TS20—Review on New Basic Standards for Radiological Protection against Ionizing Radiation in P.R. China

ZHENG  Jun Zheng（鄭 鈞 正）

National Institute of Radiological Protection,

China CDC, Beijing 100088

[Abstract] This paper summarizes and reviews the historical evolution and progress of the basic standards for radiological protection against ionizing radiation in P.R. China.  At the same time, the paper broadly expounds the framework and peculiarity of the new basic standards in China — “ Basic Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources（GB 18871—2002）”. The new basic standards for radiological protection promulgated on October 2002, and came into effect as of April 1, 2003. The implementation of the new basic standards has a significant impact on the medical use of ionizing radiation such as radiation oncology.

As emphasized by the IAEA, the key point of radiation protection infrastructure is to establish and continuously improve the system of regulation and standard for radiological protection against ionizing radiation. Within the system, the basic standards of radiological protection are especially important because they serve as the foundation and governing principle for all secondary standards of radiological protection.

The Chinese radiological protection basic standards have experienced four generations of replacement: First in 1960, “Temporary Regulations of Radiological Protection for Radiation Work” and the accompanying “Standards of Maximum Permissible Dose for Ionizing Radiation” etc;  Second in 1974, the National Standards of the P.R. China —“Regulations of Radiation Protection (GBJ 8—74)”; Third in the 1980’s, the National Standards of the P.R. China —“Basic Health Standards for Radiological Protection (GB 4792—1984)”, and “Regulations for Radiation Protection  (GB 8703—1988)”; Fourth in 2002, the National Standards of the P.R. China —“Basic Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources (GB 18871—2002) ”.

The fourth and the latest basic standards for radiological protection (GB 18871—2002) are mandatory requirements given by the regulatory authority. The standards (GB 18871—2002) are based on ICRP 60^th publication and are equivalent to international basic safety standards jointly sponsored by IAEA, WHO, ILO, FAO, OECD/NEA, and PHAO (IAEA Safety series No.115, IBSS). At the same time, these standards also integrate with Chinese realistic situation and possess Chinese characteristics.  There are many new specifications and requirements in the new basic standards（202 pages, several times more than previous standards）. These include radiological protection for occupation exposures, medical exposures, public exposures and potential exposures. In addition, intervention for emergency exposure situations and prolonged exposure situations are included as well.

Furthermore, the new basic standards amply reflect the new progress in the field of health physics.  Important changes regarding radiological protection for the workers’ occupation exposures have been made in the new standards. In particular, the new basic standards significantly strengthen the radiological protection for medical exposures of examinee and patient. Hence, the implementation of the new basic standards will greatly improve the quality assurance of radiation oncology, nuclear medicine, radiology and intervention radiology. It will also greatly foster the correct and rational use of medical radiation technology,  effectively prevent and avoid accidental medical exposures，and further promote the development and popularization of ionizing radiation in medicine such as radiation oncology.

TS 20 — 中国电离辐射防护新基本标准述评

ZHENG  Jun Zheng （郑 钧 正）

National Institute of Radiological Protection, China CDC ,  Beijing  100088

（中国疾病预防控制中心 辐射防护与核安全医学所，北京 100088 ）

[摘要] 本文总结并评述了中国电离辐射（放射）防护基本标准的历史沿革与进展，同时概要地诠释了我国放射防护新基本标准——“电离辐射防护与辐射源安全基本标准（GB 18871—2002）”的框架及特点。我国放射防护新基本标准于2002年10月批准发布，自2003年4月1日起生效实施。新基本标准的实施对诸如放射肿瘤学等电离辐射的医学应用产生了重要影响。

正如国际原子能机构（IAEA）所强调的，各国放射防护基础结构的关键要素在于建立并不断完善电离辐射防护法规与标准体系。在放射防护法规与标准体系中，放射防护的基本标准居举足轻重地位，因为它是所有放射防护次级标准的基础依据和指导原则。

中国放射防护基本标准已经经历了四代沿革更替：第一代是1960年，“放射性工作卫生防护暂行规定”和配套的“电离辐射的最大容许量标准”等；第二代是1974年，中华人民共和国国家标准“放射防护规定( GBJ 8—74)”；第三代是二十世纪八十年代，中华人民共和国国家标准“放射卫生防护基本标准(GB 4792—1984)”和“辐射防护规定(GB 8703—1988)”；第四代是2002年，中华人民共和国国家标准“电离辐射防护与辐射源安全基本标准(GB 18871—2002)”。

第四代也就是最新的现行放射防护基本标准(GB 18871—2002)是属于强制性国家标准。该标准以ICRP第60号出版物为依据，并且等效采用国际原子能机构（IAEA）、世界卫生组织（WHO）、国际劳工组织（ILO）、联合国粮农组织（FAO）、经合组织核能机构（OECD/NEA）和泛美卫生组织（PHAO）等联合制定的国际基本安全标准（IAEA安全系列丛书第115号，IBSS）。同时又紧密结合我国实际情况，具有中国自己的特色。新基本标准提出许多新的规范和要求（该标准长达202页，篇幅比以往基本标准多数倍）。新基本标准内容丰富，涵盖了职业照射、医疗照射、公众照射和潜在照射的放射防护，也包括关于应急照射情况和持续照射情况的干预规定。

新基本标准充分体现了保健物理领域的新进展。其中对放射工作人员所受职业照射的控制有重要改变。尤其是新基本标准前所未有地强化了对受检者与患者所受医疗照射的防护。因此，新基本标准的实施必将显著推动改善放射肿瘤学、核医学、放射学和介入放射学的质量保证。毫无疑问，这将有力促进正确合理地使用医用放射技术；有效地预防和避免事故性医疗照射；进一步促进诸如放射肿瘤学等电离辐射的医学应用更好地发展和普及。

以此修改稿和译稿为准 8/4/04