Occupational Health and Safety

Commonly referred to as occupational safety and health (OSH), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at work.

Safety is an integral part of a general occupational health and safety programme in Member States with specific obligations and responsibilities for the protection of individuals against radiation exposure and for the safety of sealed radioactive sources.

Occupational health and safety arrangements are effective in minimizing workers’ radiation exposure. The regulatory body should first establish the radiological control measures that are required before implemention. In some workplaces, existing control measures for the purposes of occupational health and safety alone may provide sufficient protection against internal ionising radiation exposure. In other workplaces, additional control measures specifically for radiation protection purposes may become necessary for achieving compliance with the established international requirements that apply for planned exposure situations.

International Labour Standards on Occupational Safety and Health

The ILO Constitution sets forth the principle that workers must be protected from sickness, disease and injury arising from their employment. The ILO has adopted more than 40 standards specifically dealing with occupational safety and health, as well as over 40 Codes of Practice. Nearly half of ILO instruments deal directly or indirectly with occupational safety and health issues.

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No.115)

The objective of the Convention is to set out basic requirements that protect workers against the risks associated with exposure to ionising radiations. Protective measures to be taken include the limitation of workers' exposure to ionising radiations to the lowest practicable level following the technical knowledge available at the time, avoiding any unnecessary exposure, as well as the monitoring of the workplace and of the workers' health. The Convention further refers to requirements with regard to emergency situations that may arise.

References

• Fundamental Safety Principles, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SF-1, IAEA, Vienna (2006)
• Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3, IAEA, Vienna (2014) 
• Occupational Radiation Protection, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSG-7, IAEA, Vienna (2018)