Radiological protection against radon exposure

At its meeting in Porto (Portugal) in November 2009, the Main Commission of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) approved the formation of a new Task Group, reporting to Committee 4, to develop guidance on radiological protection against radon exposure. The present presentation is a description of the Task groups’ draft report which will be posted on the ICRP website for public consultation. In this report, the Commission provides updated guidance on radiological protection against radon exposure. The report has been developed considering the recently consolidated ICRP general recommendations, the new scientific knowledge about the radon risk and the experience gained by many organisations and countries in the control of radon exposure. The report describes the characteristics of radon exposure, covering sources and transfer mechanisms, the nature of the risk, the exposure conditions, the similarities with other existing exposure situations and the challenges to manage radon exposure. To control the main part of radon exposure the Commission recommends an integrated approach focussed as far as possible on the management of the building or location in which radon exposure occurs whatever the purpose of the building and the types of its occupants. This approach is based on the optimisation principle and a graded approach according to the degree of responsibilities at stake, notably in workplaces, and the level of ambition of the national authorities. The report emphasises the importance of preventive actions. The report also provides recommendations on how to control radon exposure in workplaces when workers’ exposure can reasonably be regarded as being the responsibility of the operating management. In such a case workers’ exposures are considered as occupational and controlled using the corresponding requirements on the basis of the optimisation principle and the application, as appropriate, of the dose limit.