ICRP

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is an independent, non-governmental organization that provides recommendations and guidance on protection from ionizing radiation. Its work informs national and international regulations covering workers, patients, and the general public. The ICRP was established in 1928 as the International X-ray and Radium Protection Committee (IXRPC) and later adopted its current name as its mandate broadened.

The ICRP develops principles and quantitative guidance for radiation protection, including justification of practices, optimization of protection (often summarized by the ALARA principle), and provision of dose limits for workers and the public. It defines concepts such as effective dose and tissue weighting factors to assess stochastic risk from low levels of exposure.

The Commission is composed of experts recognized for their contributions to radiological protection and operates through committees and task groups. It issues formal Recommendations, which are then elaborated in accompanying guidance documents and supplementary reports. The recommendations are designed to be implemented by national authorities and international bodies.

The ICRP maintains close collaboration with other organizations such as the IAEA, WHO, ILO, OECD/NEA, and the European Commission (EC), and its guidance underpins international safety standards like the IAEA Safety Standards and UNSCEAR assessments. In practice, ICRP recommendations influence radiation protection in medicine (diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy), industry, nuclear energy, and environmental monitoring.