Radiation Safety Legislation

Question 1

Why do we need radiation safety regulations?

Answer 1

• to safeguard health of pts, staff and members of public

Question 2

ICRP

Answer 2

International Commission for Radiological Protection

ICRP103

• independant, international, non- governmental organization, with the mission to provide recommendations and guidance on radiation protection

Question 3

Basic principles of ICRP

Answer 3

• Justified; they do more good than harm; must be sufficient benefit to individuals/ to society to offset any detriment
• Optimised; magnitude of radiation exposures and number of people exposed must be ALARP, taking acc social and economic factors
• Limited; a system of individual radiation dose limits is used to ensure no person receives unacceptable level of exposure

Question 4

Important legislation in diagnostic radiology

Answer 4

1. Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17)
2. Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IRMER17)

• both under Health and Safety at Work Act

Question 5

IRR17 deals with

Answer 5

• occupational exposures and exposure of general public
• enforced by Health & Safety Executive (HSE)

Question 6

IRMER 17 deals with

Answer 6

• medical exposures of pt

Question 7

RPA

Answer 7

Radiation Protection Advisor
- person meeting HSE requirement to advise on radiation safety: a certificate issued by RPA2000 based on portfolio of evidence, renewed every 5 years

Question 8

Annual radiation dose limits

Answer 8

• 6mSv/yr for radiation workers
• 1mSv/yr for members of public
• below the dose limits for dental staff

Question 9

Pathway of RPOE during ME according to IRMER17

Answer 9

• Referral for imaging requested by a referrer
• examination must be justified by a practitioner who may also authorise it
• examination may be authorised and carried out by an operator
• image assessed and reported by operator
• image and report are provided to referrer

Question 10

Roles of referrer

Answer 10

• responsible for providing sufficient medical data to practitioner to enable justification
• employer provide referral criteria

Question 11

Role of practitioner

Answer 11

• justification and authorisation of each exam
• ensure dose ALARP
• comply with employer’s procedures

Question 12

Practitioner must consider

Answer 12

Justification
- objectives of exposure and efficacy, benefits and risks of available alternative techniques
- potential benefits of carrying out exposure, including direct health benefits to individual and benefits to society
- detriment to individual

Question 13

Roles of Operator

Answer 13

• select equipment and methods to limit dose to pt consistent with purpose
• follow employer’s procedures
• must not perform exam unless authorised as justified

Question 14

Elements in Optimisation

Answer 14

• selecting appropriate investigation
• selecting appropriate equipment
• using appropriate exposure factors
• ensuring QA is carried out
• assessing pt dose
• adherence to diagnostic reference levels

Question 15

Quality Assurance

Answer 15

• IPEM91
• jointly by IPEM, CoR and NRPB

Question 16

DRLs

Answer 16

Diagnostic Reference Levels

Question 17

Summary

Answer 17

IRR17
- regulates radiation safety of staff and members of the public
- controlled areas with local rules are defined around equipment
- Risk assessments are used to evaluate control measures

IRMER17
- governs medical exposure of pts and others
- justified and optimised
- staff must be trained and entitled