Radiation Protection Documentation: The Radiation Risk Assessment and the Local Rules
The Employer should consult with their Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) regarding both the Radiation Risk Assessment and the Local Rules.
The Radiation Risk Assessment
The Radiation Risk Assessment (RRA) is a requirement under Regulation 8 of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17). Before a new activity involving work with ionising radiation commences, assessment of the risk must be made.
The Employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk to any employee and other persons. The purpose being to identify the measures the Employer needs to take, to restrict the exposure of that employee or other person, to ionising radiation.
Your Radiation Risk Assessment should indicate:
- the source of ionising radiation on site
- what kind of doses you might be likely to receive in your normal working environment
- what might be a worst-case scenario
- what engineering controls are in place
- what you need to do to restrict exposure to dose
- your planned systems of work
- your designated areas
- contingency arrangements
- pregnancy arrangements
- monitoring arrangements
Your radiation risk assessment is an overview of the work that’s conducted on site, how safely you can conduct that through an assessment of dose, and what are the requirements for that work to be able to be conducted safely. It must be reviewed regularly, at least annually or more frequently if the work changes.
The Local Rules
The local rules are the essential instructions, safe systems of work, you need to follow when working within a designated controlled area and are a requirement under Regulation 18 of IRR17. They need to be appropriate and set down in writing; they should be brief, practical, and relate to the work that is being undertaken in a specific controlled area.
The local rules should be brought to the attention of staff and other people within the Practice/ Company who may be affected by them. Every relevant staff member needs to be issued with a copy of the local rules on a regular basis to ensure they remain familiar with them. They should then sign and date to confirm they have read, understood and agree to work in accordance with the local rules. The local rules must be available to employees or persons likely to be affected at or near the area concerned, eg: by displaying sections relevant to particular operations in the area or adjacent to it.
In addition, they are required to be reviewed regularly, at least annually, or if there is a change on site, to ensure they are still fit for purpose.
The contents of the local rules, under regulation 18, should include:
- A description of the designated area and its extent.
- Written systems of work or instructions including the working arrangements for non-classified workers who enter or work in these areas.
- The procedures for restricting access to and egress from designated areas.
- A summary of the contingency arrangements for reasonably foreseeable accidents.
- Procedures for co-operation between Employers.
- Dose investigation levels.
- List of appointed RPSs – and how they can be contacted.
- Training requirements and supervision of the work.
- Arrangements for dose monitoring, environmental and personal dosimetry.
- Arrangements for pregnant and breastfeeding staff.
- Testing and maintenance of engineering controls and design features, safety features and warning devices.
The local rules are there to help keep doses to staff, the workplace and the general public as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
The Employer must appoint, in writing, suitable numbers of radiation protection supervisors (RPS) for the purpose of securing compliance with IRR17 in respect of work carried out in any area made subject to local rules. RPSs should receive appropriate training under IRR17, Regulation 15 so as to carry out their role adequately.
SGA have developed a suite of appropriate and relevant courses, including RPS training; see our website for further information.
