Risk Assessments Flashcards
(16 cards)
What legislation requires employers to produce a risk assessment to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees?
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017
According to IRR 2017, who is responsible for producing a risk assessment?
The radiation employer
According to IRR 2017, when should a risk assessment be produced?
Prior to commencing work with ionising radiation
According to IRR 2017, what would be considered in a risk assessment?
Routine work and reasonably foreseeable incidents
According to IRR 2017, who does a risk assessment protect?
Employees and members of the public (not patients receiving exposures)
What are the 5 stages in producing a risk assesment?
1) Identify hazards
2) Decide who may be harmed
3) Assess the risks and take action
4) Record the findings
5) Review the risk assessment
What document helps employers to produce risk assessments for work with ionising radiation?
Regulation 8 of the IRR 2017 approved code of practice and guidance for working with ionising radiation (L121)
A useable risk assessment is a ________ and ____ document.
Relevant
Live
Describe the process of producing and refining a radiation risk assessment
1) Dose rates and radiation surveys inform risk assessments
2) Local rules are informed by risk assessements
3) Review processes refine risk assessments
According to the approved code of practice, what 13 things should be included in a radiation risk assessment?
1) The nature of the radiation sources
2) The estimated dose rates people may be exposed to
3) The likelihood of contamination
4) Results from any previous personal/environmental dosimetry
5) Manufacturer advice about safe use/mainenance
6) Engineering control measures and design features
7) Planned systems of work
8) Estimated levels of airbourne and surface contamination
9) Effectiveness and suitability of PPE
10) Extent of access to working areas with significant dose rates
11) Possible accident situations, their likelihood, and potential severity
12) Consequences of control measure failure
13) Steps to prevent/limit the consequences of accidents
What is a hazard?
Anything (radiation, chemicals, ladders, etc.) that has the potential to cause harm (personal injury, financial loss, reputation, etc.).
What is a risk?
The likelihood of harm occuring and the severity of that harm
Give the equation for level of risk (risk grading)
Level of risk = Likelihood x Severity
Both likelihood are ranked from 1-5
What are contingency plans based on?
Reasonably foreseeable incidents and special arrangements
What action should be carried out after completing a risk assessment?
The local rules should be reviewed to ensure that they are still appropriate.
Why does radioactive discharge have to be considered in a risk assessment?
Because risks from radioactive substances can occur in the wider environment if there are significant radioactive discharges in waterways, airbourne, or on disposal/transport routes.
