MANAGEMENT OF RADIATION RISK

摘要

Risk management in the field of radiation risk has now quite a long history. It started in the late 1970s with the promotion of optimization (the ALARA principle). At that time, it was mostly viewed as the development of rational decision aiding methods for choosing options when zero risk levels were not achievable. In the last 20 years, the focus has shifted from theory to practice, and so has the meaning of 'risk management'. It has been shown that risk management is a complex concept. On one side it refers to the principles that are followed when trying to control risk, and social values come into play. On the other side it is associated with the practical behaviour of the participants. In this respect, radiation risk management is quite similar to the management of other risks and the main difficulty lies in setting up systems that fit with the principles, and also in revising the principles in order to face the evolution of the practical management of the risk. The ALARA approach, as it is applied by operators in the nuclear industry, does not refer any more only to the use of cost-benefit approaches but also to the appropriate organization of the work implemented in order to comply with the principle. Development of ALARA textbooks and implementation of 'ALARA organization' by corporate managers are now well engaged and have been achieved by many operators.