NM Flashcards
For Tc-99m, when does IRR17 apply?
> 100 Bq/g and > 10 MBq
What is included in a risk assessment?
- description of work
- nature of hazard (energy, activity, half-life)
- exposed persons
- contamination
- control measures
- accidents (spill, ingestion, needlestick)
- location
- doses and dose rates (routine and accidents)
When must local rules be used?
for controlled areas
What must be included in the local rules?
- description of area
- working instructions to restrict exposure
- access arrangements
- dose investigation levels
- name of RPS
- contingency plan
What else may be included in the local rules?
- testing and maintanence
- dosimetry of staff
- audit and compliance
- details of RPA
When is a contingency plan required?
where the accident could result in an exposure which exceeds normal planned exposures
Examples of when a contingency plan is required
- spills
- personal contamination
- loss of source
Who should be notified of staff over-exposures?
HSE
Effective dose
sum of equivalent doses to the exposed organs or tissues multiplied by tissue weighting factors
helps estimate risk from stochastic effects
How can percutaneous absorption be minimised?
- PPE (gloves, apron, arm coverings)
- quick removal of contaminated
- dose monitoring is important
What should you do after a needlestick injury?
- wash area with soap
- encourage bleeding
- contamination monitoring
How to minimise dose from extravasation?
- check lines with saline
- elevate the arm
- squeeze stress ball
Legislation involved in radionuclide therapies
- IRR17 (staff and public)
- IRMER17 (patient and ARSAC)
- EPR (licence and waste)
What is included in a therapy risk assessment?
- external dose rate from patient
- excretion factors
- contact restrictions
- visitors
How are restriction times calculated?
- post-administration dose rates at different distances
- clearance curves
- administred activity
- dose constraints
Why are restriction times for younger children longer?
After the restriction period is over, they tend to have more prolonged and closer contact with the patient
What is a sealed source?
a non-dispersable source
flood source for QA
What is a high-activity sealed source?
sealed source for which the quantity of the radionuclide is equal to or exceeds the relevant quantity value
brachytherapy, requires additional security measures
What is a open source?
one which can be dispersed but is not waste
Tc-99m vials, Mo/Tc generator
What is radioactive waste?
any open or sealed source which can no longer be used and above a certain threshold
What is the key legislation for the control of RAM?
Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016
Enforced by the Environmental Agency
What does EPR govern?
- the amount of RAM which can be held for a particular purpose
- how it is kept and used
- how RAW is disposed of
When is a source no longer a source?
- after patient administration
- any source moved to accumulating waste
- liquid sources being discharged as waste to drains
- open sources transferred to another permitted holder
Whic category is least hazardous under EPR?
category 5 sealed source
What is included in a EPR permit?
- permitted activities (storage and use of RAM, accumulation of RAW, production, transport)
- permitted radionuclides and max activity limits
- RAW (activity, volume limits, accumulation period)
- waste disposal routes (annual/monthly activity limits, disposal route)
What are Publicly Available Permits for?
unsealed source and associated waste
must display
What are Standard Rules Permits for?
all sealed sources taken together must fall into category 5 and don’t accumulate waste
do not display permit
What are Security Permits for?
sealed source and associated waste
cat 1-4
Control measures to restrict unauthorised access to open sources held under a “Publicly Available” permit
- sources under continous supervision
- suitable container in a suitable store
- hazard warning signage
- locks
- training of staff to support
Actions “Publicly Available” permit conditions require to do if radioactive material has been lost or stolen
- inform police and EA
- recover the sources as far as is reasonably practicable
- report the situation to the EA in writing ASAP
What is an orphan source?
a source which has fallen out of regulatory control
What are the permit conditions for a HASS source?
- security in line with NaCTSO restricted doc
- photos of sources
- timely police response to alarm
- Deter, Detect, Delay, Respond
NaCTSO
National Counter Terrorism Security Office
CTSA
Counter Terrorism Security Advisor
advise the EA if security measures are satisfactory
ARSAC
Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee
Assurances before an ARSAC licence is issued
- staff training
- suitable facilities for administering
- emergency procedures
- management of RAW
- QA
Requirements for a Practitioner ARSAC licence
medically qualified and meet the training requirements
(they are qualified to justify the exposures)
not site specific
Requirements for a Employer ARSAC licence
must have available suitable equipment, facilities, and support staff
one per site
NM Practicies requiring Registration
radiation generators
transport of RAM
NM Practicies requiring Consent
administration
manufacture
HASS for therapy
storage/disposal of waste
When and why is an environmental impact assessment made?
- before an EPR permit can be obtained
- used to define the limits in the permit
What is included in an environmental impact assessment?
- radiological and chemical properties of waste
- activity released
- waste route
- identification of critical groups and estimated doses
if estimated dose >300uSv/yr, more in-depth assessment required
What are the principles of BAT?
- minimise activity of RAM kept and used
- minimise period over which RAW is accumulated
- minimise the activity of RAW that will require to be disposed
- prevent the loss of a source
- minimise the volume of RAW disposed of by transfer
Examples of BAT
- segregating waste by radionuclides reduces the volume
- extending storage times reduce the dose to the environment
- use alternative radionuclides to reduce the complexity of waste procedures
What is the limit for Very Low Level Waste?
< 400 kBq per 0.1 m^3
or
< 40 kBq per item
CDG
Carriage of Dangerous Goods
competent authority: Office of Nuclear Regulation
implements ADR
Who are the duty holder as defined in ADR/CDG?
Consignor: sender
Carrier: transporter
Consignee: receiver
What are the responisbilities of the driver transporting RAM in an emergency?
- carry emergency plan
- notify emergency services, local authority, consignor
- assist in the handling of a radiation emergency
What are the responisbilities of the consignor in an emergency?
- notify emergency services, health authority
- notify ONR if emergency plan was initiated
- assist in handling of a radiation emergency
What are the responisbilities of the carrier in an emergency?
- arrange for examination of load for contamination
- arrange for safe disposal/ decontamination
What is an Exempt package?
for Tc-99m limit = 10 MBq
not subject to the regs
What is an Excepted package?
- limit = 400 MBq
- external surface dose rate < 5 uSv/hr
What is an Type A package?
- limit = 4 TBq
- external surface dose rate < 10 mSv/hr
What are the design requirements for a Type A package?
- hard wearing
- easily decontaminated
- no collection/retention of water
- easily carried and secured
What tests are carried out on Type A packaging?
- water spray
- free fall from 9 m
- stacking
- penetration
Transport Index
dose rate (uSv/h) at 1m / 10
How is the category of a Type A package determined?
the TI and max surface dose rate are used
White I
TI: 0
DR: < 0.005 mSv/h
Yellow II
TI: 0-1
DR: 0.005 - 0.5 mSv/h
Yellow III
TI: 1-10
DR: 0.5 - 2 mSv/h
Yellow III*
TI: > 10
DR: 2 - 10 mSv/h
What labelling is used for radioactive packages?
- UN number
- consignor/consignee details
- class 7
- contents, activity, TI
- radioactive tape
What is incuded in transport of RAM documentation?
- class 7
- name of radionuclide
- physical and chemical description
- max activity
- names and address of consignor and consignee
What equipment should a vehicle transporting RAM have?
- PPE
- fire extinguisher
- chock
- eyewash
- training certificates
- emergency plan
- photo ID
Purpose of REPPIR
Radiation Emergency Prepardness and Public Information Regs 2019
ensures that employees and the public are informed and prepared before an event, and provided with info in the case of an radiation emergency
Example of Category 1 source
gamma knife
most dangerous
Example of Category 2 source
industrial radiography
high/medium DR brachy
Example of Category 3 and 4 sources
density moisture gauges
low DR brachy
Example of Category 5 source
any Practice with A/D < 0.01
A = source activity
D = activity at which source becomes dangerous
What is the minimum security level?
D
duties are imposed by IRR and EPR rather than REPPIR
Radiation Emergency
a non-routine event which is likely to result in a member of the public receiving an effective dose of >= 1 mSv during the year following the emergency
Who are the legal duties placed on under REPPIR?
- operators of radiological and nuclear installations
- transporters of RAS via a public place (pipelines not road, air..)
- local authorities
- employers of people who intervene
When does REPPIR not apply?
- activity conc < 100 Bq/g
- non-dispersable sources
- RAS in type B and C packages
What are the operator responsibilities under REPPIR?
- hazard evaluation and consequence assessment
- site emergency plan
- liase with LA about public info and off-site plan
- declare radiation emergency
Detailed Emergency Planning Zone
- emergency plan must be detailed
- consequence assessment determines the extent of DEPZ
- takes into account operator’s proposal and factors specific to LA area
Outline Emergency Planning Zone
- plans only outlined
- a likelihood of 1 in 20,000 in 5 years is the point at which outline planning is sufficient
What are the local authorities responsibilities under REPPIR?
- determine DEPZ
- prepare off-site emergency plan
- arrangements to provide public info
- provide prior info to those in DEPZ
- make info available in an emergency
What is included in an off-site emergency plan?
- keep doses ALARP
- critical and long-term recovery phase
- reference levels for exposure
Who do emergency exposures apply to?
Emergency workers who have been pre-identified and trained
