Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 Flashcards
(62 cards)
What is IRR 2017?
The Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017. They say what responsibilities different people have in order to reduce the risk of radiation exposure in the workplace.
What is IRR 2017 based on?
The European Basic Safety Standards (BSS) Directive
What document helps organisations to implement IRR 2017?
The IRR 2017 approved codes of practice and guidance for working with ionising radiation (L121).
What are the 7 main sections of IRR 2017?
1) Notify/register/obtain consent with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) before working with ionising radiation
2) Do a risk assessment to keep dose ALARP and make contingency plans
3) Get the advice of an RPA
4) Designate areas according to risk and assign RPSs
5) Classify and monitor staff
6) Control the active substances/sources/equipment
7) Set rules and follow them
When should radiation employers notify the Health and Safety Executive?
Before starting new work involving ionising radiation, unless the quantities and concentrations involved are less than specific in IRR or the work requires registration/consent.
What equipment/processes require registration?
- Radiation generators that don’t require consent
- 1000kg or over of artificial/natural radionuclides above the low end of specific concentration levels
- Under 1000kg of artificial/natural radionuclides abover the medium end of specific concentration levels
What must be stated when submitting an IRR 2017 registration?
- Scale of work
- Locations
- Purpose of work
Which 9 working practices require licensing?
- Deliberate administation of radioactive substances for specific medical or vetinary purposes
- Uranium mining
- Deliberate addition of radioactive substances into products
- Operation of an accelerator
- Industrial irradiation
- Industrial radiography
- Any practice involving a high-activity sealed source
- Long-term storage or disposal of radioactive waste
- Discharge of significant amounts of radioactive effluent
How is risk level defined?
Risk level = probability of adverse effect x severity of effect
What is the purpose of a prior risks assessment?
For the radiation employer to:
- Evaluate of all radiation risks
- Consider actions to prevent accidents and limit consequences of accidents
- Train, inform, and instruct employees on risk
What is the process of assessing a risk?
1) Assess what happens in a workplace
2) Identify the risk
3) Consider all persons who might be at risk
4) Take account of existing preventative measures
5) Identify further measures to control risk
What are the outcomes of a prior risk assessment?
- Actions to ensure ALARP
- Steps to control exposure
- Decisions on whether personnel monitoring is needed
- Working procedures for pregnant woment
- Restricting access by designating controlled areas
- Fulfilling training needs
- Local rules
- Appointment of Radiation Protection Supervisors
- Maintenance and testing schedules
What are the 3 principles of radiation protection?
Time
Distance
Shielding
What work do Radiation Protection Advisors (RPAs) give advice on?
- Risk assessments
- Reviewing and examining plans/installations
- Designating areas
- Contingency planning
- Recording and assessing doses
- Selection, testing, and QA of monitoring equipment and PPE
What does ALARP stand for?
As
Low
As
Reasonably
Practicable
Before a radiation source is installed/switched on, everything should be in place to minimise risk and ensure that exposures are __ ___ __ ________ ________.
As low as reasonably practicable
What is a supervised area?
An area in which any person in the area is likely to receive > 1 mSv a year or greater than 1/10th of the employee dose limits. These areas are under review as to whether they should become controlled areas.
What is a controlled area?
An area in which any person working in the area is likely to receive > 6 mSv a year, > 7.5 µSv/hr, or greater than 3/10ths of the employee dose limits. Anyone who enters these areas has to follow special procedures designed to restrict significant exposure.
What should local rules for a controlled area contain?
- The dose investigation levels for the area
- Key working instructions intended to restrict exposure in normal work
- Contingency plans (stepts to be taken in an accident)
- A description of the area covered and its designation
- The names of the Radiation Protection Supervisors (RPSs) for the area
What is the role of a radiation protection supervisor (RPS)?
- To know about radiation protection principles, local procedures, the IRR 2017 regulations, and the local rules
- To ensure compliance with the local rules
Who has ultimate responsibility for radiation protection and compliance with local rules?
The radiation employer
What are dose limits?
The maximum annual dose for a given person.
What happens if it is suspected that a dose limit has been exceeded?
It should be investigated and the event should be reported to the HSE.
What are dose investigation levels?
The dose level at which an investigation is carried out, before an employee reaches their legal dose limit.
