REGULATION OF INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY IN UK David Orr HM Specialist Inspector of Health and Safety (Radiation) Health and Safety Executive

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REGULATION OF INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY IN
UKDavid Orr HM Specialist Inspector of Health
and Safety (Radiation)Health and Safety
Executive
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• Several regulators involved with site radiography
  inspection/regulation in UK
• Office for Nuclear Regulation
• Environment Agency
• Health and Safety Executive

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• Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR)
• Regulate work activities on nuclear licensed
  sites (including industrial radiography)
• Responsible for regulating transport of
  radioactive material (nuclear and non-nuclear) by
  road

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• Environment Agency
• Concerned with protection of members of public
  and environment
• Licence users of radioactive materials via
  permitting (but not x-ray sets)
• Responsible for source security matters
• Carry out regular inspections to check permit
  conditions (yearly for high activity sources)

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• Health and Safety Executive
• Regulate users of ionising radiation (non
  nuclear)
• Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 implement
  majority of BSS in UK legislation
• http//www.hse.gov.uk/radiation/index.htm

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• Health and Safety Executive Inspectors
• Need a BSc (Hons) in scientific/engineering
  subject
• Must have relevant experience (not necessarily
  RPA)
• Trained in house combination of formal training
  courses and on the job training
• Currently 2.6 inspectors for UK !

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• AUTHORISATION
• Only for specific practices with x-ray sets, but
  includes industrial radiography
• Generic authorisations issued if these can be
  met no need to apply to HSE
• http//www.hse.gov.uk/radiation/ionising/authorisa
  tion.htm
• If cannot be met need to apply to HSE for Prior
  authorisation none to date in UK

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• INSPECTION
• HSE Inspectors carry warrants
• Have 7 day notification system for site
  radiography work
• Current Ministerial statement currently doesnt
  allow for pro-active inspection of industrial
  radiography

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• INSPECTION
• Needs to be reason for visit
• Complaint
• Evidence of poor performance
• Notification made to HSE
• Overexposure
• Source failing to return to container/x-ray set
  fails to terminate

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• ENFORCEMENT
• Verbal advice
• Notification of Contravention letter triggers
  charging regime
• Improvement Notice
• Prohibition Notice
• Prosecution

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• GUIDANCE
• Have guidance for health and safety of inspectors
• Guidance for users being withdrawn as part of
  reducing regulatory burdens
• EMERGENCY RESPONSE
• Site radiography companies musht have own
  contingency plans for dealing with reasonably
  foreseeable radiation accidents
• HSE has no involvement/role in implementation of
  these plans