Society News Archive

The Health Physics Society (HPS) Board of Directors voted at its meeting on 1 July 2010 to approve a motion that  HPS declare the week beginning 7 November 2010 as National Radiation Protection Professionals Week.

Originally initiated by the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), National Radiation Protection Professionals Week is intended to bring attention to the significant contribution radiation protection professionals make to the nation's health, energy, industry, and defense sectors. The week of November that encompasses 8 November has been chosen each year as National Radiation Protection Professionals Week in recognition of the discovery of x rays by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen on 8 November 1895.

The Board of Directors passed the motion to declare a National Radiation Protection Professionals week in 2010 with the understanding that the CRCPD will, once again, pass a resolution for the week of 7-13 November 2010. This action by the Board is the latest action by the HPS to support the CRCPD initiative.

In 2005, the HPS joined the CRCPD in passing a resolution proclaiming the first week in November as a week to recognize radiation protection professionals. That same year, the HPS asked Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) to help get congressional recognition of the proclamation. In response, the Senator introduced Senate Resolution 335 to honor members of the radiation protection profession. Unfortunately, the Senate recessed for the year before the resolution could be taken up. In 2007, upon request from the HPS, Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) made a statement from the floor of the Senate celebrating National Radiation Protection Professionals Week. In 2008 and 2009, the HPS attempted to get Senate recognition of the week again, but the Senate was not in session in November, eliminating the opportunity for the recognition.

The HPS also passed resolutions in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, like this year, the Board elected to support the declaration of National Radiation Protection Professionals Week via Board motion.

The two-fold focus of the week is to get (1) employers to recognize the week and to use the opportunity to recognize radiation protection professionals in their organization for their contributions to the organization's mission and (2) public recognition of the contribution of radiation protection professionals in making the workplace and environment safe from radiation exposure while reaping the benefits of its use.

Annette Glass, a Program Specialist with the Radioactive Materials Division of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, has provided some Ideas that Excite that HPS members can consider using to help recognize National Radiation Protection Professionals Week in their workplace and in the public.