Article

The application of the optimization principle in the Italian and European context

¹ ENEA, Department of Fusion and Nuclear Safety Technology, via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, Rome, 00044, Italy
² A.S.S.T. Papa Giovanni XXIII, Piazza OMS 1, Bergamo, 24127, Italy
³ INAIL, via di Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, 00078, Italy

^* Corresponding author: gianmarco.contessa@enea.it

Received: 12 November 2020
Accepted: 17 June 2021

Abstract

The transposition of Directive 2013/59/Euratom has projected Italian radiation protection into the new safety culture, in which optimization is a multidisciplinary process pursuing a suitable balance among different risks. The fundamental tools in the application of the optimization principle are source-related dose constraints, introduced by the Directive to define the range of options to be considered. This article analyzes some critical issues in their use when managing radiation protection at work in any planned, existing or emergency exposure situation, which involves a risk from exposure to ionizing radiation. Simplified procedures and customized guidelines are outlined from international organizations, such as IAEA, OECD/NEA, and the European ALARA Network (EAN), paving the way to a correct implementation of the optimization principle.