Issue 43 - June 2020

Details

Published: 18 June 2020

You can access here the 43^th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter. This is a special issue on the challenges on ALARA in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

• The Impacts of Covid-19 pandemic on ALARA - Testimonies from EAN Members:
  • Testimony from Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Mr. F. Kabrt, Mrs E. Linder-Leschinski.
  • Testimony from Nuclear Protection Evaluation Centre, France, Mr. S. Andresz.
  • Testimony from Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland, Mr. H. Synnott.
  • Testimony from Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, Mr. N. Stritt and colleagues.
  • Testimony from Public Health England, Mrs. J. Morgan.
• A Glimpse on Initiatives taken by several RP-related Organizations during the Covid-19 Pandemic
  • IAEA Webinars: Maintaining the Highest Level of Radiation Protection During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Mr. O. Burcin, Mrs. L. Doicanova, IAEA
  • Other initiatives : SHARE, SRP in United Kingdom, SFRP and EDP Sciences, World Nuclear News.
• The Radium Action Plan in Switzerland 2015-2022, Mr. N. Stritt, Mrs. M. Palacios and colleagues
• What's new in EAN? 

Optimization of Radiation Protection - ALARA: A Practical Guidebook

Details

Published: 03 October 2019

"Well, we finally made it" 

'Oh Love', in Love Unlimited, PNY International, 1973.

The EAN Working Group on ALARA Culture has achieved the elaboration of a book on the ALARA principle. Optimization of Radiological Protection - ALARA: A Practical Guidebook intends to give a clear and practical picture of what is ALARA and how to apply it – and in line with the last recommendations and standards from international organizations. ALARA: A Practical Guidebook provides an extensive description of the ALARA principle, elaborates on the specificities of ALARA for the different exposure situations and is illustrated by more than 40 examples of application in different exposure situations: nuclear installation, medical facilities, 'natural' exposure, emergency exposure situations etc. The examples are coming from the real-life.

ALARA: A Practical Guidebook is addressed to organizations and peopled involved in radiation protection and its allied fields at work or having an interest in it – engineers and technicians, experts and managers etc. The Book can also be used as training material for teachers and students in radiation protection. 

With ALARA: A Practical Guidebook, the Working Group and the EAN wishes to contribute to the awareness and education in radiation protection and in all its field of application. The objective is to participate to a wider and more uniform implementation of ALARA into practice, so to ensure the efficient optimisation of the exposures and the better protection of the people.

Optimization of Radiation Protection - ALARA: A Practical Guidebook (.pdf, 4.5 Mo), ISBN: 978-2_9569796-0-9 © 2019, The European ALARA Network Edition.

19th EAN Workshop "Innovative ALARA Tools"

Details

Published: 20 May 2019

!  2 workshops in 1  !

PODIUM Dissemination workshop and EAN 19^th workshop Innovative ALARA Tools

Athens, Greece, 26 and 27 – 28 November 2019

2nd announcement with preliminary programme here

registration website here

Aims and objectives of the workshops

EAN Workshop (27-28 Nov. 2019)

The objectives of the European ALARA Network workshop are:

• to present and review recent and emerging "innovative ALARA Tools” used in the different steps of the ALARA process: e.g. radiological characterization and evaluation of the exposure, planning and decision phases and follow-up and feedback.
• to investigate the benefits of the tools and identify potential limits in their application;
• to disseminate the knowledge on innovative ALARA Tools in support of the ALARA process;
• to investigate how innovative ALARA Tools and innovation may (re)shape the ALARA process for the next years: evolution or revolution?

A significant part of the EAN Workshop is devoted to discussions in Working Groups (each participant can participate in one Working Group). The provisional topics for discussion by the Working Groups are:

1. Are there specific challenges in the ALARA process that may be solved by innovative “ALARA Tools” (under development or to be developed)?
2. Are there specific issues which may limit the development and/or the use of innovative “ALARA Tools” (technical, legislative, ethical etc.)? How to deal with these issues?
3. What is the role of the radiation protection professionnals (RPEs/MPEs/ RPOs, ...) with respect to these tools?
4. There is currently a lot of focus on research and innovation in areas beyond that of traditional RP research, notably artificial intelligence. Does IA have the potential to shape the ALARA process in the next year?

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

In practice

Second announcement (with programme) of the workshops is available.

The workshop was hosted by the Greek Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE) at the Congress Center of the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” (Patr. Gregoriou E & 27 Neapoleos Str, 15341 Agia Paraskevi, Athens).

Presentations

Session 1 - Innovative ALARA tools in radiological characterization and first evaluation (Chair: Mr. F. Vermeersch)

• Introduction and setting the scene (F. Vermeersch, SCK•CEN)
• Use of drones in the assessment of uncommon exposure situations (J. Camps, SCK•CEN)
• Personal dose computation using monitoring systems and 3D cameras (M. Abdelrahman, SCK•CEN)
• The Way of CEN - Dose Assessment for Construction Products (B. Hoffman, BfS)
• In-vivo incorporation of radionuclides of workers: measurements vs. evaluation with GEANT4 (S. Medici, IRA)

Session 2 - Innovative ALARA tools in planning and decision (Chair: Mr. S. Andresz)

• The VISIPLAN software: to perform dose assessment under different scenarios (F. Vermeersch, SCK•CEN)
• ALARA, Ethics, the ICRP System and Innovation: Aligned? (Prof. J. Malone, Trinity College Dublin; Ireland)
• Introduction to working groups (S. Andresz, CEPN)
• Artificial intelligence in interventional techniques (Prof. E. Efstathopoulos, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
• Decision aiding tools considering multiple criteria (T. Kenny, EPA)
• Manuela: an advanced 3D characterization material in NPP (B. Chagneau, Orano)
• Using RayXpert© Monte Carlo code to optimize radiological protections in a nuclear medicine service, B. Simony, C. Dossat, A. Ghilardi (TRAD), J. F. Rauch, L. Whitfield (Hôpital Albi)

Session 3 - Innovative ALARA tools for the follow-up and feedback (Chair: Mr. P. Croüail)

• The D-Schuttle for the collection, capitalization and broadcasting of radiological data after radiological events (W. Naito, P. Croüail, CEPN, AIST)
• Impact of the Euratom Directive on the need of follow up and feedback from activities (C. Pafilis, S. Economides, EEAE)
• Evolving Fluoro Worker Dosimetry (Prof. S. Balter, New York University)

Session 4 - Working Groups Reports

• Report from Working Group 1 (S. Medici, IRA) - Are there specific challenges in ALARA that may be solved by innovative tools?
• Report from Working Group 2 (F. Kabrt) - Are there specific issues that may limit the development of innovative ALARA tools?
• Report from Working Group 3 (F. Vermeersch, SCK•CEN) - What is the role of the radiation protection professional with regard to these ALARA tools?
• Report from Working Group 4 (S. Andresz, CEPN) - Does Artificial Intelligence has the potential to shape the ALARA process?
• Conclusions and Recommendations (tbw) 

18th Workshop: ALARA in Decommissioning and Site Remediation

Details

Published: 11 July 2018

18^th European ALARA Network Workshop [organized in collaboration with ISOE], Marcoule, France, 11 – 13 March 2019

"ALARA in Decommissioning and Site Remediation"

____

The participants (ICSM Marcoule, 11th March 2019).

Aims and objectives

The objectives of the workshop were:

• To present the regulatory background and latest guidance and
• standards regarding radiation protection for decommissioning and site remediation; both in the nuclear and the non-nuclear sectors.
• To examine the conceptual and the practical aspects of the optimisation (ALARA) principle in these fields for workers and the public. The workshop aims at gathering a large array of experience and feedback from work performed in nuclear installations, installations outside the nuclear fuel cycle (ex. research facilities) and legacy sites.
• To discuss and investigate selected key themes and overriding issues with regard to ALARA; to identify remaining needs and perspectives.

 The workshop was jointly organized with the ISOE Working Group on Decommissioning (WG-DECOM).

Programme

The final programme is available here. As part of the programme, time was devoted for discussions in working groups between participants. A technical visit of Marcoule installations was organized.

Presentations

Session 1 - Setting the scene

• CEA Marcoule Activities and Project — J.M. Carrere, CEA Marcoule
• The EAN in Collaboration in ISOE - Former EAN workshops on the theme — F. Vermeersch, SCK•CEN, EAN Chair
• ALARA in Decommissioning, the Point of View of ISOE WGDECOM — L. Vaillant, CEPN
• IAEA Safety standards for decommissioning and remediation, and their application — J. Rowat, International Atomic Energy Agency
• Creation of NEA Committee on Decommissioning and Legacy Management — G. Kwong, NEA
• Regulatory Requirements for Radiation Protection in Decommissioning in Germany — B. Rehs, BfE

Session 2 - ALARA for decommissioning and remediation of nuclear installations

• Scenarios and Strategy for Dismantling Hot Cell M2 at LHMA Installation, Mol — P. Antoine, SCK•CEN
• The Decommissioning of a Low Flux Reactor — F. Draaisma, NRG
• ALARA Approach Dismantling Pit 7 — F. Petitot, CEA & C. Durain, Orano
• Radiological Characterization to Lay the Foundation of ALARA. Experience from Mühleberg NPP — E. Neukäter, BKW
• The Decommissioning of Research Installations at CIEMAT in Madrid — J. C. Saez Vergara, CSN
• The site remediation of the FBFC fuel cycle facility in Dessel, Belgium — C. Mommaert, Bel V
• Full System Decontamination under ALARA Point of View — M. Knaack, TüV Nord

Session 3 - ALARA for decommissioning and remediation of site outside the nuclear sector

• The Radium Action Plan in Switzerland — M. Palacios, SFOPH
• Remediation of a Former Gas Mantle Factory Contaminated with Radioactive Thorium-232 — A. Lowe, PHE
• Radiation Protection in the Management of Radioactive Geological Material in Private Buildings — J. Amoudruz, IRSN
• Remediation and Release of the Randstad Uranium Mining and Milling Site — H. Efraimsson, SSM

Session 4 - Transversal issues: holistic approach and waste

• Mixed Alpha/Asbestos Risk Management at EDF DP2D— G. Ranchoux, EDF
• Choosing a Strategy for Waste: Recycling? Disposal? Experience from an Italian Agency — R. Rusconi, ARPA Lombardia
• Risk Management for Legacy Sites and Wastes: Implications for Proportionate Risk Management and a Graded Approach to Risk Assessment — G. Smith
• Decommissioning of Non-Nuclear Facilities - an Insight into the Process — A. Bloot, Applus+ RTD
• Restricted Clearance - PAH's Posing a Challenge ni Dismantling — S. Fleck, VKTA

Session 5 - Working Groups Reports - Conclusions and Recommendations

• Introduction to the Working Groups — S. Andresz, CEPN
• Report from Working Group 1a - How to apply the ALARA principle for workers for decommissioning and site remediation?
• Report from Working Group 1b - How to apply the ALARA principle for workers for decommissioning and site remediation?
• Report from Working Group 3 - The holistic approach: how to be ALARA in the context of other risks?
• Report from Working Group 4 - The challenges raised by waste and how to overcome?
• Conclusions and Recommendations (preliminary) — F. Vermeersch, SCK•CEN, J. Morgan, PHE and S. Andresz, CEPN

Issue 40 - November 2017

Details

Published: 06 November 2017

You can access here the 40^th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter (pdf, 3 Mo). Articles deal with:

• The Conclusions and Recommendations from EAN workshop 17 on the application of ALARA in emergency exposure situations, S. Andresz (CEPN, France), J. Morgan (PHE, United Kingdom), F. Vermeersch (SCK•CEN, Belgium), P. Croüail (CEPN, France).
• Justification, Optimisation and Dose Limitation following Nuclear Accident - an ICRP Perspective, A. Nisbet (PHE, United Kingdom).
• Optimisation and Robustness of Intervention Strategy in Emergency Exposure Situations, S. Nestoroska Madjunarova, C. Robinson (IAEA).
• On the Use of Thyroid Shielding in Dental Radiography- Result of a Survey, S. Andresz (CEPN, France), J. Holroyd (PHE, United Kingdom).
• A Survey for the Young Generation in Radiation Protection.
• As usual: ALARA News and FAQ ALARA (Quiz).

17th European ALARA Network workshop on "ALARA in emergency exposure situations"

Details

Published: 24 May 2017

17^thEuropean ALARA Network Workshop [organized in collaboration with NERIS], Lisbon, Portugal, 15 – 17 May 2017

"ALARA in Emergency Exposure Situations "

Aims and objectives

Emergency exposure situations can arise as a result of a nuclear accident, a malicious or terrorist act, or any other unexpected radiological event. It requires a quick response and sustainable countermeasures and remedial actions in order to avoid or reduce adverse short-term and long-term consequences. Radiation exposures can be received by the public, first responders, workers and volunteers engaged in the post-accident recovery.

The ICRP recommendations and European Basic Safety Standards – the bases for national regulations - re-emphasize the principle of optimisation (ALARA) as applying to emergency exposure situations. For the purpose of radiological protection, reference levels for emergency exposure situations should be set. More importantly, it is necessary to establish emergency plans based on an optimum protection strategy, resulting in more good than harm for the exposed people and the affected territories. In that perspective, lessons learnt from the Fukushima accident are of utmost importance.

The objectives of the workshop were:

• To show, in particular from the experience of Fukushima accident, the challenges posed by the optimisation of exposures in emergency and post-accident situations;
• To review the national arrangements for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the radiological consequences of an emergency, especially with regard to applying the ALARA principle to public and occupational exposures;
• To review the arrangements for managing emergency doses to workers;
• To review the arrangements for providing ALARA-based training for the different types of stakeholders who would be engaged in the emergency response and long-term recovery actions.

Programme and participants

The final programme and the list of participants can be accessed here.

As part of the programme, time has been devoted for discussions in working groups between participants. The working groups tackled the following issues:

1. Can the ALARA principle by fully apply in Emergency Exposure Situations for the members of the public?
2. Can the ALARA principle be fully apply in Emergency Exposure Situations for the occupationnaly exposed individuals?
3. (two working groups) Predict the unpredictable. How to ensure emergency plans are optimal from a radiation protection point of view? How to act if the situation goes beyond prediction?

Presentations

Session 1 - Setting the scene

• EAN and ALARA in Emergency Situations (1.2 Mo) — F. Vermeersch, SCK•CEN & EAN Chairman
• Prepardness from Recovery from Radiation Disaster, Role of the European NERIS platform (153 ko) — T. Schneider, CEPN & NERIS Chairman
• Considerations for the Development of a Protection Strategy for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency (1.1 Mo) — C. Robinson, International Atomic Energy Agency
• Justification, Optimisation and Dose Limitation following Nuclear Accidents (1.4 Mo);&nbspAbstract — A. Nisbet, Public Health England, ICRP TG 93
• Euratom Directive 2013/59 - Elements to be included in Emergency Management System (... kB) — M. Patel, European Commission
• CRPPH Working Party on Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM) (2.3 Mo) — C. McMahon, Environmental Protection Agency Ireland

Session 2 - Overview of Emergency Prepardness in Europe

• The CODIRPA - A French Initiative to Manage Post-Accident Situations, Achievements and Future Challenges (3 Mo) ; Abstract — N. Tchillian, French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN)
• Optimised Protection Strategies in Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies - the German Example (8.6 Mo) — F. Gering, German Nuclear Safety Authority (BfS)
• Emergency Prepardness in Austria in the light of the new EU BSS including also the ALARA Approach (3.3 Mo) — M. Dauke, AGES GmbH
• Setting Dose Reference Levels for Emergency Responders in the United Kingdom (2.1 Mo) ; Abstract — S. Ely, Public Health England
• Finnish Experience in Emergency Prepardness - Experience of Cooperation and Results (1.3 Mo) ; Abstract — J. Sovijärvi, Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK)

Session 3 - Emergency and Response Management

• A Framework for Training of First Responders and Intervention Teams (4.1 Mo) ; Abstract — L. Portugal, Portuguese Environmental Protection Agency
• Operational Radiation Protection at EDF Rapid Nuclear Response Force (3.1 Mo) — P. M. Eymond, EDF
• J-RODOS: Real Time Decision Support System for Nuclear Emergency Management (1.9 Mo) ; Abstract — W. Raskob, Karlsruhe Institute ot Technology
• CFD Application for Impacts & Risks assessment in the Industrial Areas-Case Studies Fuidyn PAN-EPR for Local Scale Short-Term Releases (4.3 Mo) — C. Souprayen, Fluidyn France
• Optimization and Robustness of Intervention Strategy (1.6 Mo) ; Abstract — C. Murith, Swiss Federal Office of Public Health
• Modelling of Nuclear Accident Consequence on Freshwater Bodies (5.1 Mo) — E. Gallego, University of Madrid
• WHO Recommendations on Iodine Thyroid Blocking (4.8 Mo) — Z. Carr, World Health Organization
• The Experience of Q&A about Radiation in Daily Life after Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident (5.5 Mo) ; Abstract — T. Kono, Japan Atomic Energy Agency & Young Researcher Association, Japan Health Society
• Radioactivity from Fukushima Nuclear Accident Detected in Lisbon: Concerns of and Communication with the Public (4.7 Mo) — M. Capucho dos Reis, University of Lisbon, Technologic and Nuclear Campus (IST CTN)

Session 4 - The Post Accident Phase - Management of Radiological Consequences

• Responders On-Site in the Late Phase of a Nuclear Accident - The ALARA Approach (3.1 Mo) ; Abstract — J. F. Lecomte, French Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Institute (IRSN)
• ERMIN: European Model for Inhabited Areas: Use within a Wider Decision Making Framework (6.6 Mo) ; Abstract — T. Charnock, Public Health England
• Management of Contaminated Food: the Example of the Irish Dairy Sector (1.6 Mo) — C. Organo, Irish Environmental Protection Agency
• The Use of Electronic Dosimeter for Individual Exposure Assessment and Management after a Nuclear Accident: the Example of D-Shuttle in Fukushima Prefecture (6.7 Mo) ; Abstract — W. Naito, National Institute of Advanced Science and Technology (AIST)
• Efficient Countermeasures: the Basis of post-Chernobyl Remediation and Sustainable Development of the Affected Territories of the Republic of Belarus part 1 (8,9 Mo) part 2 (7.6 Mo) — V. Averin, Insitute of Radiology (RIR)
• Implementating Optimisation in Post-Accident Situation: Some Lessons from Fukushima (1 Mo) ; Abstract — T. Shogo, Japan Atomic Energy Agency

Session 5 - Conclusions and Recommendations

• Introduction to the Working Groups — P. Croüail, CEPN and EAN Vice Chairman (811 ko)
• Report from Working Group 1 - Can the ALARA principle be fully applied for the public in emergency exposure situations? (59 ko)
• Report from Working Group 2 - Can the ALARA principle be fully applied for the occupational exposed workers in emergency exposure situations? (52 ko)
• Report from Working Group 3a - Predict the unpredictable: How to ensure the emergency plans are optimal from a radiation protection point of view? (38 kB)
• Report from Working Group 3b - Predict the unpredicatable: How to ensure the emergency plans are optimal from a radiation protection point of view? (69 kB)
• Final Conclusions and Recommendations (preliminary) — J. Morgan, Public Health England & EAN Secretary

EAN 17th Workshop participants (IST-CTN, Bobadela, Portugal, May 2017)

Issue 39 - March 2017

Details

Published: 28 March 2017

You can access here the 39^th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter (pdf, 7,5 Mo). Articles deal with:

• Management of Radon Risk in Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération in France, S. Lafage, T. Schneider, I. Netillard.
• Implementation of the National Radon Control Strategy for Ireland: Year 2 of the Strategy (April 2015 - June 2016), D. Fenton.
• A Survey on the Cosmic Radiation Exposure of Aircraft Crew in Europe between 2008 and 2015, S. Andresz.
• Continuing EAN Survey on Radiation Protection Practices in Dental Radiography.
• EAN activities : Preliminary programme of EAN 17th Workshop available.
• As always : ALARA News and FAQ ALARA.

Issue 38 - September 2016

Details

Published: 27 September 2016

You can access here the 38^th issue of the European ALARA Network Newsletter (pdf, 4,7 Mo). Articles deal with:

• Significant Radiological Events in France during 2014 in Industrial Radiography
• The gammaPROX concept
• The Role of EFNDT in Radiation Protection
• ENETRAP III-Implications for Industrial Radiography?
• Radiation Protection of a novel Radiotherapy System for the Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• On the Use of Thyroid Shielding in Dental Radiography : an Answer and a Survey
• EAN activities : 17th Workshop on the Application of ALARA in Emergency Exposure Situations
• ALARA News, FAQ ALARA 

EAN NORM launches its new website and announces its 8th Workshop

Details

Published: 04 February 2016

Please note that EANNORM Network has designed a new website. You may want to have a look at www.ean-norm.eu and explore it!  Furthermore, the Network is happy to annouce the organization of it 8th EAN_NORM workshop, that will be held from 5 to 7 December 2016 in Stockholm. The announcement and further details can be found at http://ean-norm.eu/?page_id=96

Publication of the EAN Strategic Agenda for the 2015 - 2020 period

Details

Published: 15 January 2015

The Strategic Agenda of the European ALARA Network for the 2015 - 2020 period has been elaborated by the Members in 2014 and is now published on the website (in the 'Presentation of EAN/EAN Strategic Plan' section). The Strategic Agenda reminds the general objectives of EAN and presents the objectives of the Network for the period and the work programme to fulfil it.

EAN Strategic Agenda 2015 - 2020 (pdf, 455 Kb)