The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017

Regulations 2(1) and 12

SCHEDULE 3 Dose limits

PART 1 Classes of persons to whom dose limits apply

Employees and trainees of 18 years of age or above

1.  For the purposes of regulation 12(1), the limit on effective dose for any employee or trainee, being of 18 years of age or above, is 20 mSv in any calendar year.

2.  Without prejudice to paragraph 1—

(a) the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is—

(i) 20 mSv in a calendar year; or

(ii) in accordance with conditions approved by the Executive from time to time, 100 mSv in any period of five consecutive calendar years subject to a maximum equivalent dose of 50 mSv in any single calendar year;

(b) the limit on equivalent dose for the skin is 500 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1 cm² regardless of the area exposed;

(c) the limit on equivalent dose for the extremities is 500 mSv in a calendar year.

Trainees aged under 18 years

3.  For the purposes of regulation 12(1), the limit on effective dose for any trainee under 18 years of age is 6 mSv in any calendar year.

4.  Without prejudice to paragraph 3—

(a) the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is 15 mSv in a calendar year;

(b) the limit on equivalent dose for the skin is 150 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1 cm² regardless of the area exposed;

(c) the limit on equivalent dose for the extremities is 150 mSv in a calendar year.

Other persons

5.  Subject to paragraph 6, for the purposes of regulation 12(1) the limit on effective dose for any person other than an employee or trainee referred to in paragraph 1 or 3, including any person below the age of 16, is 1 mSv in any calendar year.

6.  Paragraph 5 does not apply in relation to any person (not being a carer and comforter) who may be exposed to ionising radiation resulting from the medical exposure of another and in such a case the limit on effective dose for any such person is 5 mSv in any period of 5 consecutive calendar years.

7.  Without prejudice to paragraphs 5 and 6—

(a) the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is 15 mSv in any calendar year;

(b) the limit on equivalent dose for the skin is 50 mSv in any calendar year averaged over any 1 cm² area regardless of the area exposed;

(c) the limit on equivalent dose for the extremities is 50 mSv in a calendar year.

PART 2

8.  For the purposes of regulation 12(2), the limit on effective dose for employees or trainees of 18 years or above is 100 mSv in any period of five consecutive calendar years subject to a maximum effective dose of 50 mSv in any single calendar year.

9.  Without prejudice to paragraph 8—

(a) the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is—

(i) 20 mSv in a calendar year; or

(ii) in accordance with conditions approved by the Executive from time to time, 100 mSv in any period of five consecutive calendar years subject to a maximum equivalent dose of 50 mSv in any single calendar year;

(b) the limit on equivalent dose for the skin is 500 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1 cm² regardless of the area exposed;

(c) the limit on equivalent dose for the extremities is 500 mSv in a calendar year.

10.  The employer must ensure that any employee in respect of whom regulation 12(2) applies is not exposed to ionising radiation to an extent that any dose limit specified in paragraphs 8 or 9 is exceeded.

11.  An employer must not put into effect a system of dose limitation pursuant to regulation 12(2) unless—

(a) the radiation protection adviser and any employees who are affected have been consulted;

(b) any employees affected and the approved dosimetry service have been informed in writing of the decision and of the reasons for that decision; and

(c) notice has been given to the appropriate authority at least 28 days (or such shorter period as the appropriate authority may allow) before the decision is put into effect giving the reasons for the decision.

12.  Where there is reasonable cause to believe that any employee has been exposed to an effective dose greater than 20 mSv in any calendar year, the employer must, as soon as is practicable—

(a) undertake an investigation into the circumstances of the exposure for the purpose of determining whether the dose limit referred to in paragraph 8 is likely to be complied with; and

(b) notify the appropriate authority of that suspected exposure.

13.  An employer must review the decision to put into effect a system of dose limitation pursuant to regulation 12(2) at appropriate intervals and in any event not less than once every five years.

14.  Where as a result of a review undertaken pursuant to paragraph 13 an employer proposes to revert to a system of annual dose limitation pursuant to regulation 12(1), the provisions of paragraph 11 apply as if the reference in that paragraph to regulation 12(2) was a reference to regulation 12(1).

15.  Where an employer puts into effect a system of dose limitation in pursuance of regulation 12(2), the employer must record the reasons for that decision and must ensure that the record is preserved until any person subject to the system of dose limitation under regulation 12(2) has or would have attained the age of 75 years but in any event for at least 30 years from the making of the record.

16.  In any case where—

(a) the dose limits specified in paragraph 8 are being applied by an employer in respect of an employee; and

(b) the appropriate authority is not satisfied that it is impracticable for that employee to be subject to the dose limit specified in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of this Schedule,

the appropriate authority may require the employer to apply the dose limit specified in paragraph 1 of Part 1 with effect from such time as the appropriate authority may consider appropriate having regard to the interests of the employee concerned.

17.  In any case where, as a result of a review undertaken pursuant to paragraph 13, an employer proposes to revert to an annual dose limitation in accordance with regulation 12(1), the appropriate authority may require the employer to defer the implementation of that decision to such time as the appropriate authority may consider appropriate having regard to the interests of the employee concerned.

18.  Any person who is aggrieved by the decision of the appropriate authority taken pursuant to paragraphs 16 or 17 may appeal to the Secretary of State.

19.  Sub-sections (2) to (6) of section 44 of the 1974 Act apply for the purposes of paragraph 18 as they apply to an appeal under section 44(1) of that Act.

20.  The Health and Safety Licensing Appeals (Hearings Procedure) Rules 1974(1), as respects England and Wales, and the Health and Safety Licensing Appeals (Hearings Procedure) (Scotland) Rules 1974(2), as respects Scotland, apply to an appeal under paragraph 18 as they apply to an appeal under section 44(1) of the 1974 Act, but with the modification that references to a licensing authority are to be read as references to the appropriate authority.

21.  In this Part, “appropriate authority” means—

(a) in connection with the application of this Part in relation to, or in relation to any activity carried out on, any nuclear premises, the ONR;

(b) otherwise, the Executive.

(1)

S.I. 1974/2040.

(2)

S.I. 1974/2068.