Society News Archive

11 January 2006

HPS Issues New Position Statement on Radioactive Source Control and Security

The Health Physics Society (HPS) has released a new position statement, "Continued Federal and State Action Is Needed for Better Control of Radioactive Sources." The statement was issued because the HPS states it believes "that security of vulnerable and orphan sources, both domestic and international, is a radiation safety issue of high priority needing additional state and national attention." The position statement is based on recommendations made by a working group of the HPS that examined the improvements in source control and security that have been made since September 11, 2001, and identified areas where further actions were needed. The working group's report, which formed the basis for the recommendations made to the Scientific and Public Issues Committee, is "Actions Needed to Better Secure Vulnerable Sources: A Contemporary Report." This new statement includes orphan sources in its scope and, therefore, supersedes an April 2002 statement addressing the need for actions to better control orphan sources.

Position statements of the HPS are issued by the Scientific and Public Issues Committee, which is comprised of Past President Ray Guilmette (Chair), President Ruth McBurney, President-elect Brian Dodd, and President Emeriti John Frazier and Kenneth Kase.