IRR17 Audit Flashcards
What does IRR17 Stand for?
The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017
What is IRR17 mainly concerned with? (Who is it aimed at protecting?)
Protection of PUBLIC and STAFF.
Main aim is to ensure exposure to ionising radiation arising from work activities is kept below the legal dose limits and ALARP
Can you name a few of the main requirements of IRR17? i.e. the main duty holders?
MUST MENTION:
- Appointment of radiation protection supervisor (RPS) and provision of LOCAL RULES
- Appointment for radiation protection adviser (RPA) and REQUIREMENT to consult RPA
AND MENTION AT LEAST A FEW OF THE FOLLOWING:
- Risk assessment
- Prior risk assessment for new work activities
- ALARP principle and restriction of exposure
- Dose limitation
- Designation of controlled and supervised areas
- Working Instructions
-Personal dosimetry
For an IRR17 Audit in breast imaging, what are the main areas you would check/review?
- Check regulations currently in place
- Check risk assessment and if there are any major changes
- Check control measures are in place and maintained
- Check for any changes to LR
- Are PPE arrangements adequate
- Review of environmental and personal dosimetry
How is Radiation protection managed within NHST - What systems are in place to ensure the employer complies with IRR17
RP imaging group which RPSs attend along with radiation physics with IRR17 and Audit as STANDING AGENDA ITEMS
Radiation Safety Council (RSC) - Meet twice per year, chaired by representative of the board, associate medical director of patient assurance and access division
Generally Speaking, under what circumstances us an area designated as a controlled area?
Reg17: When it is necessary to follow SPECIAL PROCEDURES to restrict exposure or to prevent or limit probability and magnitude of radiation accidents or their effects
or; a person working is LIKELY to receive an ESTIMATED DOSE > 6 mSv/annum
or
EYE EQUIVALENT DOSE > 15 mSv
or
> 150 mSv to SKIN or EXTREMITY
or; If the instantaneous dose rate (IDR) over the working day > 7.5 uSv/hr
or; There is a risk of spreading significant radiation contamination OUTSIDE the working area
When is it necessary to designate a controlled area due to radionuclides in a human body?
For radionuclides emitting gamma rays > 150 MBq or;
Patient undergoing brachytherapy with gamma or high energy beta sources
When is it necessary to designate a supervised area?
Person is likely to receive an estimated dose > 1 mSv/year, equivalent dose to eye > 5 mSv or equivalent dose to skin > 50 mSv/year
Keep under review with view to controlling area
Under IRR17 who are we LEGALLY REQUIRED to monitor?
Classified workers
Why do we monitor unclassified workers in NHS?
Compliance monitoring - Demonstrates no need to classify but also exposures are ALARP
What are the Occupational Dose Limits for Classified Workers in the UK?
Effective Dose: 20 mSv/year
Equivalent Dose - Lens of Eye : 20 mSv/year
Equivalent Dose - Skin : 500 mSv/year
What are the Occupational Dose Limits for Non-Classified Workers & Trainees (<18y) in the UK?
Effective Dose: 6 mSv/year
Equivalent Dose - Lens of Eye : 15 mSv/year
Equivalent Dose - Skin : 150 mSv/year
What are the Occupational Dose Limits for the Public in the UK?
Effective Dose: 1 mSv/year
Equivalent Dose - Lens of Eye : 15 mSv/year
Equivalent Dose - Skin : 50 mSv/year
What investigation levels are in NHST for non-classified workers?
Whole Body:
- Monthly = 0.5 mSv/month
- Annual = 2 mSv
- Over 3 consecutive months: 0.2 mSv per period
Extremity:
10 mSv/month
100 mSv/year
Eye:
1 mSv/month
< 10 mSv/year
Where can whole body investigation levels in NHST be found?
In the LR for the controlled area
Why is a general x-ray room a designated controlled area?
- Necessary to follow special procedures to ensure restriction of significant exposures
- Any person working in the area could receive > 6 mSv/year or breach any other dose limit
What Actions are taken/what must you have in place for a controlled area?
- Local Rules
- Appoint RPS
- Demark area physically
- Signage-indicating designation
- Nature of radiation sources and risks from each source
- Dose monitoring
- Appointment of RPA
What must be included in the LRs? And what optional content do NHST include?
MUST (Include a few):
1. Dose investigation level
2. summary of contingency plans
3. Name of RPS
4. Identify area and state details of its designation
5. summary of work instructions
6. Restriction of access-entry arrangements for non-classified workers
7. Key workers instructions to restrict exposure and/or ref to other protocols
OPTIONAL (At least 1):
1. Arrangements for PREGNANT and BREASTFEEDING staff
2. Management
3. RPA and Contact info
The IRR17 RA: What is it for? What steps would you take?
- Prior risk assessment before new work activities
- Assess risk of exposure & identify measures required to restrict exposure
- Identify hazards, possible/likely accidents
- Nature & magnitude of risk to staff
- Estimate radiation dose
- Assess likelihood of contamination
- Requirements/suitability of PPE
Can you tell us about a RA you carried out as part of your attachment? Any actions/changes implemented as a result?
Changes to breast imaging RA:
Interpreters - Stay in controlled areas, thus change in RA
Prison officers considered in main department RA
Who Enforces IRR17? What document do we use to ensure we comply with IRR17?
HSE
The HSE Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance document
Regulations 5-7 form a 3-tier risk based approach to how work with ionising radiation is categorised. What are the 3 tiers in order of risk level?
- Notification
- Registration
- E.g., work with x-ray generators - Consent
- Must be APPLIED FOR
- e.g., for introducing radionuclides in to patients
Who are the duty holders under IRR17?
- Employer
- RPS
- Employees
- RPA
What are the duties of the employer under IRR17?
Employer holds OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY for compliance
What are the duties of the employees under IRR17?
Employees have a responsibility to comply with arrangements put in place by their employer
What are the duties of an RPS under IRR17?
The RPS oversees operational imp0lementation of the regulations
What are the duties of the RPA under IRR17?
The RPA advises the employer on compliance.
Must be consulted on certain aspects of the regulations
How should the emplyer appoint the RPA? What MUST the employer consult the RPA on?
They must be appointed in writing
They must be consulted on:
- Requirements for controlled area
- Planning a new installation
- Checking monitoring equipment
- Checking safety features and systems of work
Employers should (but are not obliged) to consult the RPA on what?
- Radiation risk assessment
- Designation of areas
- Investigation into overexposures
- Contingency Plans
- Dose assessment and recording
Whose responsability is it to ensure that a radiation risk assessment is completed?
The Employer
Describe Regulation 9 Restriction of Exposure. What controls should be used to ensure this requirement is met?
The employer must ensure that dose limits are not exceeded and are ALARP
- Engineering methods e.g., protective screens
- Systems of work
- PPE
What is a radiation accident?
A radiation accident means an accident where immediate action would be required to prevent or reduce the exposure
When should a contigency plan be prepared and by whom?
If the arrangements show a radiation accident is reasonably forseeable and for radiation accidents where there is a risk of significant exposure, the exmployer MUST PREPARE a contingency plan
The RPA should be consulted
Contingency plans should be included in the local rules
When should a critical examination be carried out, and what is it concerned with?
When following installation of an article for work with ionising radiation and after significant maintenance e.g., replacement of an x-ray tube
The critical examination is concerned with the RADIATION SAFETY of the installation
Whose responsability is it to ensure that a critical exam is carried out? Does the RPA need to be present?
- The Installer
- The installer must consult an RPA reguarding the critical exam but the RPA does not need to be present for it
