Radiation Surveillance

in Industrial Radiography

B.K.Singh
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
 Applicable Rules

Atomic Energy Act 1962

Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules

2004 ( AERPR)

Industrial Radiography (Radiation

Surveillance) procedures; GSR 735, 1980
 Codes Guides & Standards
AERB safety code for Industrial radiography
(AERB/SC/IR, 2001)

Standard for radiological safety for the design and

construction of industrial gamma radiography
exposures devices and source changers (AERB/SS-
1)

SAFETY GUIDES ON OPEN AND ENCLOSED FIELD

RADIOGRAPHY
EMERGENCY PREPARDENESS
 Pre-requisites

Registration of the institution

Justification of the Work
Qualified personnel (RSO/SIC, CR, Trainee)
Radiation Monitoring facilities (Area/personal)
Secure storage facility
Approved equipment
Site approval
Handling accessories (C.V. Tongs, Lead pot,
collimators, fencing ropes, warning signs etc.)
Emergency procedures
 General Considerations For
Radiography Site and
Source Storage Facility
 An ideal radiography site is one, which is
away from any occupied areas, areas of
storage of explosive and inflammable
materials, and situated in one corner of
minimum occupancy with proper access.
 Planning of the site must be done for a specific
radiation source.

 The radiography site should be under constant

vigilance by the Contract awarding party and
radiography agency.
Source storage facility (source storage pit inside a
room) should be constructed only after getting the
approval from the regulatory authority to ensure that
the location selected is safe for radiation safety and
security point of view.
• Sharing of storage facility is not
permitted.

• Proper illumination inside the source

storage room and easy approach to
this room has to be provided
• The quantum of radiography work shall be
taken into account for engaging
radiography agencies at phased manner.
This quantum of work and total number of
agencies to be engaged should be
intimated well in advance to AERB and
take approval.
• Every Site-in-Charge and radiographer of the
radiography agency at site, possesses a valid
original book-let type certificate issued by
RP&AD, BARC.
• It is required to have personnel monitoring
badge and pocket dosimeter, radiation monitor
and safety accessories during
radiography work.
 To provide fencing for controlled area during open
field radiography.

Day time open field radiography is

not encouraged and contract
awarding parties should not
pressurize the agencies for doing
day time radiography . Day time
radiography is permitted in the
shielded enclosure duly approved by
the competent authority.
 AERB inspections- Common violations

Monitoring instruments
 Not available
 Not calibrated periodically

Charger for pocket dosimeter

 not functioning/not available.

Emergency handling equipment

 accessories not available at site
 not in proper condition.
 Radiography personnel could not
produce certificates or copies of
certificates

Radiation warning symbols on source

storage facility or enclosed installation
or on exposure devices not displayed /
displayed in obliterated condition.

•Not sending radiography personnel for

revalidation in advance at least two /
three months before the date of expiry of
Certificates.
 dose records
 not maintained
 not available at site

 Logbook
Not maintained properly
Not available at site
Formats not as per prescribed guidelines

 Carrying out radiography work by uncertified

worker at unauthorised sites and with un-
authorise movement
Borrowing / loaning of radiography exposure device
from one institution to another and operation of the
device by personnel of another radiography agency

Not storing exposure device inside the pit of storage

room, however, locking arrangement is provided to
the main door of storage room
 Physical security of radiography sources not
satisfactory i.e. no locking arrangements for the
storage room/ pit / radiography exposure device
with source kept unattended.

 Exposure devices were found in unlocked and

“ready to operate” condition in the absence of
certified and site-in-charge and radiographer at
site in open/enclosed field radiography.

Unusual incidence not reported in time.

 LICENCEE FAILS TO PROVIDE

 PROPER EQUIPMENT
 PROPER SOURCE STORAGE ROOM
 ADEQUATE RADIOGRAPHY PERSONNEL
 PROTECTION ACCESSORIES:
A) RADIATION MONITORING INSTRUMENTS
(CALIBRATED)
 B) HANDLING TOOLS (COLLIMATOR, SOURCE
POSITIONING DEVICE)
 C) CORDONING OFF FACILITIES (RED
LIGHTS,ROPES ETC.)
 D) PERSONNEL MONITORING DEVICES
 E) RADIATION EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
TOOLS
OPERATORS NEGLIGENCY/FAILURE:-

IMPROPER COUPLING
NOT USING AREA MONITORING DEVICES
ENGAGING UNTRAINED WORKERS
PM BADGES/POCKET DOSIMATOR
NOT CARRYING PROTECTION ACCESSORIES (COLLIMATOR/LEAD
POT/CV TONG)

DEPLETED KNOWLEDGE IN HANDLING RADIATION EMERGENCY

SITUATION.

INCIDENTS NOT REPORTED IN TIME/PROMPTLY

YIELDING TO CLIENTS PRESSURE

 Problem associated with Regulatory Assessment

• Application for Source movement form is improperly

filled and submitted

• IU-6 ( Status Form) improperly filled and submitted or not

send periodically

• Frequent issues for not releasing

the radiation worker and holding
their certificates
 Action Initiated By AERB:-

Issuance of Show Cause Notice to the Radiography

Agencies

Sealing of Radiography Exposure Devices

Canceling the Licence of the Radiation Worker

Canceling the Licence of the Radiography Institution

 Responsibilities of the RSO
 Organise a radiation protection programme
(RPP) appropriate for the radiation facility to
ensure that safe works practices are followed
by workers.
 Investigate any situation that could lead to
potential exposures/abnormal exposures (i.e.
exposures that can result from an accident
involving radioactive source or an event of
probabilistic nature including failure of safety
equipment and operating errors) and report
findings to the employer, licensee. Suggest
appropriate actions to prevent recurrences.
 Furnish to the licensee and the Competent
Authority the periodic reports(IU-6 form)
on safety status of the radiation
installations.
 maintain operation log books, QA and
other safety records.
 inform the Competent Authority when
RSO leaves the employment/institution
RSO shall ensure that—
 personnel monitoring devices are provided
to radiation workers in the facility and are
used as required. Dose records of radiation
workers are maintained;
 monitoring instruments are calibrated
periodically and calibration records are
maintained;
 tests and maintenance of IGREDs;
 all operational and safety functions of the
IGREDs are in order
 RSO shall assist the employer in--

 practices aimed at optimising exposures to radiation

sources;
 the safe disposal of radioactive wastes;
 developing suitable emergency response plans to deal
with accident situations and maintain emergency
preparedness. Conduct emergency drills to ensure
effectiveness of emergency response plans;
 assist the licensee in obtaining regulatory consent
 instructing workers on hazards of radiation and on
suitable safety measures and work
 RSO Shall promptly inform in writing to the
employer/licensee about any safety related
incident and advice them to report the safety
related incident to the Competent Authority
within twenty-four hours.

Radiological Safety Division

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
Niyamak Bhavan
Anushakti Nagar
Mumbai 400 094
Telefax:022-25574287
 Questions
 Source storage pit room can be constructed
in the residential area. (True/False)
 Exposure device may be loaned to other
radiography agency. (True/False)
 Trainee radiographer can not independently
operate the exposure device. (True/False)
 Logbook should be weekly verified by the
site-in charge (True/False)
 Pocket dosimeter may be used in place of
TLD badge. (True/False)
 Thank You

B.K.Singh, AERB