Radiation safety

International Conference on Radiation Safety: Improving Radiation Protection in Practice

The International Conference on Radiation Safety: Improving Radiation Protection in Practice is being convened virtually from 9 to 20 November 2020.

News | 11 November 2020
The Conference aims to take stock of the worldwide radiation safety situation. It will provide a forum for the exchange of information on Member States’ experiences in applying the system of radiological protection to the protection of workers, patients, the public and the environment. A particular focus will be given to the lessons learned from applying GSR Part 3 on Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards (BSS) and improvements that could be considered to further facilitate its application.

“The IAEA’s principal safety objective is to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. We need to achieve this objective without unduly restricting the many beneficial uses of radiation on which society depends,” said the Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the opening session.

“The Convention concerning the Protection of Workers against Ionizing Radiation (No. 115) and its accompanying Recommendation (No. 114) have been the only international legal instruments on radiation protection of workers and apply to all activities involving exposure of workers to ionizing radiations in the course of their work. Requirements concerning radiation safety and the security of radioactive sources are included in these international legal instruments. The ILO will continue to support the involvement of workers’ and employers’ organizations in the development of international safety standards,“ remarked at the opening session by Joaquim Pintado Nunes of the ILO. ”Having a safe and healthy workplace is a basic human right. Respecting this human right is an obligation – as well as a condition -- for sustainable economic development.”

“The discussions that take place this week will form the basis of future work in radiation protection for the various international organizations and national authorities,” said President of the Conference Rosario Velasco Garcia of Spain.

This virtual event is organized by the IAEA in cooperation with the other seven BSS cosponsoring organisations: the European Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Labour Organization, the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Pan American Health Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health Organization.

Over 1400 participants have already registered to join the two week event. The participants are regulators, researchers, operators and radiation protection professionals from various organizations, countries and backgrounds.