The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018

Employer’s duties: accidental or unintended exposure

8.—(1) The employer’s procedures must provide that the referrer, the practitioner, and the individual exposed or their representative (if there is one) are informed of the occurrence of a clinically significant unintended or accidental exposure and of the outcome of the analysis of this exposure.

(2) The employer’s quality assurance programme must, in respect of radiotherapeutic practices, include a study of the risk of accidental or unintended exposure.

(3) The employer must establish a system for recording analyses of events involving or potentially involving accidental or unintended exposures proportionate to the radiological risk posed by the practice.

(4) Where the employer knows or has reason to believe that an accident or unintended exposure has or may have occurred in which a person, while undergoing—

(a) any exposure, was or could have been exposed to levels of ionising radiation significantly greater than those generally considered to be proportionate in the circumstances;

(b) a radiotherapeutic exposure was or could have been exposed to levels of ionising radiation significantly lower than those generally considered to be proportionate in the circumstances,

the employer must—

(i) undertake an immediate preliminary investigation of the incident;

(ii) unless that investigation shows beyond reasonable doubt that no such exposure has occurred, immediately notify the relevant enforcing authority;

(iii) conduct or arrange for a detailed investigation of the circumstances of the exposure and an assessment of the dose received; and

(iv) notify the relevant enforcing authority, within the time period specified by the relevant enforcing authority, of the outcome of the investigation and any corrective measures adopted.