European requirements for radiological protection, especially work on transposing the new EURATOM Directive on the basic radiological protection standards, are currently being revised. The Direction générale du travail (DGT - General Directorate of Labour) and the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN - Nuclear Safety Authority) therefore commissioned the Radiological Protection Standing Groups of experts (GPRAD and GPMED) to engage in a forward-looking debate on the delimitation of and access to regulated areas, within an ad hoc working group (called hereafter ‘Classification of Area WG’).
To fuel its debates, the ‘Classification of Area WG’ sought elements on international regulations and practices focusing on problem exposure situations in various areas of activity (nuclear, industrial, research, medical, transport and natural boosted). CEPN was entrusted with this study.
Regarding the method, the regulatory texts on the radiological protection of workers and dealing with the designation of regulated radiological protection areas have been identified in each selected country through Internet research supplemented by direct contacts with representatives of the European ALARA network and the ISOE network (ISOE is the network of nuclear power plant operators and safety authorities). The survey began in 2011 and ended in late 2012. The safety authorities in some countries and/or professional companies have also published additional guides to assist in applying the regulations. Guides providing additional information on the designation of regulated areas have been identified and included in the study.
This report presents a summary of rules applicable in seven countries in terms of delimitation of and access to regulated radiological protection areas. The countries are: Belgium, Spain, United States, Finland, United Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland. Detailed sheets for each country can be found in the Annexes. A short Report summary sums up the main points of the survey.
Download : pdf Report ; pdf Annexes ; pdf Report summary