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A proposed IRPA Code of Ethics
Introduction 1
IRPA Code of Ethics (Draft 1 June 2002)
Introduction 2
IRPA Code of Ethics (Draft 2 October 2003)
Introduction 1
PREPARATION OF AN IRPA CODE OF ETHICSAs you will recall one of the actions on the Executive Council from Hiroshima was to operate a forum for discussion of different Codes of Ethics with a view to preparing a proposal for adoption in Madrid.
The UK Society offered to host the forum and it was set up earlier this year with some papers and links to other Societies that have already adopted Codes. To stimulate and focus involvement in this forum the Executive Council has prepared a proposal for discussion. This proposal was adopted during the 48th meeting of the executive Council in Tampa, Florida in June 2002.
This proposal is based on the common elements of the Codes adopted by the US Health Physics Society, The UK Society for Radiological Protection and the Australasian Radiation Protection Society. Note has also been taken of the Canadian Radiation Protection Association Code of Professional Ethics where its coverage was similar to that of the other Codes.
Societies and individual IRPA Members are encouraged to review the proposal and make comments or suggestions. It will help in analysing comments if they are directed at a proposed numbered article with a suggested modified wording or are clearly stated to be a new proposal. Where a comment relates to a previous comment in the Forum this should also be clearly identified. Comments in support of the proposal are as important as criticisms or suggestions for change.
The Executive Council proposal with comments received to date will be discussed during Associate Societies Forums at forthcoming Regional Congresses, commencing with the European IRPA Congress 2002 in Florence (See IRPA web-page for details)
IRPA Code of Ethics
(Draft 1 June 2002)
These principles are intended to aid members of IRPA Associate Societies in maintaining a professional level of ethical conduct. They are to be regarded as guidelines using which members may determine the propriety of their conduct in all relationships in which they are exercising their professional expertise.
1. At all times members shall exercise their professional skill and judgement to the best of their ability and discharge their responsibilities with integrity.
2. Members shall take all necessary steps to maintain and improve their professional knowledge and skill.
3. Members shall ensure that all relations with employers, co-workers, clients, governmental agencies, other professionals and the general public are based on, and reflect, the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and fairness.
4. It is the responsibility of members to satisfy themselves as to the extent and content of the professional functions required in any particular circumstances whether involving employment, management, government, the public or others. Members should not undertake professional obligations that they are not qualified, or do not believe themselves to be competent, to discharge.
5. Members shall not allow conflict of interest, management pressures or possible self-interest to compromise their professional judgement and advice. In particular members shall never compromise public welfare and safety in favour of an employer’s interest.
6. No employment or consultation shall be undertaken by members, which is contrary to the welfare of the community or to the law.
7. Members shall protect the confidentiality of information obtained during the course of their professional duties, provided that such protection is not in itself unethical or illegal.
8. Members shall take personal responsibility for any work done under their supervision or direction. They shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that persons carrying out such work are competent, and not under undue pressure from workload or other causes.
9. All professional reports, statements or publications produced by members shall have a sound scientific basis, be accurate to the best of their knowledge and be appropriately attributed.
10. Members shall take advantage of opportunities to increase public understanding of radiation protection and of the aims and objectives of IRPA and their own Society.
11. Members shall, whenever practicable, correct misleading, sensational and unwarranted statements by others concerning radiation and radiation protection.
12. If there is reason to believe that a member had breached this Code of Ethics, the Society to which the member belongs shall investigate and if substantiated, the member may be required to forfeit membership of the Society and of IRPA.
Introduction 2
To: IRPA Associate SocietiesFrom: The President
IRPA Code of Ethics
As was indicated after the last Executive Council meeting comments and suggestions on the first draft of the proposed code have been awaited from Societies. The only comments received by the deadline of mid-October were from the Japanese and UK Societies.
The attached second draft - which should be examined together with the explanatory notes - has been prepared on the basis of these comments.
With a view to adoption of the Code in Madrid, Societies are now requested to examine this second draft and especially those places where alternative wordings are presented in brackets.
You are reminded that the previous draft and other background information is available on the IRPA Ethics Forum accessible via the IRPA web-site.
It would be very helpful to the Executive Council in attempting to prepare a single version for adoption if Societies could transmit their views (even if preliminary) on the alternatives to the IRPA Secretariat by the end of February 2004.
Geoffrey Webb
IRPA President
28 October 2003.
IRPA Code of [Ethics / Ethical Conduct]
(Draft 2 October 2003)
These principles are intended to aid members of IRPA Associate Societies
in maintaining a professional level of ethical conduct. They are to be
regarded as guidelines using which members may determine the propriety
of their conduct in all relationships in which they are exercising their
professional expertise.
If there is reason to believe that a member had breached this Code of [Ethics / Ethical Conduct], the Society to which the member belongs [shall/should] investigate and [take appropriate measures. /, if substantiated, the member may be required to forfeit membership of the Society and of IRPA].
1. Members [shall/should] at all times exercise their professional skill and judgement to the best of their ability and discharge their responsibilities with integrity.
2. Members [shall/should] not allow conflict of interest, management pressures or possible self-interest to compromise their professional judgement and advice. In particular members [shall/should] never compromise public welfare and safety in favour of an employer's interest.
3. Members [shall/should] ensure that all relations with [employers, co-workers, clients, governmental agencies,] other professionals and the general public are based on, and reflect, the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and fairness.
4. Members [shall/should] take all necessary steps to maintain and improve their professional knowledge, skill and competence.
5. It is the responsibility of members to satisfy themselves as to the extent and content of the professional functions required in any [particular circumstances whether involving employment, management, government, the public or others / circumstances involving the public safety]. Members should not undertake professional obligations that they are not qualified, or do not believe themselves to be competent, to discharge.
6. No employment or consultation [shall/should] be undertaken by members which is contrary to the public interest or to the law.
7. Members [shall/should] protect the confidentiality of information obtained during the course of their professional duties, provided that such protection is not in itself unethical or illegal.
[8. Members [shall/should] take personal responsibility for any work done under their supervision or direction. They shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that persons carrying out such work are competent, and not under undue pressure from workload or other causes.]
[8/9]. All professional reports, statements, publications or advice produced by members [shall/should] be based on sound radiation protection principles and science, be accurate to the best of their knowledge and be appropriately attributed.
[9/10]. Members [shall/should] take advantage of opportunities to increase public understanding of radiation protection and of the aims and objectives of IRPA and their own Society.
[10/11]. Members [shall/should], whenever practicable and appropriate, correct misleading, sensational and unwarranted statements by others concerning radiation and radiation protection.
Notes:
Comments and proposals on the first draft dated June 2002 have been received from the Japan Health Physics Society (JHPS) and the UK Society for Radiological Protection (SRP).
Where these were minor improvements to the wording or layout they have been incorporated in the second draft.
In several cases there were sufficient differences that it was not possible to reconcile the two alternative proposals. In these cases the two alternatives are shown in square brackets with "/" between them.
The suggestion from the SRP is that the title should refer to "ethical conduct"
Previous para 12 now moved to the second para of the preamble at the suggestion of the SRP. The suggestion from the JHPS is that the forfeit of membership from the violator should be determined solely by the society of each country. IRPA as an international society should put emphasis on "an investigation of the cause and its measures" to prevent the recurrence rather than the "forfeit membership of the Society ".
Many of the square brackets show [shall/should]. This results from a suggestion by the JHPS that the code of ethics established by an international society should have the character of a generalized and mild standard that is acceptable for each country. The expression of each item should use "should" rather than "shall" since it is described as guidance and not as enforcement in the preamble.
Paras 3 and 5 indicate proposed deletions or amendments suggested by the JHPS for the following reasons. Since the Code of ethics is for an international society, the scope of the Code of ethics should be restricted within the necessary minimum range, and the contents should be generalized so that the associated society of each country can make an individual specific code of ethics considering the situation of its native country. Therefore, the description of the relationship between an employee and an employer should also be limited to issues that violate the law or the welfare of the community. The specific terms such as employers, co-workers, clients, governmental agencies, etc. should be deleted.
Para 8. the complete deletion of this para is suggested by the JHPS
since it refers to the job concerning the activity of the organization
that each member belongs to rather than his mother society.
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