Looking Back, Looking Forward

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The players change, perhaps the plot changes direction slightly, but the play does go on. Effective January 1^st, 2009, I had the great honour of being named the Scientific Secretary of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), the fifth since the position became full-time in 1962 with the appointment of David Sowby (another Canadian). Dr. Jack Valentin, my immediate predecessor and dear friend for many years, has been an outstanding mentor during my first months with ICRP. I must take this occasion to thank him publicly and wholeheartedly for his dedication to ICRP over many years, and his patience with me throughout this transition for both of us.

2009 also brings in a new Chair for ICRP, Dr. Claire Cousins, the 12^th since Rolf Sievert first held the post in 1928. Dr. Lars-Erik Holm is retiring from ICRP, having served as ICRP Chair for 4 years, on the ICRP Main Commission for 12 years, and 8 years before that on Committee 1. At the same time, Dr. Abel González takes on the role of Vice-chair for the 2009–2013 term. New appointees to the ICRP Main Commission for this term are: Professor Eliseo Vañó (Committee 3 Chair), Jacques Lochard (Committee 4 Chair), Dr. John Cooper, and Dr. Ohtsura Niwa. In addition, there are many new Committee and Task Group members in this term.

I had the pleasure of being present at the October 2008 meeting of the ICRP Main Commission, the last of that term. It was at this meeting that Dr. Cousins was elected ICRP Chair, and I was formally introduced to the Main Commission members. It also marked the 80^th anniversary of ICRP. This moment was celebrated with a toast and a small token given to Main Commission members. This token was a memory stick containing all the recommendations of ICRP and its predecessor organisation, the International X-ray and Radium Protection Commission (IXRPC): 80 years of radiological protection recommendations squeezed on to a device small enough to lose in one’s pocket!

When one looks back at these recommendations, it is interesting to see how much has changed, and at the same time how little. The 1928 Recommendations (IXRPC, 1929) filled 12 pages, and were issued in English, German, and French (four pages each). They included advice about having good natural lighting and fresh air in x-ray rooms, and decorating them in light colours. Although this sounds pleasant, it is not the type of advice considered to be within the realm of radiological protection today. However, it is not difficult to recognise the still-fundamental advice on limiting work times, increasing the distance from the source, and the use of shielding.

On the subject of looking back, in this issue of the Annals of the ICRP, you will find an excellent article on the history of ICRP written by former ICRP Chair Dr. Roger Clarke and ICRP Scientific Secretary Emeritus Dr. Jack Valentin. Although this article is not part of the recommendations of ICRP, I hope you will find it both interesting and enlightening.

The main subject of this issue is the ICRP recommendations on emergency exposure situations. These provide advice on the application of the Commission’s 2007 Recommendations (ICRP, 2007) with respect to preparedness for and response to all emergency exposure situations. This is an area in which the Commission’s 2007 Recommendations have evolved in some significant ways from those of 1990 (ICRP, 1991). For example, rather than assessing the potential benefits of individual protection options, the approach is now to consider all exposure pathways and all relevant protection options when deciding on the optimum course of action in the context of an overall protection strategy. The objective is the best possible overall response under the circumstances; something that was difficult to ensure when considering individual actions in isolation.

Once immediate actions have been taken and the situation has stabilised, under some circumstances, one will be left with the very different problem of residual contamination. Within the ICRP system of protection, this represents an evolution from an emergency exposure situation to an existing exposure situation. Actions are no longer truly urgent, and therefore a more measured approach can be taken to deal with the remaining problems. Many of the difficulties that may be encountered in this transition are discussed within this report.

Looking forward, a report on ‘Application of the Commission’s recommendations to the protection of individuals living in long-term contaminated territories after a nuclear accident or a radiation emergency’ will be published in the not-too-distant future. In a sense, with respect to post-emergency situations, it will pick up where the current report leaves off. The Task Groups working on these two documents have co-ordinated their efforts so that they give complementary advice of use to radiological protection professionals in the field of emergency and consequence management.

It is a privilege to serve as the Editor of this august journal, and it has been a pleasure to write this editorial. However, this is only one of the many roles played by the Scientific Secretary. Many aspects of the office are daunting to say the least, but heightened challenges can bring with them a greater sense of satisfaction when the job is well done. To excel, I know that a balance must be found between following the script written by those before me and making the role my own. That said, dear friends, colleagues, and readers at large, this is not a role I take on alone. I know that I can count on you to support the work of ICRP, in particular through continuing to devote your time, energy, and experience to providing constructive feedback on ICRP publications and the work of ICRP in general. The end result can only be improved recommendations and a more widespread and in-depth understanding of the system of protection, ultimately making this stage upon which we all act just a little safer.

Christopher H. Clement

Scientific Secretary, ICRP

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References 

1. ICRP . 1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 60. Ann. ICRP. 1991;21(1–3):
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2. ICRP . The 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 103. Ann. ICRP. 2007;37(2–4):
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3. IXRPC . International Recommendations for X-ray and Radium Protection. Stockholm. P.A. Norstedt & Söner; 1929;
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