ICRP Main Commission Meeting

1958 September 7-9 Geneva, Switzerland

Due to limited attendance of members of the Commission, care was taken to undergo larger amendments during this meeting. A ballot vote was conducted in order to include members not present at the meeting to vote on the amendments made.

The Commission agreed that disputes over minor parts of reports would not impede the publication of reports as recommendations were urgently needed. The Chairman has the authority to force a report to be adopted and published.

It was decided that each section of the Recommendations (of the Commission, Reports of Committees I-V) be published separately.

The Commission reviewed the following reports and made amendments:

Draft Recommendations (July 31 1958): Edits made for sake of readability and clarity.

Genetic Dose: The suggested genetic and individual dose should not exceed the maximum permissible dose for any single organ and from any single source. With respect to dose in air or water supplies, a good rule of thumb was 1/10 of maximum permissible concentration for continuous exposure.

Other notes were made with respect to the percentages of people likely to reach suggested dose limits. The Commission noted that the population sizes were likely to be too large.

Somatic Dose: No change recommended

Medical Exposure: Change 0.5 rem per year to 1.5 per year.