An interview with James Taylor , who has recently retired from the post of Head of Radiation Policy at the Health and Safety Executive .

The Interviewed Magnox by Swarf Mary Storage Allan , Silo SRP Honorary Secretary and

Operations Director .

As with most people in radiation protection , I had heard of James well before I ever met him – his reputation as a Regulator was , dare I say , a little intimidating to an early career RPA . I have met James at many events over the intervening 25-plus years , but now he has retired it was a great opportunity to hear his reflections on a career spanning more than 40 years .

How did you start a career in radiation protection ? After university , I started at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund , London as a Radiation and Biological Safety Officer . My degree in Environmental Sciences covered radiological safety . I then worked as a Health Physicist at the Dido research reactor at Harwell before moving to an Environmental Hazards Officer role with a local authority . In September 1989 I joined HSE , where I completed more than 34 years .

What did you aim to achieve in your role ? More common sense . I was open to challenge and wished that there was more emphasis on broad compliance . However , many times I was faced with a community

focussed on minute details in obscure guidance , rather than looking at the overall management of radiation protection .

What were the greatest challenges ? Trying to get HSE to give radiation protection a higher priority . We know radiation exposure kills people , but we cannot prove the death is from radiation – for example radon lung cancer deaths . The recent missions from IAEA confirm that HSE is lacking resources . The team is now only six inspectors for the whole of Great Britain . It would be helpful to get more of a spotlight on non-nuclear regulation , to improve standards – especially within industrial radiography and radon , and other end users . Perhaps SRP and the radiation protection community could help get the message across to those at the top of UK regulation .

What do you like to do in your spare time ? I travel across Britain in my canal boat . I enjoy holidaying in the UK ( especially when it ' s warm ). I do enjoy nature – I once counted 25 different bird species in my garden . I also

18 Radiation Protection Today www . srp-rpt . uk