Optimisation in Operational Radiological Protection Contribution from the ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) Carl Lindvall ISOE Chair Presentation at the Fourth ISOE European Workshop on Occupational Exposure at NPP:s Lyon 24 – 26 March 2004 Carl G Lindvall

International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICPR) ICRP is currently developing an evolved system of radiological protection - general recommendations This includes A Framework for Assessing the Impact of Ionising Radiation on Non-human Species (ICRP Publication 91) ICRP opened the process of developing an evolved system to a broad stakeholder community - actively involving the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Carl G Lindvall

Building a common understanding ICRP is developing an evolved system of radiological protection General recommendations Protection of Non-Human Species CRPPH and ISOE provides active partnership with a broad stakeholder community Explore implications Discuss new concepts Road test Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) The ISOE Programme has great interest in assuring that the new ICRP recommendations will be operationally useful. To contribute to this process, the ISOE Steering Group agreed to develop a report describing current good practice in optimisation, and identifying areas where new guidance from ICRP would be helpful. This slide is directly from the WGOR’s Terms of Reference, and describes the Group’s objective, and the four key tasks it will address. Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) The Group’s task identify the areas of operational radiological protection that should be reflected in ICRP recommendations. illustrate how operational optimisation can be applied in practice in various situations develop practical and operational views provide views, on behalf of the ISOE Steering Group, to the CRPPH This slide is directly from the WGOR’s Terms of Reference, and describes the Group’s objective, and the four key tasks it will address. Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) ISOE initiative to remind the international radiological protection community of the practical aspects of radiological protection WGOR met 4 times in 2002 – 2003 Draft report on Optimisation in Operational Radiological Protection (the professionals’ views) Will be presented at the IRPA-11 Congress, May 2004 in Madrid, Spain This slide is directly from the WGOR’s Terms of Reference, and describes the Group’s objective, and the four key tasks it will address. Carl G Lindvall

International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICPR) ICRP:s proposal will be presented at the IRPA 11 meeting in Madrid, May 2004 The draft proposal will be published on the ICRP web after the IRPA meeting. ICRP will still be open for discussion and comments to the end of 2004 The final edition are expected in 2005 and to be published lat 2005 or early 2006. Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) General statements The documents from the ICRP are “framework” documents, and have changed and developed during our work. They provide discussions of guiding principles and overall concepts that the ICRP is proposing to use as the bases for its recommendations. The details that would be necessary to fully understand the implications and ramifications of the new recommendations are not always presented. Carl G Lindvall

There are no cost considerations in the ICRP documents reviewed ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) General statements Cost implications that result from the proposed changes to ICRP’s recommendations are significant There are no cost considerations in the ICRP documents reviewed The ICRP needs to be quite clear with respect to the benefits from change, in order to optimise the efforts and costs involved with this change. Regulatory changes carry a cost and the cost implications from the proposed changes to ICRP’s recommendations are significant. The more direct costs involve the modification of international agreements and standards, of national regulations, and of technical specification documents. Such simple modifications as changing ALARA to “best available protection under the prevailing circumstances” could be quite time consuming as the ALARA concept is so widely used in many regulatory and operational documents. Indirect costs, such as the expenditures of political and social capital, or even some loss of public trust in the face of such significant change, could also be quite high. Cost considerations are not mentioned in the draft framework documents that we have analyzed. The implication of these potential costs is that the ICRP will need to be quite clear with respect to the benefits from change, in order to optimise the efforts and costs involved with this change. Carl G Lindvall

Optimisation of Public exposure Optimisation of Worker exposure ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) Key issues discussed Optimisation of Public exposure Optimisation of Worker exposure Empowerment of the Workforce The use of tools in optimisation Old-plant ALARA versus New-plant ALARA Optimisation of decommissioning International aspects of optimisation Carl G Lindvall

The objective is the process of optimisation rather than minimisation ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) Optimisation of public exposure Key messages The objective is the process of optimisation rather than minimisation ALARA philosophy and “best available technology (BAT)” are both tools for optimisation Options which transfer dose from the public to the worker are not considered to be ALARA Collective dose is an effective planning tool for comparing options - however should not be used to assess public detriment Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) Optimisation of worker exposure Key messages Optimisation is the key tool for the management of worker doses Worker collective dose is an extremely useful tool for worker exposure management Flexibility in individual dose management is very useful Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) Empowerment of the Workforce Key messages Work management empowers workers. Good work management leads to Lower doses Higher safety Higher efficiency Lower costs More efficient use of resources National and plant specific approaches may differ significantly while achieving similar objectives of work management Includes many aspects of worker health and safety Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) The use of tools in optimisation Key messages Application of a generic level of the order of a few 10s of µSv/a, below which regulatory control could be reduced would be welcomed Flexible guidance for the application of optimisation is needed Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) Old-plant ALARA versus new-plant ALARA Key messages Optimisation of dose, below a given dose constraint, focuses on the process, not on the results. Site-specific philosophies may be equivalent, while yielding different results Guidance on criteria to judge effectiveness of ALARA programmes needed Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) Optimisation of decommissioning Key messages Any levels eventually chosen for clearance levels, and their regulatory control should not result in excessive worker exposures Worker exposures should be key elements considered when national decommissioning policy is developed Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) International aspects of optimisation Key messages Level of common approaches and understanding to effectively optimise public and worker doses needs to be discussed Management and optimisation of worker doses is the responsibility of the employer, however, the facility is responsible for optimising doses at the facility. National regulatory authority responsible for monitoring worker doses and compliance with limits Expanding the use of practical tools, such as dose passports should be explored nationally and internationally Carl G Lindvall

ISOE Working Group on Operational Radiological Protection (WGOR) Conclutions Flexibility is a key to the operational application of radiological protection principles It is hoped that the new ICRP recommendations will take into account current good practice, and provide guidance for optimisation in practice The ISOE Programme will continue to follow ICRP developments, and contribute its views on operational topics Carl G Lindvall