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The headquarters building in Salzgitter Building SZ

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) is an organisationally independent scientific-technical higher federal authority in the portfolio of the Federal Environment Ministry.

The BfS pools competencies in the area of radiation protection, among others in

History and development of the BfS

The BfS was established in 1989, among others as a consequence of the reactor accident in Chornobyl (Russian: Chernobyl) in 1986, with the objective to pool competencies in the fields of radiation protection, nuclear safety, transport and storage of nuclear fuels, and radioactive waste disposal.

In 2016, the legislator adapted the governmental institutions to the current developments and responsibilities. The consequence for the BfS was that it is now focussing on the federal tasks of radiation protection: in the aereas "environment" and "health".

The responsibilities as operator of the repository projects, including the Konrad and Morsleben repositories as well as the Asse mine, were combined in the newly established Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE), the federally-owned company responsible for radioactive waste disposal. Licences for interim storage facilities and nuclear transports, which were also in the responsibility of the BfS for a long time, are now granted by the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE).

Current organisational structure

The BfS is composed of the following scope of duties and divisions:

The "Effects and Risks of Ionising and Non-Ionising Radiation" DivisionShow / Hide

The tasks of the "Effects and Risks of Ionising and Non-Ionising Radiation" Division cover a broad spectrum that include

In order to determine and further develop the state of science and technology, we conduct our own research and design, support, and implement projects as part of the national departmental research programme.

The "Medical and Occupational Radiation Protection" DivisionShow / Hide

X-ray photograph Radiography

The tasks of the "Medical and Occupational Radiation Protection" Division cover a wide range, which includes

  • carrying out enforcement tasks according to the Radiation Protection Act and Radiation Protection Ordinance
  • providing medical and occupational radiation protection, including incorporation monitoring
  • identifying and further developing the state of science and technology in these fields
  • advising the Federal Environment Ministry
  • promoting international and national cooperation in radiation protection
  • representing the Federal Republic of Germany in national and international professional societies and committees
  • communicating and cooperating on specialist issues with public institutions and the general public

In order to determine and further develop the state of science and technology, we conduct our own research and design, support, and implement projects as part of the national environmental research programme.

The "Emergency Preparedness & Response" DivisionShow / Hide

In the BfS a radiological situation picture is created. Alarm room

The "Emergency Preparedness & Response" Division performs scientific and administrative tasks in the field of radiation protection. The work is mainly aimed at solving practical problems arising from the accidental release of radioactivity. The focus is on:

  • the operation and further development of the nationwide "Integrated Measuring and Information System" (IMIS)
  • the monitoring of environmental radioactivity via the radioactivity measurement network (local dose rate measurement network)
  • the coordination of nationwide measurements, the performance of internal measurements, and the preparation of the radiological situation picture as part of the Federal Radiological Situation Centre in the event of a radiological accident
  • the analysis of trace radiation at the Schauinsland measuring station and participation in the international monitoring of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO)
  • the response to nuclear emergencies in situations where radioactive materials have been traded or misused without authorisation The BfS works closely with the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Police and provides personnel, expertise, and measurement technology.

The "Environmental Radioactivity" DivisionShow / Hide

A sample being prepared for an examination Working at the BfS

The tasks of the "Environmental Radioactivity" Division concern both artificial and natural radionuclides in the environment. They range from aspects of their origin to their propagation in the environment and the determination of human radiation exposure. Against this background, various laboratories and mobile measuring systems (e.g. in helicopters) are operated in the specialist areas of the division. Several federal control centres for monitoring environmental radioactivity are also located in the division.

The main areas of work of the division are:

  • occupational and civil protection against radon and its decay products,
  • natural radioactive substances in drinking water, sediments, building products, or contaminated sites,
  • quality control in the monitoring of artificial radioactive substances in the exhaust air and effluents of nuclear plants and other facilities,
  • development of methods to measure natural and artificial radionuclides and radiation fields,
  • quality assurance (e.g. through inter-laboratory comparisons) for environmental monitoring stations and radon measuring devices in Germany,
  • modelling of radio-ecological processes.

The "Digitalisation and Organisation" DivisionShow / Hide

The "Digitalisation and Organisation" Division supports the departments, promotes the administrative modernization and pools the following tasks:

  • Organisational and human resources development as well as human resources management
  • Information technology
  • Risk communication and knowledge management
  • Maintenance of competence as well as apprenticeship and in-service training in radiation protection

The "Central Office" DivisionShow / Hide

The Central Office of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection supports the departments and pools the following administrative tasks:

  • Finances and procurement
  • Legal department, data protection and licensing procedures
  • Real estate and internal services
  • Co-ordination of research and administrative processing of research projects

State of 2023.11.08

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