. It is planned to collect information on the definition ofoptimization strategy in different countries, optimization of protection for differentprotective actions and also optimization of urgent protective actions. In addition,national criteria in setting reference levels, its use, relevant processes includingspecific triggers and dosimetric quantities in setting reference levels are focus pointsthat will be evaluated. Benefits expected from the work of the expert group will be usefulto find a path and even common understanding of surrounding issues in emergency exposuresituations with the inclusion of national perspectives and also to discuss stakeholderinvolvement.