The Ionising Radiations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017

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.