CHAPTER IIISYSTEM OF RADIATION PROTECTION

SECTION 1 Tools for optimisation

Article 6Dose constraints for occupational, public, and medical exposure

1.

Member States shall ensure that, where appropriate, dose constraints are established for the purpose of prospective optimisation of protection:

(a)

for occupational exposure, the dose constraint shall be established as an operational tool for optimisation by the undertaking under the general supervision of the competent authority. In the case of outside workers the dose constraint shall be established in cooperation between the employer and the undertaking.

(b)

for public exposure, the dose constraint shall be set for the individual dose that members of the public receive from the planned operation of a specified radiation source. The competent authority shall ensure that the constraints are consistent with the dose limit for the sum of doses to the same individual from all authorised practices.

(c)

for medical exposure, dose constraints shall apply only with regard to the protection of carers and comforters and volunteers participating in medical or biomedical research.

2.

Dose constraints shall be established in terms of individual effective or equivalent doses over a defined appropriate time period.

Article 7Reference levels

1.

Member States shall ensure that reference levels are established for emergency and existing exposure situations. Optimisation of protection shall give priority to exposures above the reference level and shall continue to be implemented below the reference level.

2.

The values chosen for reference levels shall depend upon the type of exposure situation. The choices of reference levels shall take into account both radiological protection requirements and societal criteria. For public exposure the establishment of reference levels shall take into account the range of reference levels set out in Annex I.

3.

For existing exposure situations involving exposure to radon, the reference levels shall be set in terms of radon activity concentration in air as specified in Article 74 for members of the public and Article 54 for workers.