P A Bryant
The ALARA principle, keeping the likelihood of incurring exposure, the number of people exposed, and the magnitude of their individual doses 'as low as reasonably achievable, taking into account economic and societal factors', is at the core of radiation protection (RP). Historically the stakeholders involved in the application of the ALARA process have typically been internal to an organisation, such as an operator, and include a combination of both RP practitioners and non-RP specialists. However, could there be instances when the public should be a key stakeholder in the decision-making? And how understandable is the system of protection to those wider stakeholders? The talk presented at ICRP 2023, and this supporting article explores the role of effective communication in terms of both explaining radiation risk and the system of protection to the wide range of stakeholders who may be involved in decision-making. It pulls on a number of case studies presented at an ICRP and World Nuclear Association Workshop on Communication held in Bristol, UK, on the 28th of September. This includes case studies across the nuclear fuel cycle including uranium mining, new nuclear build, operators, and waste management facilities, from the perspective of radiation protection professionals, regulators, academia, and journalists. Learning from these case studies is used to highlight the key lessons learnt and the importance of effective communication and stakeholder engagement as part of the system of protection.