Do You need a Radiation Protection Adviser?
If your organisation works with ionising radiation, effective radiation protection is not just about understanding the applicable regulatory requirements. It is also about understanding the risks, putting proportionate controls in place, and making sure those controls continue to protect your employees and anyone else who could be affected by the work.
A Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) is an essential part of achieving this.
What is a Radiation Protection Adviser?
A Radiation Protection Adviser is a radiation protection professional who provides specialist advice to employers on compliance with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) in Great Britain, the Ionising Radiations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 (IRR(NI)17) in Northern Ireland and Ionising Radiation Regulations 2019 (IRR19) in the Republic of Ireland.
Under the applicable regulations, an employer engaged in work with ionising radiation must consult suitable RPAs for advice on compliance with the regulations. Where an RPA is consulted under this requirement, the RPA must normally be appointed in writing, with the scope of the advice required included in the appointment. There are some limited exceptions where appointment is not mandatory where the work is considered very low risk such as use of Scanning Electron Microscope.
Why is an RPA important?
1. To help you comply with the law
Radiation protection legislation can be complex, and the requirements applying to an organisation will depend on the sources of radiation involved, the work being undertaken and the potential for exposure. An RPA helps an employer understand what the regulations require and, importantly, how those requirements should be applied in practice.
The objective is not simply to produce compliance documentation such as a Radiation Risk Assessment, Local Rules (referred to as Radiation Safety Procedures in the Republic of Ireland) and Contingency Plans. It is about establishing practical arrangements that are appropriate and proportionate to the radiation risks associated with the activities.
2. To make sure your Radiation Risk Assessment is suitable
A suitable Radiation Risk Assessment is the foundation of all effective radiation protection arrangements, the findings inform the control measures required to restrict radiation exposure.
Your RPA can help ensure that relevant radiation risks from both Normal Operations and reasonably foreseeable Radiation Accidents have been considered and that the controls identified are appropriate, from engineering controls, safety features and warning devices, system of work and if applicable personal protection equipment.
3. To ensure radiation exposures are properly controlled
A fundamental principle of occupational radiation protection is that exposures should be restricted such that radiation doses are As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) as well as ensuring compliance ot the statutory dose limits. A suitable RPA can provide independent specialist advice on how this should be achieved for your particular work.
Good radiation protection should be proportionate to the risk—not unnecessarily complicated, but sufficiently robust to keep everyone safe.
4. To help you get things right before work starts
One of the most valuable times to involve an RPA is before a new facility, installation, process or piece of equipment is introduced. Early consultation can identify radiation protection requirements while changes are still relatively straightforward to make.
For example, appropriate advice during the design or procurement stage can help address shielding, access controls, monitoring requirements, warning systems, working arrangements and contingency provisions before an installation undergoes commissioning and becomes operational.
The RPA must also be consulted on the scope and outcome of the mandatory Critical Examination, where this requirement applies.
5. To provide competent, independent advice
Holding a RPA Certificate of Competence or being a regulatory recognised RPA Body is important, but employers must select an RPA who is suitable for their particular type of work. Core competence alone does not necessarily make an RPA suitable for every radiation application. The RPA needs the relevant knowledge and experience for the circumstances on which they are being asked to advise. Radiation protection requirements can differ considerably between sectors and applications. An RPA who understands your equipment, sources, working environment and operational challenges can provide advice that is both technically sound and practical to implement.
Do I definitely need to appoint an RPA?
If you are an employer carrying out work with ionising radiation, you should establish at an early stage whether IRR17 applies to your activities and what level of RPA consultation is required.
L2 Business Consulting Limited can provide an initial discussion without charge to help you understand your radiation protection requirements and whether the formal appointment of an RPA is necessary. This can be particularly useful for organisations introducing radiation-generating equipment or radioactive materials for the first time.
An RPA is more than a regulatory requirement
The greatest value of a Radiation Protection Adviser is not simply having someone available because the regulations require it. A good RPA helps you understand your radiation risks, make proportionate decisions and maintain arrangements that work in practice.
That means translating regulatory requirements into sensible controls, identifying potential problems before they become incidents, and helping your organisation maintain a strong standard of radiation protection as its activities evolve.
Need Radiation Protection Advice?
Whether you are starting work with ionising radiation, reviewing existing arrangements or simply want reassurance that your current radiation protection arrangements are appropriate, early advice can save considerable time and uncertainty.
The L2 RPA team supports employers across a wide range of sectors throughout Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.