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The 21st EAN Workshop on the Optimization of the transport of radioactive material will take place from April 23 to 25, 2025 in Petten, The Netherlands. 

 

 

More than 20 million packages of radioactive material are transported each year on public roads, railways, and ships, worldwide. The shipments are related to three main sectors: non-nuclear industry and research, the medical field, and the nuclear industry.

• Non-nuclear industry and research account of most transported packages, often for mobile equipment with radioactive sources like gamma radiography devices.

• Medical uses make up another important part of shipped materials like radiopharmaceutical products for healthcare.

• The nuclear industry is responsible for the remaining (~5%), supporting activities related to the fuel cycle stages.

Workers handling and shipping these radioactive matters, as well as those near the transport vehicles, may be exposed to ionizing radiation. People in the immediate vicinity of vehicles transporting (on site and oO site) radioactive substances may also be exposed to ionizing radiation, though to a lesser extent than workers. Regulations are in place to protect workers, the public, and the environment from radiation. However, it must be recognized that as said by Mr. Grossi (Director General IAEA) “transport is a crucial moment: it’s when nuclear and radioactive materials are on the move, before being able to reach their destination reliably and on time” [that mistakes and problems can arise more easily]. Consequently, it happens that incidents, accidents and thefts occur because some transport operators still insuOiciently account for security and radiation safety to workers and the public. For instance, drivers transporting medical radioactive sources face higher exposure than those in other sectors (e.g. several events with individual exposures over 20 mSv/y have been reported in France recently). Thus, companies involved in the transport of radioactive substances must create sustainable radiological protection programs and regimes outlining radiation safety measures and the optimization of occupational and public exposures (implementing the ALARA principle). The national authorities must organize regular drills involving both regular and potential responders. Training and coaching of all those involved must be stepped up and is an essential element in improving the radiation protection culture.

The 21st EAN workshop this time entitled “Optimization of the transport of radioactive material” will examine the current situation in Europe and elsewhere in the world (contributions from AFAN, REPROLAM and ARAN regional networks are welcome) and will share experiences of improving the so-called radiation protection culture in these areas through the analysis of case studies and feedback experiences. At the end of the presentation sessions and work in small groups organized on this occasion, the participants will try to put forward a set of recommendations on optimizing radiation protection in the field of transport.

 

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You can access here the 51th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter.   

  • Editorial. With a reminder that ALARA is not a "once and done" process;
  • RECUMo - ALARA at the design of a new facility;
  • The Radium Action Plan in Switzerland;
  • Update of the radon maps in Ireland;
  • A new digital portal is setting new standards (Switzerland); 
  • Overview of AFAN activities 2023-2024;
  • Generic incident report about the loss of iodine seeds for brachytherapy;
  • Life of EAN and ALARA events
  • EAN contacts
We hope you will enjoy this Newsletter, which is made possible through EAN Members support.

The Editorial Board. —

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You can access here the 50th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter.   

  • Editorial - With a perspective on the content of EAN newsletter 1.
  • Kinsarvik, a high radon area. Current perspective and situation;
  • Radiological protection in NORM involving industries using a graded approach: a methodology proposed from Italy;
  • A synthesis of the EAN Workshop n° 20;
  • Asia and Pacific Regional ALARA Network, ARAN; 
  • EUTERP workshop short summary;
  • Did you hear about SHAMISEN-SINGS project?
  • Life of EAN and ALARA events
  • EAN contacts
We hope you will enjoy this Newsletter, which is made possible through EAN Members support.

The Editorial Board. —

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EAN 20th workshop ALARA for interventional radiology & nuclear medicine

Vienna, Austria, 2-4 October 2023

 

Aims and objectives of the workshop

More than 10 years after workshop n°13 'ALARA in Medical Sector' and with regard to the novel issues identified in EAN Newsletter 48 (see p. 17) and 49 (seep. 9), the European ALARA Network would like to focus workshop n°20 on the application of the optimization principle in interventional radiology and nuclear medicine (new radiopharmaceuticals).
The programme will develop in 4 sessions:
  1. Setting the scene and ALARA challenges identified in the fields of interventional radiology and new radiopharmaceuticals;
  2. Tools for ALARA;
  3. Focus on (new) radiopharmaceuticals;
  4. Education and training, culture.
The programme committee endeavours to bring the major European players - such as PODIUM, EFOMP, IOMP - the professional medical associations representing the practitioners, manufacturers and experts on the stage to provide insightful keynotes for the discussions in working groups.

As traditional, a significant part of the EAN Workshop will devoted to discussions in Working Groups (each participant can participate in one Working Group, to be selected at the registration). The (provisional) topics for discussion by the Working Groups are:

  1. The challenges for the optimization of patients AND workers in interventional radiology;
  2. What are the ALARA tools available in IR? Usages and usability?
  3. What are the elements of a good ALARA culture in (nuclear) medicine?
  4. Technical developments in nuclear medicine: how to instil RP from the outset?

The workshop conclusions and recommendations aims to summarise the main points of the presentations and the discussions held during the Working Groups. 

The workshop was kindly hosted by the Austrian Ministry of Public Health (AGES) at the Vienna premises.

 

© AGES

Programme

Presentations

Session 1 - Setting the scene and ALARA challenges in Europe (Chairs: Mr. S. Andresz & Mrs. Julie Morgan)

Session 2 - Tools for ALARA (Chairs: P. Allisy-Roberts & Andy Rogers)

Session 3 - Focus on (new) radiopharmaceuticals (Chairs: Mr. N. Stritt & Mr. S. Andresz)

Session 4 - Education, training and culture (Chairs: Mrs. C. Schieber & Mr. S. Economides)

Session 5 - Working Groups Reports

  

 

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You can access here the 50th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter.   

  • Editorial - What is ALARA according to ChatGPT
  • Restriction of exposure in veterinary practice;
  • Future challenge in theragnostic centres taking into account all the radiological protection measures;
  • Introducing EAN Workshop n° 20 on Interventional Radiology & Nuclear Medicine;
  • A synthesis of the European ALARA Network 1st webinar
  • Relations with other organisations: annouvement of ETRAP conference
  • Life of EAN, next events;
We hope you will enjoy this Newsletter, which is made possible through EAN Members support.

The Editorial Board. —

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WHY THIS TOPIC? — The International Commission on Radiological Protection system of protection is based on three fundamental principles: justification, optimisation and dose limitation; they apply to three types of situations of exposure to ionising radiations: (those that can be) planned, (in case of) emergency and existing (from sources that already exist when decisions to control them are made) along with three categories of exposures: occupational (i.e. workers), medical patients and the public (ICRP, 2007, ICRPedia).

Radon and NORM (naturally occurring radioactive materials) exposures have been categorized by ICRP as existing exposure situations (ICRP 2014; 2016; Lecomte, 2016; ICRP, 2019). However, both types of sources present specificities, making the choices about the type of exposure situation and the categories of exposure somewhat challenging and areas of confusion [Cool, 2013]. In some circumstances (for example in [Euratom, 2013]), radon and NORM are considered as planned exposure situations and exposure controlled as such. ICRP has recognized that further clarity is needed on the interpretation of exposure situations [Clément, 2021].

ICRP has insisted that the optimisation principle is a systematic process that apply irrespectively of the exposure situation: fundamentally, the exposure of the individuals should always be kept ALARA below certain dose criteria, be it called “reference level” or “dose constraint” depending on the case. Nonetheless, the protection strategy should be designed based on the characteristics of the situation and the circumstances of the exposure and a graded approach might be appropriate.

The application of the optimisation principle is the cornerstone of the activities of the European ALARA Network. Furthermore, the EAN also aims to assist ICRP in the practical implementation of its recommendations and to monitor the development of the new general recommendations [EAN, 2021], as a Special Liaison Organisation.

OBJECTIVE — The EAN would like to examine how the optimisation principle has been applied in the case of NORM and radon (at workplace or in other circumstances) and whether the choices of exposure type and exposure categories affect the practical implementation of ALARA.

A webinar will be organised to present an overview of experiences and discussed if the elements of the optimisation process could be influenced by the type of exposure situation/categories of exposure:

  • Selection of the appropriate dose criteria (dose constraint, reference level);
  • Dose assessment;
  • Identification of the protective options and selection of the best option;
  • Implementation, monitoring of exposure and iteration.

PROGRAMME. — The programme of the webinar is available: here.

RESULTS. — In total 168 participants have registered to the webinar and almost 110 attended the live 8 December 2022. AGES, Austria have provided an in-kind and very welcome support for the registration and holding the webinar.

The replay of the webinar is available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9fdblFRUOY (duration: 2 h 20').

The slideshows are also available:

  • The philosophy of the ICRP system applied to NORM and Radon, Mr. J F Lecomte, IRSN, France (pdf);
  • Practical experience from Norway in NORM remediation, Mrs. M V Holmstrand, DSA, Norway (pdf);
  • Feedback on radiation protection for NORM facilities and underground workplaces, Mrs. K N Rovenská, SURO, Czech Republic & RadoNorm partner (pdf);
  • Radon potential map of the UK - updating and implementation, Mrs. T Gooding, UKHSA, United Kingdom (pdf);
  • Optimization in protection from radon: problems and proposals, Mr. F. Bochicchio, ISS, Italy (pdf).
  • A synthesis of the presentation and discussions will be produced and published here.  ◼︎

REFERENCES. 

Clement, 2021. Keeping the ICRP recommendations fit for purpose, C. Clement et al. 2021 Journal of Radioogical Protection 41 1390.
Cool, 2013. Review of the ICRP system of protection: the approach to existing exposure situations, D. A. Cool, March 2015, Annals of the ICRP 44(1 Suppl).
EAN, 2021. European ALARA Network Strategic Agenda 2021-2026.
Euratom, 2013. Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, Official Journal of the European Union, L 013, 17 January 2014.
ICRP, 2007. The 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 103. Ann. ICRP 37(2–4).
ICRP, 2014. Radiological Protection against Radon Exposure. ICRP Publication 126. Ann. ICRP 43(3). 
ICRP, 2019. Radiological protection from naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in industrial processes. ICRP Publication 142. Ann. ICRP 48(4).
ICRPedia, http://icrpaedia.org/Exposure_Categories_and_Situations, June 2019.
Lecomte, 2016.J. F. Lecomte, Understanding existing exposure situations. Annals of the ICRP 2016 45:1_suppl, 54-63.

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L. Davidson, 2020, Free to use under Unsplash Licence.

Why a Working Group?

Exposure to radon represents an important contribution to the exposure of the public and the workers to ionizing radiation. In Europe, the national regulations for the protection of workers against exposure to ionizing radiation and radon in particular have been updated with the implementation of the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom. Compared with the former Directive, the number of workplaces potentially concerned by the regulation has increased and now include many workplaces not previously aware of radioactivity and without a radiation protection system in place. The management of radon can be challenging in practice and even for radiation protection specialists, radon might not be an easy problem to solve. 

Therefore, it seems appropriate for the European ALARA Network (EAN) to engage the collection of the early feedbacks of the application of the new regulatory framework to identify why questions are raised and where difficulties are met to share it to a wider audience. This action could also be the opportunity to collect good practices to address radon and share it at the same time.

Actions engaged

In March 2021, the Working Group ALARA for Radon at the Workplace (A-RAW) was set up. The working group developed a survey instrument to collect elements from national regulation and case studies in the management of radon. The working group actively disseminated the survey and collected feedbacks from Radiation Protection Authorities/Agencies (RPA) and National Insurance Fund. A synthesis of the collected feedbacks have been elaborated. 

The objectives of the working group include sharing the results and the members are looking for the opportunities to present the result in conference and by the publication of an article. 

Documents produced



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You can access here the 47th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter.   

  • Radiation Protection for ALARA implementation during MINERVA Design and Construction Phases;
  • The United Kingdom Dental Guidance Note - 2nd edition;
  • Irradiators with High Activity Sources to be Replaced
  • Optimisation Actions of Remediation in a Legacy NORM site in Norway 
  • Life of EAN and relations with other organisations 
We hope you will enjoy this Newsletter, which is made possible through EAN Members support.

The Editorial Board

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You can access here the 45th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter.   

  • The Graded approach for workplaces in the context of the implementation of Directive Euratom 2013/59

  • Contamination incidents during injection of radoopharmaceuticals an OTHEA/RELIR incident

  • Reminder about the OTHEA/RELIR

  • Action Plan to strengthen the radiological safety and security (of sources) in Switzerland (RADISS)

  • Fukushima+10 list of events

  • Life of EAN and relation with other organizations.

The EAN Newsletter is open to contribution!
 
We wish you a pleasant reading

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You can access here the 44th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter.  

  • key principles in radiation protection can also apply to protection from Covid

  • new regulation for the protection against radon at work in France

  • optimization, rethinking the art of reasonable - NEA workshop

  • joint roadmap for radiation protection research - state of the art

  • guidance on using shielding on patients for diagnosis radiology applications

  • Events in ALARA

The EAN Newsletter is open to contribution!
 
We wish you a pleasant reading