Professional standards in radiation protection

The Veale Committee which reported in 1960 following the Windscale accident made recommendations about standards in radiation protection training. In 1984 it is still possible to detect the framework established by this Committee but the revised Directive of the European Communities published in July 1980 provided a renewed stimulus to consider professional standards. As a result a number of certification schemes have been created in the UK. The paper reviews the history of radiation protection education and training, reports on current courses and compares the current professional standards in the UK with those in the USA.