The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999

Investigation and notification of overexposure

25.—(1) Where a radiation employer suspects or has been informed that any person is likely to have received an overexposure as a result of work carried out by that employer, that employer shall make an immediate investigation to determine whether there are circumstances which show beyond reasonable doubt that no overexposure could have occurred and, unless this is shown, the radiation employer shall—

(a)as soon as practicable notify the suspected overexposure to—

(i)the Executive;

(ii)in the case of an employee of some other employer, that other employer; and

(iii)in the case of his own employee, the appointed doctor or employment medical adviser;

(b)as soon as practicable take reasonable steps to notify the suspected overexposure to the person affected; and

(c)make or arrange for such investigation of the circumstances of the exposure and an assessment of any relevant dose received as is necessary to determine, so far as is reasonably practicable, the measures, if any, required to be taken to prevent a recurrence of such overexposure and shall forthwith notify the results of that investigation and assessment to the persons and authorities mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) above and shall—

(i)in the case of his employee, forthwith notify that employee of the results of the investigation and assessment, or

(ii)in the case of a person who is not his employee, where the investigation has shown that that person has received an overexposure, take all reasonable steps to notify him of his overexposure.

(2) A radiation employer who makes any investigation pursuant to paragraph (1) shall make a report of that investigation and shall—

(a)in respect of an immediate investigation, keep that report or a copy thereof for at least 2 years from the date on which it was made; and

(b)in respect of an investigation made pursuant to sub-paragraph (c) of paragraph (1), keep that report or a copy thereof until the person to whom the record relates has or would have attained the age of 75 years but in any event for at least 50 years from the date on which it was made.

(3) Where the person who received the overexposure is an employee who has a dose record, his employer shall arrange for the assessment of the dose received to be entered into that dose record.