The Ionising Radiations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017

• (k) the duration of any period over which the work is carried out and the date of termination of the work activity.

Transitional provisions and savings

41

Schedule 8, which makes transitional provisions and savings, has effect.

Modifications and revocation

42

• (1) Schedule 9, which contains modifications to primary and secondary legislation, has effect.

• (2) The Ionising Radiations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 are revoked.

SCHEDULE 1 — Work not required to be notified under regulation 5

1

Work with ionising radiation is not required to be notified in accordance with regulation 5 when the only such work being carried out is in one or more of the following categories—

• (a) where the concentration of activity per unit mass of a radioactive substance does not exceed the concentration specified in column 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 7 (for artificial radionuclides and naturally occurring radionuclides which are processed for their radioactive, fissile or fertile properties) or column 2 of Part 2 of Schedule 7 (for naturally occurring radionuclides which are not processed for their radioactive, fissile or fertile properties);

• (b) where the quantity of radioactive substance involved does not exceed the quantity specified in column 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 7 (for artificial radionuclides and naturally occurring radionuclides which are processed for their radioactive, fissile or fertile properties) or column 3 of Part 2 of Schedule 7 (for naturally occurring radionuclides which are not processed for their radioactive, fissile or fertile properties);

• (c) where the concentration of activity per unit mass or quantity of a radioactive substance does not exceed values which may be approved by the Executive for specific types of work and where such work satisfies the exemption criteria set out in paragraphs 2 and 3 below;

• (d) where apparatus contains radioactive substances in a quantity exceeding the values specified in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) provided that—

• (i) the apparatus is of a type approved—

• (aa) by the Executive; or

• (bb) by the Great Britain Executive in accordance with paragraph 1(d) of Schedule 1 to the Great Britain Regulations;

• (ii) the apparatus is constructed in the form of a sealed source;

• (iii) the apparatus does not under normal operating conditions cause a dose rate of more that 1 µSvh⁻¹ at a distance of 0.1m from any accessible surface; and

• (iv) conditions for the disposal of the apparatus have been specified by the chief inspector;

• (e) the operation of any electrical apparatus to which these Regulations apply other than apparatus referred to in sub-paragraph (f) provided that—

• (i) the apparatus is of a type approved—

• (aa) by the Executive; or

• (bb) by the Great Britain Executive in accordance with paragraph 1(e) of Schedule 1 to the Great Britain Regulations; and

• (ii) the apparatus does not under normal operating conditions cause a dose rate of more than 1 µSvh⁻¹ at a distance of 0.1m from any accessible surface;

• (f) the operation of—

• (i) any cathode ray tube intended for the display of visual images; or

• (ii) any other electrical apparatus operating at a potential difference not exceeding 30kV,

provided that the operation of the tube or apparatus does not under normal operating conditions cause a dose rate of more than 1 µSvh⁻¹ at a distance of 0.1m from any accessible surface; or

• (g) where the work involves contaminated material resulting from authorised releases which the chief inspector has declared not to be subject to further control.

2

The criteria for the exemption from notification of work with ionising radiation are as follows:

• (a) the radiological risks to individuals caused by such work are sufficiently low, as to be of no regulatory concern;

• (b) work of such type has been found to be justified; and

• (c) such work is inherently safe.

3

Work with ionising radiation only meets the requirements of paragraph 2(a) if—

• (a) in relation to an employee, the effective dose caused by such work does not exceed 1 mSv in a calendar year; and

• (b) in relation to any other person, the following requirements are met in all circumstances where it is reasonably practicable to do so—

• (i) the effective dose caused by such work from radionuclides which are not naturally occurring radionuclides does not exceed 10 µSv in a calendar year; and

• (ii) the effective dose caused by such work from naturally occurring radionuclides does not exceed 1 mSv in a calendar year.

4

In paragraph 2(b), “found to be justified” has the meaning given by regulation 4(4) of the Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004 .

5

In this Schedule, “the chief inspector” has the meaning assigned to it by section 47(1) of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 .

SCHEDULE 2 — Consent to carry out a practice: indicative list of information

1

Responsibilities and organisational arrangements for protection and safety.

2

Staff competences, including information and training.

3

Design features of the facility and of radiation sources.

4

Anticipated occupational and public exposures in normal operation.

5

Safety assessment of the activities and the facility in order to—

• (a) identify ways in which potential exposures or accidental and unintended medical exposures could occur;

• (b) estimate, to the extent practicable, the probabilities and magnitude of potential exposures;

• (c) assess the quality and extent of protection and safety provisions, including engineering features, as well as administrative procedures;

• (d) define the operational limits and conditions of operation.

6

Emergency procedures.

7

Maintenance, testing, inspection and servicing so as to ensure that the radiation source and the facility continue to meet the design requirements, operational limits and conditions of operation throughout their lifetime.

8

Management of radioactive waste and arrangements for the disposal of such waste, in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

9

Management of disused sources.

10

Quality assurance.

SCHEDULE 3 — Dose limits

PART 1 — Classes of persons to whom dose limits apply

Employees and trainees of 18 years of age or above

1

For the purposes of regulation 12(1), the limit on effective dose for any employee or trainee, being of 18 years of age or above, is 20 mSv in any calendar year.

2

Without prejudice to paragraph 1—

• (a) the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is—

• (i) 20 mSv in a calendar year; or

• (ii) in accordance with conditions approved by the Executive from time to time, 100 mSv in any period of five consecutive calendar years subject to a maximum equivalent dose of 50 mSv in any single calendar year;

• (b) the limit on equivalent dose for the skin is 500 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1 cm² regardless of the area exposed;

• (c) the limit on equivalent dose for the extremities is 500 mSv in a calendar year.

Trainees aged under 18 years

3

For the purposes of regulation 12(1), the limit on effective dose for any trainee under 18 years of age is 6 mSv in any calendar year.

4

Without prejudice to paragraph 3—

• (a) the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is 15 mSv in a calendar year;

• (b) the limit on equivalent dose for the skin is 150 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1 cm² regardless of the area exposed;

• (c) the limit on equivalent dose for the extremities is 150 mSv in a calendar year.

Other persons

5

Subject to paragraph 6, for the purposes of regulation 12(1) the limit on effective dose for any person other than an employee or trainee referred to in paragraph 1 or 3, including any person below the age of 16, is 1 mSv in any calendar year.

6

Paragraph 5 does not apply in relation to any person (not being a carer and comforter) who may be exposed to ionising radiation resulting from the medical exposure of another and in such a case the limit on effective dose for any such person is 5 mSv in any period of 5 consecutive calendar years.

7

Without prejudice to paragraphs 5 and 6—

• (a) the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is 15 mSv in any calendar year;

• (b) the limit on equivalent dose for the skin is 50 mSv in any calendar year averaged over any 1 cm² area regardless of the area exposed;

• (c) the limit on equivalent dose for the extremities is 50 mSv in a calendar year.

PART 2

8

For the purposes of regulation 12(2), the limit on effective dose for employees or trainees of 18 years or above is 100 mSv in any period of five consecutive calendar years subject to a maximum effective dose of 50 mSv in any single calendar year.

9

Without prejudice to paragraph 8—

• (a) the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is—

• (i) 20 mSv in a calendar year; or

• (ii) in accordance with conditions approved by the Executive from time to time, 100 mSv in any period of five consecutive calendar years subject to a maximum equivalent dose of 50 mSv in any single calendar year;

• (b) the limit on equivalent dose for the skin is 500 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1 cm² regardless of the area exposed;

• (c) the limit on equivalent dose for the extremities is 500 mSv in a calendar year.

10

The employer shall ensure that any employee in respect of whom regulation 12(2) applies is not exposed to ionising radiation to an extent that any dose limit specified in paragraphs 8 or 9 is exceeded.

11

An employer shall not put into effect a system of dose limitation pursuant to regulation 12(2) unless—

• (a) the radiation protection adviser and any employees who are affected have been consulted;

• (b) any employees affected and the approved dosimetry service have been informed in writing of the decision and of the reasons for that decision; and

• (c) notice has been given to the Executive at least 28 days (or such shorter period as the Executive may allow) before the decision is put into effect giving the reasons for the decision

12

Where there is reasonable cause to believe that any employee has been exposed to an effective dose greater than 20 mSv in any calendar year, the employer shall, as soon as is practicable—

• (a) undertake an investigation into the circumstances of the exposure for the purpose of determining whether the dose limit referred to in paragraph 8 is likely to be complied with; and

• (b) notify the Executive of that suspected exposure.

13

An employer shall review the decision to put into effect a system of dose limitation pursuant to regulation 12(2) at appropriate intervals and in any event not less than once every five years.

14

Where as a result of a review undertaken pursuant to paragraph 13 an employer proposes to revert to a system of annual dose limitation pursuant to regulation 12(1), the provisions of paragraph 11 apply as if the reference in that paragraph to regulation 12(2) was a reference to regulation 12(1).

15

Where an employer puts into effect a system of dose limitation in pursuance of regulation 12(2), the employer shall record the reasons for that decision and shall ensure that the record is preserved until any person subject to the system of dose limitation under regulation 12(2) has or would have attained the age of 75 years but in any event for at least 30 years from the making of the record.

16

In any case where—

• (a) the dose limits specified in paragraph 8 are being applied by an employer in respect of an employee; and

• (b) the Executive is not satisfied that it is impracticable for that employee to be subject to the dose limit specified in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of this Schedule,

the Executive may require the employer to apply the dose limit specified in paragraph 1 of Part 1 with effect from such time as the Executive may consider appropriate having regard to the interests of the employee concerned.

17

In any case where, as a result of a review undertaken pursuant to paragraph 13, an employer proposes to revert to an annual dose limitation in accordance with regulation 12(1), the Executive may require the employer to defer the implementation of that decision to such time as the Executive may consider appropriate having regard to the interests of the employee concerned.

18

Any person who is aggrieved by the decision of the Executive taken pursuant to paragraphs 16 or 17 may appeal to the Department.

19

Chapter I of the Schedule to the Deregulation (Model Appeal Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 1997 shall apply to any appeal under paragraph 18 .

SCHEDULE 4 — Matters in respect of which a radiation protection adviser shall be consulted

1

The implementation of requirements as to controlled and supervised areas.

2

The prior examination of plans for installations and the acceptance into service of new or modified sources of ionising radiation in relation to any engineering controls, design features, safety features and warning devices provided to restrict exposure to ionising radiation.

3

The regular calibration of equipment provided for monitoring levels of ionising radiation and the regular checking that such equipment is serviceable and correctly used.

4

The periodic examination and testing of engineering controls, design features, safety features and warning devices and regular checking of systems of work provided to restrict exposure to ionising radiation.

SCHEDULE 5 — Particulars to be entered in the radiation passbook

1

Individual serial number of the passbook.

2

A statement that the passbook has been approved by the Executive for the purpose of these Regulations.

3

Date of issue of the passbook by the approved dosimetry service.

4

The name, telephone number and mark of endorsement of the issuing approved dosimetry service.

5

The name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the employer.

6

Full name (surname, forenames), date of birth, gender and national insurance number of the classified outside worker to whom the passbook has been issued.

7

Date of the last medical review of the classified outside worker and the relevant classification in the health record maintained under regulation 25 as fit, fit subject to conditions (which shall be specified) or unfit.

8

The relevant dose limits applicable to the classified outside worker to whom the passbook has been issued.

9

The cumulative dose assessment in mSv for the year to date for the classified outside worker, external (whole body, organ or tissue) and/or internal as appropriate and the date of the end of the last assessment period.

10

In respect of services performed by the classified outside worker—

• (a) the name and address of the employer responsible for the controlled area;

• (b) the period covered by the performance of the services;

• (c) the following estimated dose information, as appropriate—

• (i) an estimate of any whole body effective dose in mSv received by the classified outside worker;

• (ii) in the event of non-uniform exposure, an estimate of the equivalent dose in mSv to organs and tissues as appropriate; and

• (iii) in the event of internal contamination, an estimate of the activity taken in or the committed dose.

SCHEDULE 6 — Particulars to be contained in a health record

The following particulars shall be contained in a health record made for the purposes of regulation 25(2)(b)—

• (a) the employee’s—

• (i) full name;

• (ii) sex;

• (iii) date of birth;

• (iv) permanent address; and

• (v) National Insurance number;

• (b) the date of the employee’s commencement as a classified person in present employment;

• (c) the nature of the employee’s employment;

• (d) the date and type of the last medical examination or health review carried out in respect of the employee;

• (e) a statement by the relevant doctor made as a result of the latest medical examination or health review carried out in respect of the employee classifying the employee as fit, fit subject to conditions (which should be specified) or unfit;

• (f) in relation to each medical examination and health review, the name and signature of the relevant doctor;

• (g) the name and address of the approved dosimetry service with whom arrangements have been made for maintaining the dose record in accordance with regulation 22.

SCHEDULE 7 — Quantities and concentrations of radionuclides

PART 1 — Table of artificial radionuclides and naturally occurring radionuclides (which are processed for their radioactive, fissile or fertile properties)