The ICRP Guidelines for Radiological Protection

Key Takeaways

• The ICRP is an independent, international organization that works to protect humans and animals from radiation. 

• The ICRP recommends policies, regulations, and practices to limit harmful radiation. 

• The ICRP guidelines for radiological protection follow three fundamental principles: justification, optimization, and dose limitation.

Despite knowing the potentially harmful effects of radiation, many of us keep using consumer electronics that produce these radiations. And, consumer electronics are not the only things that produce radiation; some medical procedures utilize radiation as well. While some radiation can be used for good, it also has the potential to be harmful. That is why radiation safety is critical. 

Radiation effects need to be kept under certain limits to protect personnel and to create product designs that are accepted onto the market. There are international agencies that establish the limits of radiation exposure. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) guidelines for radiological protection is an organization that provides policies, regulations, guidelines, and practices for protecting humans and animals from radiation. Let’s take a closer look at the ICRP and its guidelines for radiological protection. 

The International Commission on Radiological Protection

The ICRP is an independent, international organization that works to protect humans and animals from the ill effects of ionizing radiation. The experts at the ICRP advise on radiological protection science and create policies and practices against radiation exposure.

The ICRP organizational structure can be classified as:

1. Main Commission: The main commission is the governing body of the ICRP. They set policies and general guidelines. 
2. Scientific Secretariat: This is the group that manages the day-to-day business of the ICRP. 
3. Committee 1: Committee 1 considers the radiation exposure from subcellular to the human population and ecosystem. The recommendations of this committee include the induction for cancer and other diseases, organ or tissue impairments, and early development defects. 
4. Committee 2: Committee 2 of the ICRP introduces a dosimetric methodology for assessing internal and external radiation exposures. 
5. Committee 3: Committee 3 of the ICRP gives guidelines for the protection of persons and unborn babies from ionizing radiation caused by medical diagnosis procedures, therapy, or biomedical research. It also considers the radiation effects in veterinary practices. 
6. Committee 4: Committee 4 of the ICRP provides recommendations for the protection and well-being of people and the environment in an integrated manner for all ionizing radiation exposures.

ICRP Guidelines for Radiological Protection

The ICRP guidelines for radiological protection classify the radiation exposure situation, exposed individuals, and principles into various classes. This classification helps when applying these guidelines so there is no confusion on a given radiation exposure situation.

According to ICRP 103, there are three situations of radiation exposure.

1. Planned exposure situation: In this type of radiation exposure, the radiation sources are introduced and operated deliberately. Security screening is an example of planned radiation exposure. 
2. Emergency exposure situation: This kind of radiation exposure situation requires urgent action to limit or reduce undesirable consequences. 
3. Existing exposure situation: The prolonged radiation exposure after an emergency situation falls under the existing exposure situation category. 

Exposed individuals are categorized as follows:

1. Occupational exposure: When individuals are exposed to radiation from work.
2. Medical exposure: Medical exposure mainly concerns patients, caretakers of patients who are not in a medical occupation, or volunteers conducting biomedical research for some other potential beneficiaries. 
3. Public exposure: All exposures other than occupational and medical exposures.

The Fundamental Principles of ICRP Guidelines for Radiological Protection 

The  ICRP guidelines for radiological protection follow three fundamental principles.

1. Justification: The principle of justification focuses on individual and societal benefits from the introduction of a new radiation source. According to the principle of justification, the introduction of a radiation source that alters the radiation exposure should not result in harmful effects. The merits of the new radiation source should be more than its demerits.
2. Optimization: The principle of optimization gives guidelines to limit the likelihood of radiation exposure, the number of persons exposed, and their individual exposure for economical and societal good. It restricts the radiation doses per person from a single source and puts forward dose constraints. 
3. Dose limitation: The principle of dose limitations recommends appropriate limits on doses from planned radiation exposure other than medical procedures. 

The ICRP guidelines for radiological protection are the primary recommendations that help protect individuals and the ecosystem from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. Cadence software can help you identify the radiations emitted from consumer electronics, medical equipment, and nuclear power plants.  

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates. If you’re looking to learn more about how Cadence has the solution for you, talk to our team of experts.