2 Segregation from persons

  2.1 Limitation of the radiation exposure of persons should be based on keeping doses as low as reasonably practicable within the current maximum annual dose – equivalent limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for members of the public and workers.

  2.2 The ICRP recommended dose limits are revised from time to time. The 1990 recommendations are for a maximum annual dose – equivalent limit of 20 mSv averaged over 5 years with 50 mSv in any one year for occupationally exposed workers and 1 mSv for members of the general public.

  2.3 Members of the general public should normally not have access to or near areas of ports where radioactive materials are kept.

  2.4 Category II or III (yellow label) packages, overpacks, freight containers or tanks containing radioactive materials which are not taken directly to or from a ship should be kept in areas or stores separated from any place regularly frequented by workers by at least the distances given in the table below, unless measurements taken by using an appropriate instrument show clearly that the radiation level at all points inside that place is less than 7.5 mSv/h. Where members of the general public necessarily require access to the vicinity of such areas or stores it should be for short periods only.

 The segregation distance should be adhered to regardless of whether walls or ceilings intervene between the storage area and the occupied place.

  2.5 Where the package, overpack, freight container or tank is not in a special store, the area covered by applying the table above should be barriered or marked off. Entry into the special store or barriered off area should be for the purpose of essential duties only and the time spent in handling packages, overpacks, freight containers or tanks containing radioactive materials should be kept to the minimum necessary. If the frequency of keeping packages, overpacks, freight containers or tanks of radioactive materials on the premises is such that persons on average over the year sped more than 10 hours per week in the vicinity of the special store or barriered off area where such materials are present, more stringent measures should be adopted, possibly including monitoring of radiation doses received. Guidance on this should be sought from the regulatory authority.

  2.6 These criteria should be regarded as minimum standards. In some countries the regulatory authority has made national legal requirements requiring higher standards. In such cases it will be necessary to comply with the provisions of such legislation.

  2.7 No person under 18 years of age should be employed in the handling of Category II or III packages, overpacks, freight containers or tanks, or remain in their vicinity for significant periods. The regulatory authority should consider the need for any restriction on the employment of pregnant women.