Radiation Protection Legislation

Stephen McCallum

Radiation Legislation

The aim of legislation is to protect, The aim of legislation is to protect, individuals, populations and the individuals, populations and the environment from adverse affects environment from adverse affects of ionising radiation.of ionising radiation.

Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999

Know as IRR99 - made under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Enforcement agency is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

Controls occupational Controls occupational exposures to workers exposures to workers and exposures to the and exposures to the public as a result of the public as a result of the use of ionising radiation use of ionising radiation in the work placein the work place

Radioactive Substances Act 1993

Sets out regulatory frame Sets out regulatory frame work for the keeping of work for the keeping of radioactive sources and radioactive sources and the disposal of radioactive the disposal of radioactive wastewaste

RSA93, Enforcement agency is the Environment Agency (EA) in RSA93, Enforcement agency is the Environment Agency (EA) in England & Wales and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency England & Wales and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) in Scotland(SEPA) in Scotland

Route to legislation

ICRP GuidanceICRP Guidance

European directivesEuropean directives

UK law via an UK law via an existing or new act of existing or new act of

parliamentparliament

IAEA GuidanceIAEA Guidance

IRR99 Employer responsibility

Every radiation employer shall, in relation to any work with ionising radiation that he undertakes, take all necessary steps to restrict so far as is reasonably practicable the extent to which his employees and other persons are exposed to ionising radiation

IRR99 – Dose Limits

Whole Body effective dose (mSv)

Eye

Equivalent Dose (mSv)

Skin

Equivalent Dose (mSv)

Hands, forearms, feet

Equivalent Dose (mSv)

Employees 20 150 500 500

Trainees 6 50 150 150

Others 1 15 50 50

IRR99 – Classified workers

• A worker must be Classified if they are likely to receive a whole body dose of more than 6mSv per year or more than 3/10 of any relevant dose limit.

• Classified workers must under a yearly medical by an doctor appointed by the employer.

• Issued with a pass book detailing their dose record.

• Are able to enter controlled areas• Personal Radiation doses must be monitored

IRR99 – Non Classified workers

• Classification not required for doses up to 3/10 of relevant dose limit i.e. 6mSv for body dose.

• Only able to enter controlled area under a system of work drawn up by the employer. System of work normally part of the local rules

• Personal Radiation dose often monitored to show that classification not required

IRR99 – duties of employer

• Carry out prior risk assessments before Carry out prior risk assessments before work commenceswork commences

This is one of the key elements of the legislation. From the risk assessment the employer should be able to determine the measures required to control and limit doses to staff and the public.

IRR99 – duties of employer

• Designation of areasDesignation of areas

Controlled areas under IRR99 should be set up where a person is likely to receive an effective whole body dose of more than 6mSv per year or where there is significant risk of spreading contamination outside the work area.

Controlled areasControlled areas

• Must be under the control of the employer

• Must be physically demarcated

• Must have suitable signage

• Local rules should be drawn up

• Radiation Protection Supervisor appointed

• Environmental and personal monitoring should take place

Supervised areasSupervised areas

• Any area where the conditions need to be kept under review

• Any person is likely to receive an effective dose >1mSv/y or > than 1/10 of any other dose limit.

• It does not automatically follow that outside every controlled area there will be a supervised area.

IRR99 – duties of employer

Draw up local rulesDraw up local rules• Required for every controlled area and normally

every supervised area• Contain a key set of working instructions

designed to restrict exposure.• Contingency plans if things go wrong.• Systems of work for non classified workers.• Must take steps to ensure rules or observed an

brought to the attention of effected workers

IRR99 – duties of employer

Special consideration for pregnant and Special consideration for pregnant and breast feeding workersbreast feeding workers

Once notified must ensure the equivalent dose to the foetus is unlikely to exceed 1mSv during the remainder of the pregnancy;

For breastfeeding mothers restrictions in place to prevent significant bodily contamination of that employee

IRR99 – duties of employerAppointment of Radiation Protection Appointment of Radiation Protection SupervisorSupervisor

• Responsible for ensuring that the Local rules are adhered to and for supervising the arrangements.

• Know and understand the requirements of the relevant regulations and local rules.

• Command sufficient authority to allow them to supervise the work.

• Understand the necessary precautions• Know what to do in an emergency

IRR99 – duties of employerAppointment of Radiation Protection AdvisorAppointment of Radiation Protection Advisor

• An RPA must be consulted on the implementation of these regulations.

• Prior examination of plans.• Critical Examinations of equipment• Periodic testing of control measures• Implementation of requirements for controlled and

supervised areas• Calibration of instruments• Dose limitation procedures• PPE, Training, Outside Workers etc.

and more

IRR99 – duties of employer

• Selection, maintenance and quality assurance of medical equipment.

• Area monitoring• Training• Provide suitable Personal Protective Equipment• Co-operation between employers• Holding sealed sources• Accounting and movement of radioactive

substances• Reporting incidents

IRR99 - Duties of Employees

• No one must knowingly expose himself or any other person to ionising radiation to an extent that is greater than is reasonably necessary for the purposes of his work.

• Personal Protective Equipment must be used in the correct manner if provided.

Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (RSA 1993)

• Must register all sources with Environment Agency (in Scotland SEPA)

• Must obtain authorisation to store and dispose of waste

Registration of SourcesRegistration of Sources

• Premises where source kept (Section 7 (2) (a))

• Undertaking on premises - hospital (Section 7 (2) (a))

• Use of sources Section 7 (2) (c)

• Description Section 7 (2) (d)

– what and how much

• Separate application for – Sealed Sources– Unsealed Sources– Mobile Sources Sections 3 & 9

RSA 1993

Authorisation for disposal and Authorisation for disposal and accumulation of radioactive wasteaccumulation of radioactive waste

• Premises where the waste is to be disposed of

• Routes – Waste contractor, sewer• Form- Solid, liquid or Gaseous• and activity

RSA 1993

Record KeepingRecord Keeping

The employer is responsible for keeping sufficient records, of sources holdings, waste storage and waste disposal.

RSA 1993