Radiation incidents

Question 1

what is the difference between accidental and unintended?

Answer 1

accidental: exposure wasn’t intended
unintended: exposure was intended but exposure was greater or different to the intention

Question 2

what is SAUE?

Answer 2

significant and unintended exposure: guidelines to help employer determine whether incident should be reported or not.

Question 3

what are the steps to follow after an incident?

Answer 3

1. preliminary investigation
2. notify enforcing authority (2-week deadline)
3. if it meets SAUE guidelines then an investigation must take place
4. submit the report within 12-weeks

Question 4

what is included in the report?

Answer 4

what happened, estimated dose received, root cause, duty of candour requirements met? what has been learnt? corrective measures? prevention

Question 5

when would you report to HSE?

Answer 5

Over-exposure to staff or public, equipment fault before it is in clinical use

Question 6

how to prevent incidents?

Answer 6

training up-to-date, new techniques signed off, have formal procedures in place for risk assessment