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Definition of "ALARA culture" |
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Written by François Drouet
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Monday, 21 June 2010 |
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The following definition has been proposed by the EAN Working Group on ALARA Culture. It has been endorsed by the members of the EAN Steering Group. EAN Proposal: Definition of the ALARA Approach to Radiation Protection
Culture Based on scientific knowledge and characterised by risk awareness,
optimisation of radiation protection is an ongoing and iterative
process, to keep - the magnitude of individual doses,
- the number of people exposed and
- the likelihood of potential exposure ALARA,
taking into account technical, economic and societal developments,
requiring qualitative and quantitative judgements and involving all
parties having an interest in or concern about an exposure situation.The implementation of the ALARA approach in practice is the most
important element of radiation protection culture because of the
particularity of the linear dose-effect relationship without thresholds
(LNT) compared to protection methods for chemical and toxic agents, new
findings of new health effects due to ionising radiation, and the
application of the precautionary principle. The implementation requires an adequate number of well trained and
experienced radiation protection specialists familiar with the ALARA
principle and associated procedures and ready to spread the ALARA
culture within their field of activities.
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