Transcript Document
Responsibility for Radiation Safety
IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency
Day 8 – Lecture 4
Objectives
•
To understand the role of the registrant or licensee
in providing adequate safety; and
•
How specific aspects of responsibility are delegated
within authorized practices.
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Responsibility for Safety
Responsibilities are held by:
•
•
the registrant or licensee who holds a licence or
registration;
Radiation Protection Officers (RPO);
•
workers;
•
employers, in relation to occupational exposure;
•
suppliers;
•
qualified experts;
•
Medical physicists;
•
medical practitioners;
• ethical review committees.
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Primary Responsibility for Safety
Primary responsibility rests with:
•
the registrant or licensee who holds the registration or
licence; and
•
employers of occupationally exposed workers.
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Subsidiary Responsibility for Safety
Subsidiary responsibility
•
The registrant or licensee may appoint other parties
or people to carry out certain actions and tasks;
•
However, overall responsibility for protection and
safety always remains with the registrant or licensee.
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Responsibilities of Registrants and Licensees
Registrants and Licensees and employers shall:
•
establish radiation safety objectives;
•
develop, implement and document a protection and
safety Program;
•
ensure compliance with the requirements set out in
the legislation and the regulations.
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Responsibilities of Registrants and Licensees (cont)
The protection and safety Program:
•
shall be subject to regular review of the measures
needed to achieve radiation safety objectives;
•
shall have sufficient resources (financial and personnel)
to implement required safety requirements;
•
should be verified at regular intervals to ensure that the
radiation safety objectives are being achieved.
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Responsibilities of Registrants and Licensees (cont)
The protection and safety Program:
•
shall identify, prevent and prompt corrective actions or
any failures or shortcomings in the radiation safety
measures;
•
will provide for consultation and cooperation between
all relevant parties with respect to radiation safety;
•
will ensure that appropriate records are maintained
regarding the discharge of responsibilities.
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Responsibilities of Registrants and Licensees (cont)
Registrants and Licensees are also responsible for:
•
radiation protection performance requirements;
•
verification of protection and safety;
•
occupational, public and medical exposure
protection;
•
management requirements;
•
safety of sources.
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Responsibilities of the RPO
The RPO shall:
•
have received radiation protection training in accordance
with any qualification and / or training criteria required by
the Regulatory Body for the type of radiation practice;
•
be formally appointed by the registrant or licensee;
•
be formally approved by the Regulatory Body;
•
have appropriate authority within the registrant or
licensee’s organization to take care of the allocated
responsibilities and duties.
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Duties of the RPO
The RPO’s duties include:
•
monitoring radiation protection and safety;
•
issuing instructions and ensuring that workers are
trained to work safely;
•
ensuring that appropriate protective equipment and
radiation survey meters are available and used;
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Duties of the RPO (cont)
The RPO’s duties include:
•
ensuring that licence details and safety arrangements
are updated as necessary;
• providing information and notifications to the Regulatory
Body as may be required by the legislation;
• keeping the registrant or licensee informed.
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Responsibilities of Workers
Workers shall be directed to:
•
follow applicable rules and procedures for protection
and safety;
•
appropriately use the monitoring devices, protective
equipment and protective clothing provided by the
employer / registrant or licensee;
•
cooperate with the employer with respect to protection
and safety and the operation of radiological health
surveillance and dose assessment Programs;
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Responsibilities of Workers (cont)
Workers shall be directed to:
•
accept information, instruction
and training concerning
protection and safety;
•
report to the employer, RPO or
registrant or licensee any
observed circumstances that could
adversely affect compliance with
regulations or safety.
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Responsibilities of Suppliers
Suppliers shall:
•
ensure that radiation sources are transferred
only to persons / organizations holding an
appropriate license;
•
maintain records of source transfers;
•
ensure that sources are supplied with:
relevant certificates;
user, maintenance and transport instructions;
radiation protection and safety instructions.
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Responsibilities of Qualified Experts
Qualified experts may be:
•
appointed to advise the registrant or licensee or the
employer on the observance of regulations;
•
responsible for tasks related to assessing
radiation protection of workers, the public
and patients.
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Responsibilities of Medical Practitioners
Justification of medical exposures
•
medical exposures shall be prescribed by a
medical practitioner;
•
protection shall be optimized e.g. use of guidance
levels;
•
medical practitioners are responsible for ensuring
overall patient protection related to medical exposures.
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Responsibilities of Medical Practitioners (cont)
Health surveillance of workers
•
to ensure initial and continuous fitness of workers for
their intended tasks;
•
to assess the consequences of possible
over exposure and to deliver opinion on
the continuity of work;
•
the medical treatment of persons who
have received high radiation doses.
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Responsibilities of Ethical Review Committees
An Ethical Review Committee shall assess:
•
the justification of, and define dose
constraints for, medical research
purposes not producing a direct benefit
to exposed individuals;
•
the justification of screening procedures
(e.g. chest screening, mammography
screening);
•
the justification of examinations undertaken for
occupational, legal or health insurance purposes.
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References
• Radiation Protection and Safety of
Radiation Sources: International Basic
Safety Standards. General Safety
Requirements Part 3. SR (IAEA Safety
Standard Series No. GSR Part 3
(Interim)), Vienna 2011.
• Governmental, Legal and Regulatory
Framework for Safety. General Safety
Requirements Part 1 (IAEA Safety
Standard Series No. GSR Part 1).
Vienna 2010.
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