The first such conference on this topic, the International Conference on Occupational Radiation Protection: Protecting Workers Against Exposure to Ionizing Radiation, was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 26 to 30 August 2002. It was hosted by the Government of Switzerland and organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and was convened jointly with the International Labour Organization (ILO). The conference was co-sponsored by the European Commission (EC) and held in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD/NEA), the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) and other international organizations. The second international conference on this topic will be held at the IAEA’s Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, from 1 to 5 December 2014. The conference will be organized by the IAEA and co-sponsored by the ILO, in cooperation with several other international organizations. The recommendations and conclusions from the first conference resulted in an international action plan on occupational radiation protection that has been accelerating and guiding international efforts in improving occupational radiation protection worldwide. While the Geneva conference provided very broad international input on the status of occupational radiation protection at the time, much work remains to be done and specific challenges exist in the areas of medicine, naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), and the nuclear industry in general. In addition, new developments in recent years have brought with them additional challenges that need to be addressed by the international community. The number of occupationally exposed workers in medicine has been increasing rapidly over the years, and individual occupational exposure varies widely among those involved in medical care. There are certain medical procedures that might give substantial doses to medical staff, and the education of medical professionals in radiation protection issues is a continuing problem. Radiation protection in industries involving exposure due to NORM needs to be strengthened in terms of identifying the activities that give rise to radiation exposure and the application of a graded regulatory approach to control the exposure. The increase in the dose coefficient for radon may have important implications for the regulation of NORM industries. The recent boom in the construction of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in some countries and the introduction of novel designs of nuclear reactors have given rise to some new issues related to radiation protection during the design phase and related to source term control during the operation of NPPs. On the other hand, as many nuclear reactors come to the end of their operating life, decommissioning activities are expected to increase significantly and this may result in additional challenges. Furthermore, the increasing specialization and the greater mobility of workers in many industries, including the nuclear industry, have brought additional challenges with regard to the monitoring and recording of individual radiation doses. The publication of the revised International Basic Safety Standards as IAEA General Safety Requirements Part 3 presents regulators, operators and workers with new challenges in implementing the occupational radiation protection requirements in relation to different exposure situations. A particularly important issue to be addressed relates to the reduction of the dose limit for the lens of the eye. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident has highlighted various challenges in terms of approaches, measures and actions for radiation protection of workers in emergency situations. For example, better monitoring programmes, in particular for those workers receiving high doses and those subject to internal exposures, are necessary to reduce uncertainties in exposure assessment. Health surveillance for emergency workers exposed to high doses also needs further consideration. Exposure of aircrew to cosmic radiation, radon at the workplace other than mines and protection of pregnant women against radiation continue to be of concern to the affected workers and to some of the national regulatory bodies. Radiation protection of itinerant workers requires further attention to address issues and challenges associated with a skilful workforce moving from one place to another. Recent years have also seen an increased recognition of the importance of networks and information systems in occupational radiation protection. The existing networks provide good examples of how radiation protection can be optimized. The enhancement of occupational radiation protection through the use of currently available networks needs to be continually developed, strengthened and actively promoted. With these issues in mind, and considering current trends and developments, the conference aims to focus efforts in this area and to maximize the positive impact of future international work.