Radiation Protection services

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Radiation Protection services provided by Ergonomia concern businesses that lie within the scope of the (Greek) Radiation Protection Regulation (Presidential Decree 101/18, Government’s Gazette 194/Α/20-11-2018), which in paragraph 1 of article 2 requires that (following is a translation from the original text of the PD that is based on the text of Directive 2013/59/Euratom):

“1. Radiation Protection Regulation is applied to any planned, existing, or emergency exposure situation that involves a risk from exposure to ionizing radiation, which cannot be disregarded from a radiation protection point of view or with regard to the environment, in view of long-term of human health protection.”

Specifically, Ergonomia provides the services of

  • Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) and
  • Radiation Protection Expert (RPE) for practices other than the medical (field B’).

Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) services

It is mandatory for a company to assignment Radiation Protection Officer duties regarding the practices that are subject to authorization (registration or licensing) by the Greek Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC). According to definition 53 of the Radiation Protection Regulation (PD 101/2018, GG 194Α/20.11.2018), “Radiation Protection Officer” is “an individual who is technically competent in radiation protection matters relevant for a given type of practice to supervise or perform the implementation of the radiation protection arrangements”. Indicatively, RPO duties could be relevant for the operation of businesses, such as:

  • Industries (those that use sources of ionizing radiation, e.g., for industrial radiography or for purposes of monitoring production processes).
  • Medical devices providers (as companies that employ "external workers").
  • Research laboratories that use sources of ionizing radiation.
  • Businesses that carry out work in areas with a possible increased concentration of radon (e.g., underground projects).
  • Any business that in the context of managing emergency situations may include the possible exposure of workers to ionizing radiation.

Ergonomia supports such businesses by providing them radiation protection officer services (see article 84 of PD 101/18) through a partner whose qualifications are properly recognized by GAEC (see Ministerial Decision 45872/19 for the corresponding recognition criteria). Ergonomia offers in-company training for the executives and/or technicians of those businesses for which the procedure of personal dosimetry is foreseen, as defined by GAEC.

Radiation Protection Expert services (RPE, field B’)

According to definition 36 of the PD 101/18, “Radiation Protection Expert is “an individual having the knowledge, training and experience needed to give radiation protection advice in order to ensure the effective protection of individuals”.

Consultation services that the RPE may provide to businesses that are involved with ionizing radiation practices may regard (see article 34 of PD 101/18):

“(a) the examination and testing of protective devices and measuring instruments;
(b) prior critical review of plans for installations from the point of view of radiation protection;
(c) the acceptance into service of new or modified radiation sources from the point of view of radiation protection;
(d) regular checking of the effectiveness of protective devices and techniques;
(e) regular calibration of measuring instruments and regular checking that they are serviceable and correctly used.’’

RPE possible duties are explained in more detail in article 82 of PD 101/18.

 

 

Category

Industrial Safety