HERCA/ Education & Training in Radiation Protection/ Approval of the Conclusions & Recommendations by the HERCA Task force on Education &Training in Radiation Protection (TF E&T-RP)
On 27 November 2013, on the occasion of the 12th meeting of the association HERCA which brings together the Heads of European Radiological protection Competent Authorities, HERCA has approved the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the Task Force (TF) on Education &Training in Radiation Protection (TF E&T-RP) which had been set up on the occasion of the 10th meeting in Paris, in November 2012.
The Task Force (TF) on Education &Training in Radiation Protection (TF E&T-RP) has been leaded by Mr. Ton Vermeulen (The Netherlands). The ultimate mandate of the TF has been to present to the Board of Heads a general picture of the situation on E&T in RP and to identify the current needs for harmonisation among HERCA member countries and eventually, if needed, the mandate of a future working group on E&T.
The TF E&T has met twice in 2013. In carrying out its activities, special attention has been paid to not duplicate the work already done by others; rather the TF E&T RP has taken advantage of it. In this sense, the TF has looked in detail at the activities and outcomes of the work already carried out by ENETRAP & EUTERP and has build on it. The TF has prioritized the work on radiation protection expert[1] (RPE) and radiation protection officer[2] (RPO) focusing on the implementation of requirements in the draft Euratom Basic Safety Standards (BSS) (now approved).
The findings, conclusions and recommendations by the TF E&T have been presented and approved by the Board of HERCA on the occasion of the 12th HERCA meeting.
The TF will remain active for one year as a network able to react on possible request by the Board or the Chair on HERCA in the field of Education & Training RP. After this period there will be more elements to decide about further continuation of the work in E&T in HERCA and eventually about the way it will be organized.
Radiation protection training and education (E&T) has been of outmost interest for HERCA from the beginning of the Association in 2007. Nevertheless, at that time, the topic was recognised as already covered by the European Commission sponsored programmes underway and at that time it was agreed not to duplicate this effort. The interest of HERCA in E&T activities have been confirmed in subsequent meetings, in particular in the activities of ENETRAP following previous contacts from this consortium.
[1] “Radiation protection expert” means an individual or, if provided for in the national legislation, a group of individuals having the knowledge, training and experience needed to give radiation protection advice in order to ensure the effective protection of individuals, and whose competence in this respect is recognised by the competent authority, (Definition (73) BSS, Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom)
[2] “Radiation protection officer” means an individual who is technically competent in radiation protection matters relevant for a given type of practice to supervise or perform the implementation of the radiation protection arrangements, (Definition (74) BSS, Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom)