Guidelines, responsibility and tasks, notification procedures

The University Director is responsible for all work with radiation sources at the University of Bergen. The University Director has delegated the task of the practical implementation of the radiation protection efforts to the Central Radiation Protection Coordinator.

The University Director:

• Is responsible for the preparation of guidelines for radiation protection and the use of radiation sources.
• In cooperation with the central radiation protection coordinator, is responsible for following up the annual report and other requirements from the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority.
• In cooperation with the central radiation protection coordinator, must keep track of all radiation sources, as well as keeping track of all the laboratories where radiation sources are being used.
• Can give a written warning or refuse a project or a user the right to use radiation sources if the work is undertaken in violation of applicable laws and regulations.

Faculty Director:

• Must, in collaboration with the central radiation control coordinator, keep track of the radiation sources at the faculty.
• Can give a written warning or refuse a project or a user the right to use radiation sources if the work is undertaken in violation of applicable laws and regulations.

The Department Head/Department Manager/Centre Director must:

• appoint a local radiation protection coordinator and ensure the coordinator has the necessary expertise.
• ensure a local contingency plan is prepared in case of accidents and undesired incidents with radiation sources.
• ensure that a risk assessment is implemented prior to starting work with radiation sources.
• ensure pregnant employees are not exposed to more than 1 mSv to the foetus.

The central radiation protection coordinator must:

• meet the requirements for professional expertise as required by laws, regulations and guidelines.
• have good knowledge about laws and regulations.
• administer UiB's systematic work on radiation protection.
• ensure that UiB has the necessary approval for work with radiation sources.
• perform an annual control of the units at UiB that use radiation sources.
• be the liaison between the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority and UiB and submit an annual report on the radiation protection work at UiB.
• keep a summary of UiB's radiation sources and laboratories where radiation sources are used.
• ensure that laboratories where radiation sources are in use follow the requirement specification provided in the Radiation Protection Regulations and Guideline 2.
• be able to supervise employees regarding safe handling of radiation sources as well as the use of protective and safety equipment.
• perform or ensure measurements are performed including assessments to determine radiation doses.
• Has the authority, on behalf of the university director, to stop any work that is in violation of applicable laws and regulations.

The local radiation protection coordinator must:

• administer the local radiation protection work.
• be familiar with the laws and regulations and have completed a three day course and passed the course test in radiation protection.
• be able to train staff, students and guests in the safe use of radiation sources including use of protective equipment and waste management.
• keep a summary of the unit’s radiation sources, including procurement, use, handling and disposal.
• keep a summary of all the laboratories where radiation sources are in use and ensure these are properly marked.
• ensure that local procedures are prepared for working with radiation sources.
• annually report procurement, use and waste management to the central radiation control coordinator.
• participate in risk assessments for working with radiation protection.
• notify all non-conformances concerning use of radiation sources in the line and to the central radiation protection coordinator.

The Technical Supervisor/Project Manager must:

• assess whether it is necessary to use radiation sources.
• perform a risk assessment prior to starting new work or where a new radiation source is taken into use.
• inform the local radiation protection coordinator about activities where radiation sources are being used.
• ensure all relevant users are given adequate training.

• have completed a three day course and passed the course test in radiation protection.

• follow the laws, regulations and internal routines applicable at any given time.

The room supervisor must:

• have knowledge of radiation sources in use at the laboratory.
• ensure that the work is performed in a proper manner.
• ensure that necessary protective equipment is available.
• have completed a one-day course in radiation protection.

Users must:

• as a minimum, complete e-learning course in radiation and be given internal training by the local radiation protection coordinator prior to starting the work.
• become familiar with risk assessments that have been performed or perform a risk assessment.
• become familiar with the local guidelines, procedures and routines.
• use suitable protective equipment where this must be used.
• ensure that the handling of radiation sources is performed in such a way that there is no risk to personal health or the health of others, security, the working environment or external environment.
• in the event of an accident, notify the technical supervisor/project manager and the local radiation control coordinator.

Other conditions:

• Lower level degree students must not handle open radiation sources without prior agreement with the local radiation protection coordinator.
• Pregnant users, once the pregnancy becomes known and for as long as the pregnancy lasts, must not be exposed to more than 1 mSv to the foetus. At UiB, this will in practice mean that pregnant women shall not perform any work with open radioactive sources. Read more about pregnancy and radiation.
• If the risk assessment of the work routine shows that users may be exposed to more than 6 mSv in one year, caused by the type of work or due to an accident, the user must undergo a health examination before using ionising radiation. Read more about Health check for working with ionising radiation.

Notify in UiB's digital HSE non-conformities system in UiBHelp.

In addition, we are required to report accidents and abnormal incidents to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA).Written notification must be sent from the company to the Directorate as soon as possible and no later than within 3 working days.

It is the individual unit that must notify of the accident / incident. The unit must also inform the Central Radiation Protection Coordinator.

• Incidents that cause or could have caused unwanted exposure of an employee, patient or other person significantly beyond normal levels, or unexpected radiation damage.
• Loss, theft or sabotage of radiation sources.
• Unwanted release of radioactive substances into the environment.
• Incidents that may cause radiation to the general public so that the individual may be exposed to an effective dose above 0.25 mSv / year.
• Technical failure of radiation protection significance.
• Significant deviation from intentionally absorbed dose or activity to exposed tissue in patient.
• Severe radioactive contamination of the business area or equipment.
• Finds of ownerless radiation sources.