1. Introduction and setting the scene to the 9th EAN Workshop on “Occupational exposure to natural radiation”
C. Lefaure (CEPN), P. Shaw (HPA-RPD)
9th EAN Workshop
Augsburg, Germany October 2005

2. EAN Member States since 2004 (18 countries)
Steering group with
Regulatory bodies
Research centres
Utilities

3. Supported by contributions from members
Self - Sustaining EAN
Since 2005
Supported by contributions from members
Co-operation charter (terms and conditions)
New legal entity and Administrative Board
Continuation of activities
Co-ordinator and assistant
Steering Group
Newsletter and workshops

4. EAN Future Challenges
Develop ALARA for occupational, medical and public exposures
Encourage involvement of new categories of stakeholders
Specifically expand network actions in medical and NORM fields

5. THE WORKSHOPS To
Exchange feedback
Identify problems that need further research or developments
Aid the implementation of ALARA in practice
Provide recommendations
One per year
Limited audience (50/80 persons)
Focus on working in groups (since N°3)

6. PAPERS PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE: 5 to 10 per workshop downloaded > 400 times 130 visits on the site per day

7. Occupational exposure optimisation in the medical field
± 10 RECOMMENDATIONS PER WORKSHOP to EC, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders
Occupational exposure optimisation in the medical field
Madrid 2002

8. IMPACTS OF EAN RECOMMENDATIONS
EC level: SMOPIE, EURAIDE, sub-networks on industrial radiography, research reactors, medical field…
National level:
Regulations or guidelines modifications (Swed., Germ., UK., Nor., …)
New system for incident (Fr., Nor.,…)
Other Regional Networks : IAEA…

9. EC: EAN for NORM
Review existing surveys, identify and assess situation in NORM industry
review ALARA, produce operational guidance
develop and maintain Codes of Practice
improve and support training
harmonization proposals to EC
co-operation with international organizations
integrate with EAN

10. “Occupational exposure to natural radiation”
Objectives:
How to increase the commitment to radiation protection?
What are the best practical approaches to exposure management?
Scope:
NORM (and TENORM)
Radon-222 (and radon-220)
Not cosmic rays

11. Occupational exposures - workers and doses
NORM (from SMOPIE)
reliable data not available
approx 100, 000 “exposed” workers
mostly Th electrodes (70k)
Phosphate fertiliser (10k)
Others (20k +)
doses mostly below 6 mSv/y, except for
rare earth processing (>20 mSv)
grinding Th electrodes ( mSv)
some zircon milling ( mSv)

12. Occupational exposures - workers and doses
Radon
lack of workplace data
UK estimates
workplaces above Action Level?
affected workers?
Few % above 6 mSv = few thousand workers?
If extrapolated to EU = 1 million affected workers?

13. Imagine a source…...
Occupational exposure
Exposes more workers than any other source
Large range of individual doses
EU collective dose >1000 man Sv/y
Range of protection measures
Many are cheap and effective

14. Regulation and optimisation - NORM
Widespread adoption of application level
Below 1 mSv/y - no regulation, no ALARA?
Above 1 mSv/y - regulation and ALARA?
newly regulated industries
no ALARA by design
learning ALARA in operation
industrial hygiene approach vs ALARA?

15. Regulation and optimisation - Radon
Widespread adoption of Action Levels
Typically Bq/m3
Below AL - no regulation, no ALARA?
periodic re-testing
Above AL - remedial action
optimisation of intervention?
ALARA where radon remains above AL?
ALARA below AL?

16. 9th EAN Workshop WORKING GROUP 1
TYPES OF REGULATION AND ALARA
What type of regulatory system is most appropriate?
What are the most appropriate criteria for determining when regulations do/do not apply?
What are the most important requirements for NORM and radon? Should these be similar to the requirements for artificial sources?
What should be required in respect of the ALARA principle?

17. 8th EAN Workshop WORKING GROUP 2
COMMUNICATION AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT
How should the radiation risks and the need for controls be communicated?
How can employers be encouraged to implement protection measures and the ALARA principle?
What is the role of employees? Can/should this role be increased?
What other stakeholders are there? How should they be involved?

18. 9th EAN Workshop WORKING GROUPS 3 and 4
PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT - RADON and NORM
What methods should be used to identify exposure situations, and to assess the associated risk?
What monitoring tools, methods and strategies are most effective in terms of helping to manage exposures?
What does practical experience tell us, i.e. in terms of the best ways to manage and optimise exposures?
Are there lessons to be learnt from comparing the approaches to NORM and to radon? How do these approaches interface with existing workplace safety and industrial hygiene regimes?

19. 9th EAN Workshop Now it is time to work together
Plenary sessions and work in small groups
Challenges
±10 new recommendations to EC, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders, particularly the concerned industries
Oral presentations downloaded more than 500 times each!
Actual impact of exchanges and recommendations on practices