The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17), Regulations 5, 6 and 7 set out the requirements for notification, registration and consent to carry out specified practices.
Employers are required to notify or apply to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prior to carrying out most work with ionising radiation or working in an environment with Radon levels above a specific threshold. There is a ‘graded approach’ depending on the level of risk of the ionising radiation work undertaken, you may need to apply to notify, register or obtain consent, or a combination.
- Notify – If you work in an area containing Radon levels above an annual concentration of 300Bqm-3 you will need to Notify.
- Registration – for work with radiation generators (such as x-ray devices) you will need to apply for a Registration (unless it’s a high-risk work practice requiring consent)
- Consent – high risk work requires an application for Consent (ie – administration of radioactive substances to people or animals; working with a high activity sealed source; addition of radioactive substances in product manufacturing…..)
If you are unsure whether you need to notify, register or apply for consent consult with your radiation protection advisor prior to commencing your application.
You can notify or apply via the HSE’s RADAN online service. Upon successful application you will be issued with a certificate based on the submitted information and associated conditions.
Employers using ionising radiation on nuclear premises do not notify or apply to the HSE, but to the Office for Nuclear Regulation.
Following notification or approval of registration or consent
Once received, if there is a material change to the information you have submitted, you are required to inform the HSE if:
- a work activity, for which you have notified, registered or secured consent for, is discontinued.
- you make a material change (significant change) to the work practice that impacts on the information submitted to the HSE during the notification, registration or consent process.
Examples of other changes you must report:
- Change in the employer’s name. You must inform the HSE that work has ceased under the previous employer’s name and notify, register or apply for consent under the new name.
- A change to the Employer address.
- Any revisions to the safety assessment (consent only).
- Changes to any responses to questions relating to radiation emergencies.
- Amendments to the categories of work undertaken in a registration.
- Any changes to the use of portable radiation sources on sites other than the employers’.
For more information regarding reporting a material change following consent being granted see the HSE website.
You should notify the HSE of any changes via their ionising radiation contact form.
Registrations or consents can be revoked by the HSE, under IRR17, where it considers it appropriate to do so.
If you are unsure about anything relating to your application liaise with your Radiation Protection Adviser.
You will also find some free guides to assist you with the RADAN registration process on our Online Learning Platform.
