Regulatory Institutions & Agencies

Internationally, three main organizations recommend radiation protection levels. They are the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU).

In the United States, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the departments of Energy and Transportation are the principal federal agencies responsible for establishing radiation protection regulations. These agencies work with international organizations to ensure that their regulations are based on internationally recognized scientific studies and agree with international radiation protection recommendations.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is part of the United States Department of Labor, is responsible for ensuring safe working conditions for men and women in the collective United States workforce. As such, it also falls under OSHA's jurisdiction to set forth regulations that prevent harmful exposure to radiation in the workplace. These regulations can be found in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 1910.1096.

The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) is a nonprofit corporation that addresses the scientific and technical aspects of radiation protection in the United States. Although the NCRP is not a federal agency, its recommendations form part of the basis for federal, state, and local regulations dealing with radiation hazards. The NCRP draws its members from public and private universities, national and private laboratories, medical centers, other scientific industries, and the government.

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