IAEA Safety Standards – One Step Toward Harmonized System of Radiation Protection Applied in Practice

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has played a critical role in the development and establishment of contemporary radiation safety standards, beginning with its safety standards program launched in 1958. These standards have been developed and/or reviewed in continuous cooperation with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. This long-lasting partnership ensures that the latest scientific findings are integrated into international safety standards, fostering global harmonization. In 2021, the ICRP announced a review and potential revision of the system of radiological protection, which could lead an update of 2007 Recommendations (ICRP Publication 103) and called for cooperation and discussion among all relevant international stakeholders. Since then, numerous discussions among radiation protection professionals worldwide have taken place at key international meetings and events, focusing on the proposed changes and highlighting the need for further dialogue and cooperation in potential future revision. Any changes to the system will have consequences that must be carefully considered and justified. Potential revisions should be thoroughly evaluated to ensure they enhance the safety for the public, workers, patients, and the environment, while maintaining the system's stability and respecting national and regional specificities. The IAEA's work on providing for application of the current set of IAEA safety standards in its Member States aims to ensure that safety standards remain relevant, effective, and also adaptable to emerging challenges. It is important to stress the need for cooperation among all relevant international stakeholders to maintain the system's global applicability. Reviews of this work indicate that the current system is robust and effective, but with challenges primarily related to the way and feasibility of implementation and interpretation of safety standards rather than associated with the system itself.