RADIATION SAFETY (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 1983 - REG 15
RADIATION SAFETY (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 1983 - REG 15
15 . Action to be taken if excessive dose equivalents of ionising radiation received or excessive concentrations of radioactive substances released
(1) If the licensee in
respect of a radioactive substance or irradiating apparatus, the person in
whose name any irradiating apparatus is registered or any premises are
registered in respect of a radioactive substance or irradiating apparatus, or
any person acting under the supervision and direction of such a licensee or
person (in this regulation called a responsible person ) learns
that —
(a) a
radiation worker or other person has or may have received from the radioactive
substance or irradiating apparatus an effective dose or estimated effective
dose of ionising radiation exceeding 3/10 of, but not exceeding, the product
obtained by multiplying the effective dose limit by the fraction of the year
in respect of which that effective dose or estimated effective dose was
recorded or, in the case of an effective dose or estimated effective dose
received by a person wearing, operating or using an approved personal
monitoring device under regulation 25, by the fraction of the year during
which that device was so worn, operated or used, the responsible person
shall —
(i)
if he is not such a licensee or the person in whose name
the irradiating apparatus or premises is or are registered, as the case
requires, immediately report that discovery to that licensee or person, and
that licensee or person shall; or
(ii)
if he is such a licensee or the person in whose name the
irradiating apparatus or premises is or are registered, as the case requires,
immediately
investigate the circumstances of that receipt or possible receipt and shall,
if the person who has or may have received that effective dose or estimated
effective dose —
(iii)
is or was at the relevant time a radiation worker, place
a report on those circumstances on the personal file relating to that person;
or
(iv)
is not and was not at the relevant time a radiation
worker, immediately forward a report on those circumstances to the Council;
or
(b)
there has or may have been a release of a radioactive substance from any
premises at a concentration which exceeds the appropriate maximum
concentration set out in Schedule VIII, but does not exceed 10 times that
maximum concentration, the responsible person shall, unless that release is a
release permitted by regulation 31 —
(i)
if he is not the person in whose name those premises are
registered, immediately report that discovery to that person and that person
shall; or
(ii)
if he is the person in whose name those premises are
registered,
immediately
investigate the circumstances of that release or possible release and take
corrective action, and thereafter report to the Council on that investigation
and corrective action within 14 days of taking that corrective action.
(2) If a responsible
person learns that —
(a) a
radiation worker or other person has or may have received from the radioactive
substance or irradiating apparatus concerned an effective dose or estimated
effective dose of ionising radiation exceeding the product obtained by
multiplying the effective dose limit by the fraction of the year in respect of
which that effective dose or estimated effective dose was recorded or, in the
case of an effective dose or estimated effective dose received by a person
wearing, operating or using an approved personal monitoring device under
regulation 25, by the fraction of the year during which that device was
so worn, operated or used, but not exceeding 5 times that product, the
responsible person shall —
(i)
if he is not the licensee in respect of the radioactive
substance or irradiating apparatus concerned or the person in whose name the
irradiating apparatus or premises is or are registered, as the case requires,
immediately report that discovery to that licensee or person, and that
licensee or person shall; or
(ii)
if he is the licensee in respect of the radioactive
substance or irradiating apparatus concerned or the person in whose name the
irradiating apparatus or premises is or are registered, as the case requires;
or
(b)
there has or may have been a release of a radioactive substance from any
premises at a concentration which exceeds 10 times the appropriate maximum
concentration set out in Schedule VIII, but does not exceed 1000 times that
maximum concentration, the responsible person shall, unless that release is a
release permitted by regulation 31 —
(i)
if he is not the person in whose name those premises are
registered, immediately report that discovery to that person and that person
shall; or
(ii)
if he is the person in whose name those premises are
registered,
immediately
investigate the circumstances of that receipt or possible receipt or of that
release or possible release, as the case requires, and, within a period of
7 days after that discovery, report thereon in writing to the Council and
take such corrective action as the Council directs.
(3) If a responsible
person learns that —
(a) a
radiation worker or other person has or may have received from the radioactive
substance or irradiating apparatus concerned an effective dose or estimated
effective dose of ionising radiation exceeding 5 times the product obtained by
multiplying the effective dose limit by the fraction of the year in respect of
which that effective dose or estimated effective dose was recorded or, in the
case of an effective dose or estimated effective dose received by a person
wearing, operating or using an approved personal monitoring device under
regulation 25, by the fraction of the year during which that device was
so worn, operated or used, the responsible person shall —
(i)
if he is not the licensee in respect of the radioactive
substance or irradiating apparatus concerned or the person in whose name the
irradiating apparatus or premises is or are registered, as the case requires,
immediately report that discovery to that licensee or person, and that
licensee or person shall; or
(ii)
if he is the licensee in respect of the radioactive
substance or irradiating apparatus concerned or the person in whose name the
irradiating apparatus or premises is or are registered, as the case requires;
or
(b)
there has or may have been a release of a radioactive substance from any
premises at a concentration which exceeds 1000 times the appropriate maximum
concentration set out in Schedule VIII, the responsible person shall, unless
that release is a release permitted by regulation 31 —
(i)
if he is not the person in whose name those premises are
registered, immediately report that discovery to that person and that person
shall; or
(ii)
if he is the person in whose name those premises are
registered,
immediately report all
facts relevant to that receipt or possible receipt or to that release or
possible release, as the case requires, to the Council, seek to ascertain the
cause of that receipt or possible receipt or of that release or possible
release and take such corrective action as the Council directs.
(4) A person required
by subregulation (3) to report certain facts to the Council shall, as
soon as possible after so reporting and in any event not more than
14 days thereafter, report to the Council all additional facts relevant
to the receipt or possible receipt concerned or to the release or possible
release concerned, as the case requires, which come to the notice of that
person after he has so reported under that subregulation.
(5) This regulation
does not apply to the exposure to radiation of those parts of the human body
necessarily exposed to radiation in the course of any diagnosis or
treatment —
(a)
conducted or prescribed by a medical practitioner, dentist, chiropractor,
podiatrist or physiotherapist; and
(b)
conducted in accordance with the Act and these regulations.
[Regulation 15 amended: Gazette
22 Jul 1997 p. 3815 and 3826.]