The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have provided advice in the form of a Guidance to assist employers who have "control of equipment used in connection with medical exposure to ionising radiation." Although the guidance is not compulsory, it will assist in compliance with the law.
The guidance and advice within, is aimed at benefiting the following:
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NHS employers and private health care providers.
-
Medical x-ray services.
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Dentists, Physiotherapists, Osteopaths and Chiropractors.
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Radiation Protection Advisers.
Some of the advice within the guidance is as follows:
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The selection, installation, maintenance, calibration
and replacement of equipment. -
Criteria of acceptability for both new and older
equipment. -
Quality assurance programmes, including adoption
of suspension levels. -
The investigation of incidents involving a malfunction
or defect in radiation equipment which results in an
exposure much greater than intended. -
Advice for compliance of the Ionising Radiations Regulation 1999 (IRR99).
The HSE Guidance, in pdf format, can be accessed by clicking the following:
Equipment used in Connection with Medical Exposure
Further information on Ionising Radiation Protection can also be accessed from the HSE Webpage by clicking the following:
Ionising Radiation - Radiation Protection
Article by Alexandra Johnston
