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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. IAEA 2 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. IAEA 3 Primary Responsibility for Safety Primary responsibility rests with: • the registrant or licensee who holds the registration or licence; and • employers of occupationally exposed workers. IAEA 4 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. IAEA 5 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. IAEA 6 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. IAEA 7 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. IAEA 8 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. IAEA 9 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. IAEA 10 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; IAEA 11 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. IAEA 12 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; IAEA 13 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. IAEA 14 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. IAEA 15 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. IAEA 16 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. IAEA 17 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. IAEA 18 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. IAEA 19 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. IAEA 20