Employer’s duties: accidental or unintended exposureI18
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 exposures.
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 accidental 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 a 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.