Radiation Legislation and Safety Flashcards
What is the name of the main piece of radiation legislation?
The Ionisation Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR17)
- covers all uses of radiation and radioactive materials
When did IRR17 come into force?
January 2018
What is the biggest change in the new IRR17 from the 99 version?
How you inform the Health and Safety Executive of your work with ionisation radiations
- You must now apply to notify, register and receive consent.
What is meant by notify, register and consent?
Notify
- lowest risk
- not cost to practise and no expiry date
- notification is needed for each practise
Register
- medium risk
- register as a radiation practise with HSE
- initial cost of £25 and renewal required every 5 years
Consent
- highest risk
- licensing or approval
- requires additional information
- £25 with annual renewal
- needed for each practise
What is the change been made about the exposure to the lens of the eye?
Employees 18+ exposure has been reduced 150mSv to 20 mSv
What other changes have been made in the new IRR17?
- The term ‘radiation employer’ has been replaced with ‘ an employer who carries out a practise that involves ionisation radiation’
- Need to complete an estimate of how much radiation dose will affect the public.
- Dose records now only need to be retained for 30 years instead of 50
What is the date that notify, register and consent applications had to be submitted by?
6 Feb 2018
What must be done before working ith ionising radiation?
Identification of all hazards that have potential to cause radiation accident.
Evaluation of the magnitude of these risks to the employee
Risk assessment and implementation of measures to restrict radiation exposure
Employers must train employees - provide info and equipment etc to reduce radiation exposure risk
What is another piece of legislation that applies more to veterinary radiography?
BVA’s
Guidance notes for the safe use of ionising radiations in veterinary practise
What are the 3 principles of radiation protection?
TIME (hold down the button)
DISTANCE (from the tube head)
SHIELDING
What three things should you consider when radiographing as well as time, distance and shielding?
- Clinical justification
- Minimum Exposure (stand back, protection etc)
- No dose limit should be exceeded (don’t exceed maximum permissible dose)
What is an RPS?
Radiation Protection Supervisor
Who can be an RPS?
Practise Principle
Head Nurse
What is the RPS responsible for?
Responsible for ensuring that radiography is carried out safely and in accordance with regulations and the local rules (Day to Day)
- they dont need to be present for every xray
What is an RPA?
Radiation Protection Adviser
What do you require to be an RPA?
Either a diploma in veterinary radiology or have another qualification like medical physics and an interest in veterinary radiography
and from January 2005, they must hold a certificate of competence from an appropriate issuing body.
What are the 3 main responsibilities of an RPA?
Advising the practise on radiation protection
Demarcation of the controlled area
Draw up local rules and written systems of work
What must the written systems of work include?
- Must gove a copy to everyone that is working with Xrays
- Should indicate estimated personal dose estimated
- Xray should be unplugged after each session
When would an RPA not be required?
If all 5 are met:
- Only 1 vertical beam Xray machine
- A LBD to ensure that the primary beam does not come within 10cm of the edge of the table
- Table covered in 1mm of lead over an are >10cm in each direction from the largest area of the primary beam
- The equipment operates at <100kV power
- Workload does not exceed 4mA minutes
What should the controlled area room materials be like?
Thick walls
Reinforced with lead if required
Lead screens
Consider the flooring also
What rules should the controlled room meet?
- Allow for standing at least 2m from primary beam
- Defined by RPA
- Its demarcated with warning areas (the whole area if possible)
- Warning signs and symbols at entrance
- Red light to warn radiography in process and prevent accidental injury
- Xray machine should have light or sound to indicate when machine is on
When can a controlled area be used as a normal room?
When the Xray machine is unplugged from the power source, it ceases to become a controlled area
What can we do to measure tube head leakage?
Can put a dosemeter on top of the beam for a few radiographs and then send away
What must the thickness of beam filtration be?
At least 2.5mm of aluminium equivalent
What must all Xray machines be fitted with?
A collumation device (ideally an LBD)
What are the requirements of an Xray table?
Must be lead lined
or have >1mm thick lead sheet larger than the max beam size on or beneath the cassette
(absorbs residual primary beam and reduces scatter)