Group 1 Report « Keep it Simple and Remember the Past»

1. International Radiation Protection Association Group 1 Report« Keep it Simple and Remember the Past» 2nd Workshop on Radiation Protection Culture Charleston, South Carolina, USA 10-11 February 2011

2. Q1: What are the important elements of RP culture? • A pattern of knowledge (scientific, technical, ethical, historical, practical…) and behaviours (questioning attitude, personal accountability, integrity, modesty, engagement with SH, openness, adaptable, transparent, exemplar …) • A narrative in common language • Conditions : basic training and continuous learning, support of management,… Remarks: • No basic differences between sectors (medical, nuclear, industry, … • Independentof the cultural context. The local and regional contexts are part of the narrative not in the elements structuring RP culture (science, values, experience)

3. Q2: What are the criteria of success and how to assess RP culture? • Criteria of success : combine soft and quantitative assessment criteria (relative performance is as important as absolute one) • General improvement of classical RP indicators • Implementation of ALARA in all domains • Increase of voluntary public commitment (ex: pledges, quality labels,…) as an indicator of rising awareness • Increase of public awareness • Assessment tools • Programme for identifying and resolving problems (Corrective action programme) • Questionnaire • Self assessment • Independent external audit • Proposal: Develop an IRPA RP Culture Audit Tool

4. Q3: How to engage Stakeholders in the IRPA initiative on RP culture? • Give visibility to the IRPA initiative (meetings, media, web site,…) • Follow the NRC approach to develop the Policy Statement on Safety Culture : invitation of stakeholders in the process (meetings, public comments…) • Remarks: • All stakeholders including patients and the general public should be involved • The initiative on RP culture must be developed in accordance with the Guiding Principles on stakeholder involvement • A condition for success is transparency of the process • Proposals: • Question to be debated in IRPA 13: “How to engage SH in the IRPA initiative • Motto of IRPA 14 : “Enhancing RP Culture Worldwide”

5. Q4: What is the role of RP professionals and IRPA AS with regard to RP culture? To promote RP culture by contributing to the development of a narrative on radiation protection in all exposure situations keeping in mind the two slogans: “Keep it simple” and “Remember the past”

6. Proposed Roadmap • 2nd Workshop (February 2011) • IRPA 13 (May 2012): Draft document 1 discussed with AS • 3rd Workshop (Spring 2013): Draft document 1 discussed with stakeholders • IRPA Regional Congresses (Spring and Fall 2014): Draft document 2 discussed with AS • 4th Workshop (Spring 2015) : Version 2 discussed with Stakeholders • IRPA 14 (May 2016): Adoption by AS of the Guiding Principles for Radiation Protection Professionals for the Promotion of RP Culture

7. Elements for a definition of RP culture Radiation Protection Culture is a pattern of knowledge and behaviors… Acting “like a good parent” (personalization) Considering risk and the characteristics associated with the exposure situation at stake (commensurate, proportionate to risk) Keeping everything simple and practical Working together with modesty Acting naturally and banally (second nature) Acting consistently Self policing and self propagating