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10 things you should know about the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017


An outline of your main responsibilities under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and a checklist of what you need to do


Companies using X-rays for the screening of freight have responsibilities and duties under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017, which came into force in January 2018. The regulations, their accompanying approved code of practice and guidance provide the means to protect staff, and anyone else affected by the work, from the potentially harmful effects of exposure to ionising radiation. This article provides an outline of the main


responsibilities and a checklist of what you need to do. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be checking companies’ compliance through inspections in the coming months. 1. Appoint a suitable Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) who is competent to advise you on the requirements of the regulations and who has experience of working with X-ray scanners in the freight industry.


2. Register your work with X-ray generators (such as freight or baggage scanners) with the HSE – this is required even if you had made a notification under any previous ionising radiations regulations.


3. Conduct a thorough radiation risk assessment with your RPA which considers all the radiation hazards present, any potential accident scenarios and identifies the measures that should be taken to restrict any exposure to radiation.


4. Perform a critical examination of the machine during installation to check there is sufficient protection for people nearby and that the safety features and warning devices operate correctly; this is the duty of the installer and any defects identified with the machine should be remedied before it is accepted into routine use for screening.


5. Prepare contingency plans for any reasonably foreseeable accident scenarios which set out


May 2018


the appropriate course of action to prevent or minimise the potential effects of those accidents. Staff responsible for implementing contingency plans should receive training and rehearse the plans periodically.


6. Designate the inside of your X-ray scanners as controlled radiation areas and produce local rules; your RPA is required to advise on these aspects. Local rules are written instructions detailing the special procedures that staff must follow to restrict exposure and should include arrangements for others, such as service engineers, to work in the controlled


area safely. Radiation Protection Supervisors (employees trained in radiation protection) must be appointed to supervise the work on a day-to-day basis and ensure staff comply with the local rules.


7. Monitor radiation levels in and around the controlled areas regularly to ensure the boundaries are appropriate and protection measures such as lead curtains remain effective.


8. Test any safety features, warning devices or emergency stops fitted to the scanners at intervals to confirm they are functioning properly.


9. Train your staff and make them aware of the risks to their health resulting from their work with radiation, as well as how to minimise those risks, procedures for working safely including the requirements of the local rules and their responsibilities as employees. Relevant training should also be provided to any others working in or near the controlled area.


10.The company’s general health and safety management arrangements should set out management responsibilities for radiation protection and include arrangements for monitoring or auditing the measures established to comply with these regulations.


Further advice on the implementation of the


regulations can be obtained from your RPA or the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk/radiation/ ionising/index.htm


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