Radiation notifications

Contents

• When do I need to notify HSE?
• What information must I provide under REPPIR?
• What do I notify about under RIDDOR?
• Other ways to notify HSE

When do I need to notify HSE?

If you intend to start work with ionising radiation for the first time you need to let HSE know at least 28 days before you start work. This is a requirement of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (IRR99). The Regulations may also require additional notifications for certain occurrences and work practices, such as carrying out site radiography. For more information see: What do I notify about under IRR99?)

The Radiation Emergency Prepardeness and Public Information Regulations 2001 (REPPIR) may apply to your work with ionising radiation and, if so, additional information may be required. For more information see: What do I notify about under REPPIR?

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) require certain radiation-related events to be reported (in addition to the standard RIDDOR reporting requirements). For more information see: What do I notify about under RIDDOR?

Starting work with ionising radiation for the first time

If your work falls into any of the categories below, please click on the link to find out what you need to notify and to take you to the reporting form.

• If you are going to start work with ionising radiation for the first time, you are required to notify HSE at least 28 days before commencing work, unless your work falls into an exempt category. Details of the work that you do not need to tell HSE about can be found here (see Work not required to be notified).

Use form IRR6 - Notification of ionising radiation activities to notify HSE that you intend to start work with ionising radiation

Notifying changes to a previous notification

• Radiation employers need to inform HSE when the details of a previous notification are no longer correct, such as when:

• the employer’s details or those of their premises change
• the source category changes
• the source is to be used at a different premises, not included in the previous notification

For example, if an original notification covered the use of an X-ray set but you decide to start using radioactive materials, you would need to notify this change to HSE.

Make changes to a previous notification, using form IRR6 - Notification of ionising radiation activities

• Planning to undertake site radiography Site radiography contractors need to give HSE at least seven days advance notification of the proposed work. For further information on site radiography, click her to visit the industrial radiography web pages.

Notify HSE of site radiography, using form IRR3 - Notification of intention to carry out site radiography

Other notifications required under IRR99

Other reasons you may need to notify HSE under the IRR99 include:

• Nursing homes etc, when a patient has been given a radioactive medicinal product and are staying in, for example, a nursing home it is sufficient if notification is made by the nursing home as soon as practicable before the first instance of a patient arriving there.
• applications for individual prior authorisation to use electrical equipment intended to produce X-rays or use accelerators (other than electron microscopes) (see regulation 5)
• where a radiation employer suspects or has been informed that an overexposure has occurred (see regulation 25)
• notifications of certain occurrences such as losses, spillages or releases of certain quantities of radioactive substances (see regulation 30)
• where an employer suspects or has been informed that a person, while undergoing a medical exposure, was exposed to ionising radiation to a much greater extent than intended, as the result of a malfunction or defect in radiation equipment (see regulation 32(6))
• If you need to notify HSE or gain authorisation for any of these reasons please e-mail: irrnot@hse.gsi.gov.uk

What information must I provide under REPPIR?

The Radiation Emergency Prepardeness and Public Information Regulations 2001 (REPPIR) requires that operators or carriers who handle or transport radioactive substances in excess of the threshold quantities specified in schedule 2 of REPPIR, carry out a risk assessment (termed a Hazard Identification and Risk Evaluation, or ‘HIRE’) and send a report of the assessment to HSE. Operators must do this twelve months before the work is to be undertaken, whilst carriers must notify 28 days before – unless agreed beforehand by HSE.

The HIRE’s submitted should contain sufficient information and appropriate cross references for HSE to confirm the outcome of the assessments. The HIRE should be sufficient to demonstrate that:

• all hazards arising from that work with the potential to cause a radiation accident have been identified; and
• the nature and magnitude of the risks to employers and other persons arising from those hazards have been evaluated.

When a material change takes place to the work, a further assessment must be made.

The HIRE should be reviewed every three years, and updated if the work has changed in any way, or if there have not been any changes of circumstances then a declaration signed to that effect.

If any of the above applies to you then please submit a hire assessment - REPPIR1 - Provision of an Assessment Report

What do I notify about under RIDDOR?

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) require certain radiation-related events to be reported to HSE, including:

• The malfunction of a radiation generator or its ancillary equipment – during industrial radiography and irradiation of food, or the processing of products by irradiation – causing it to fail to de-energise at the end of the intended exposure period.
• The malfunction of equipment used in industrial radiography or gamma irradiation, causing a radioactive source to fail to return to its safe position by normal means at the end of the intended exposure period.

RIDDOR reporting procedures, see RIDDOR website.

Other ways to notify HSE

Notifications made under IRR99 and REPPIR (excluding site radiography notifications) can also be sent:

• by email to: irrnot@hse.gsi.gov.uk

Alternatively, if your application, and any supporting documentation cannot be sent by email, please contact us at irrnot@hse.gsi.gov.uk and we will make arrangements for a postal application

Site radiography notifications should be sent:

• by email to: siteradnot@hse.gsi.gov.uk

You should include the following information in the notification:

• your name and address
• a contact telephone or fax number
• your email address (if you are notifying online)
• the address of the premises from where the work activity is to be carried out and a telephone / fax number or email address at the premises
• the nature of the business and which one of the following categories your use of ionising radiation falls into:
  • sealed source
  • unsealed radioactive substance
  • electrical equipment
  • an atmosphere containing the short-lived daughters of radon-222
• whether any source is to be used at premises other than the address provided
• dates of notification (when the information is sent) and the intended commencement of the work activity