Memorandum by the National Radiological
Protection Board (HSE 29)
INTRODUCTION
The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB)
was created by the Radiological Protection Act (1970) and is sponsored
by the Department of Health. As an independent statutory body,
the Board provides advice to protect the health of the public,
of workers who are occupationally exposed, and medical patients
who receive diagnostic or therapeutic treatment using radiation.
The Board is responsible for giving advice on protection against
both ionising and non-ionising radiation, and therefore covers
the whole spectrum of radiation, from high energy X or gamma rays
to radiofrequency emissions. NRPB carries out scientific research
to underpin its advice and it also provides technical services
to industry and local government.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974,
the HSE consults NRPB on regulations relating to radiation. The
two organisations have regular meetings at various levels, and
there is a formal Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between HSE and
NRPB.
CURRENT
WORK PROGRAMMES
HSE's current work programme in the area of
Radiation Protection cover a range of issues including occupational
exposure to ionising radiations, nuclear emergency response and
hazards from non-ionising radiations. We would particularly like
to commend the thoroughness and effectiveness of the formal and
informal Consultation process they have pursued to implement the
Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive (Council Directive 96/29/Euratom
of 13 May 1999). Whilst the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999
and the supporting Approved Code of Practice are already with
the Secretary of State there is still a significant body of work
over the next couple of years to develop the associated non-statutory
guidance.
FUTURE
WORK PROGRAMME
During the summer the Health and Safety Commission
published a Consultative Document "Revitalising Health and
Safety" to help develop policies to address health and safety
issues arising from the changing world of work in the new millennium.
NRPB has already formally provided comments, but there is one
issue that is worth highlighting for the Select Committee. This
is raising the awareness of health and safety issues and approaches
to risk management amongst the general population: or put another
way improving risk literacy. The debate about the acceptability
of risks has been going on for many years in radiation protection,
but as we have seen in recent years with issues such as BSE, Lysteria,
etc it is becoming a broader issue that affects many aspects of
life and Government Agendas. Part of the answer is improving our
communication skills but in the long term it also requires an
improvement in the population's understanding of risks. We strongly
support HSC's suggestion that this should be done "through
mainstream education and life-long learning".
November 1999
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