Society News Archive

8 October 2008

HPS and CRCPD Proclaim 2-8 November 2008 as National Radiation Protection Professionals Week

Once again, the Health Physics Society (HPS) and Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) have proclaimed the first week in November, i.e., 2-8 November 2008, to be National Radiation Protection Professionals Week.

Originally initiated by the 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 first week of 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. 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.

This year, the week of 2-8 November 2008 has been proclaimed to be National Radiation Protection Professionals Week by both the HPS and CRCPD. In 2005, the HPS asked Senator 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. Last year, upon request from the HPS, Senator Inhofe (R-OK) made a statement from the floor of the Senate celebrating National Radiation Protection Professionals Week. The HPS is attempting to get Senate recognition of the week again this year, but there is a good chance the Senate will not be in session in November, eliminating the opportunity for the recognition.

The focus of the week is to get 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. An announcement prepared by the CRCPD gives employers ideas on how to recognize these professionals in their organization.