The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the 7th draft of the revised basic recommendations in the presence of the four expert Committees and representatives from international organisations relevant to radiation protection. Collaboration with other relevant radiation protection agencies was also generally supported by ICRP members present.
The Commission received the following reports and approved them for publication provided minor editorial changes were made:
• Radiation Protection of the Worker in Medicine and Dentistry
• RBE for Deterministic Effects (ICRP/89/MC-16)
The Commission discussed at great length amendments to be made to the 7th draft of Recommendations of the Commission 1990. Some of the topics discussed were as follows:
• Elaborate on difference between radiation weighting factors and quality factors.
• Decide on cancer probability coefficients. No decision reached with regards to fatal cancers.
• Recommended annual dose limits for the lens were decided to be 150 mSv and 15 mSV for workers and members of public respectively.
• An additional section Assessment of achievement of the radiological protection system was approved.
• For the next draft, the dose limit is to be expressed as 1 mSV per year over a 5-year period. The dose limits for workers remains the same.
• The fetus of the pregnant worker should not be exposed to more than 5 mSV over the whole pregnancy.
The Commission received work progress reports from Committee groups:
C1 – Reports on the progress of 4 reports were given and all were undergoing review by professionals and other ICRP Committees. Threshold for mental retardation in weeks 8-15 was not yet resolved.
C2 – Age and race dependent dose coefficients was discussed. Two reports are scheduled to be published in April 1990.
C3 – The Commission received two requests to establish task groups (TG). The TG to produce a simplified version of ICRP Publication 52 was approved but the proposal for optimisation of procedures in diagnostic radiology was delayed with reason of needing to see a more detailed proposal including budget estimation.
C4 – Schedule for future meetings was communicated to the Commission.
The next Commission meeting is scheduled for June 18-22 at Bethesda Maryland 1990