The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999

Regulation 11

SCHEDULE 4DOSE LIMITS

PART IClasses of Persons to whom Dose Limits Apply

Employees of 18 years of age or above

1.  For the purposes of regulation 11(1), the limit on effective dose for any employee of 18 years of age or above shall be 20 mSv in any calendar year.

2.  Without prejudice to paragraph 1—

(a)the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye shall be 150 mSv in a calendar year;

(b)the limit on equivalent dose for the skin shall be 500 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1cm² regardless of the area exposed;

(c)the limit on equivalent dose for the hands, forearms, feet and ankles shall be 500 mSv in a calendar year.

Trainees aged under 18 years

3.  For the purposes of regulation 11(1), the limit on effective dose for any trainee under 18 years of age shall be 6 mSv in any calendar year.

4.  Without prejudice to paragraph 3—

(a)the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye shall be 50 mSv in a calendar year;

(b)the limit on equivalent dose for the skin shall be 150 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1 cm² regardless of the area exposed;

(c)the limit on equivalent dose for the hands, forearms, feet and ankles shall be 150 mSv in a calendar year.

Women of reproductive capacity

5.  Without prejudice to paragraphs 1 and 3, the limit on equivalent dose for the abdomen of a women of reproductive capacity who is at work, being the equivalent dose from external radiation resulting from exposure to ionising radiation averaged throughout the abdomen, shall be 13 mSv in any consecutive period of three months.

Other persons

6.  Subject to paragraph 7, for the purposes of regulation 11(1) the limit on effective dose for any person other than an employee or trainee, including any person below the age of 16, shall be 1 mSv in any calendar year.

7.  Paragraph 6 shall not apply in relation to any person (not being a comforter or carer) who may be exposed to ionising radiation resulting from the medical exposure of another and in such a case the limit on effective dose for any such person shall be 5 mSv in any period of 5 consecutive calendar years.

8.  Without prejudice to paragraphs 6 and 7—

(a)the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye shall be 15 mSv in any calendar year;

(b)the limit on equivalent dose for the skin shall be 50 mSv in any calendar year averaged over any 1 cm² area regardless of the area exposed;

(c)the limit on equivalent dose for the hands, forearms, feet and ankles shall be 50 mSv in a calendar year.

PART II

9.  For the purposes of regulation 11(2), the limit on effective dose for employees of 18 years or above shall be 100 mSv in any period of five consecutive calendar years subject to a maximum effective dose of 50 mSv in any single calendar year.

10.  Without prejudice to paragraph 9—

(a)the limit on equivalent dose for the lens of the eye shall be 150 mSv in a calendar year;

(b)the limit on equivalent dose for the skin shall be 500 mSv in a calendar year as applied to the dose averaged over any area of 1cm² regardless of the area exposed;

(c)the limit on equivalent dose for the hands, forearms, feet and ankles shall be 500 mSv in a calendar year.

11.  Without prejudice to paragraph 9, the limit on equivalent dose for the abdomen of a woman of reproductive capacity who is at work, being the equivalent dose from external radiation resulting from exposure to ionising radiation averaged throughout the abdomen, shall be 13 mSv in any consecutive period of three months.

12.  The employer shall ensure that any employee in respect of whom regulation 11(2) applies is not exposed to ionising radiation to an extent that any dose limit specified in paragraphs 9 to 11 is exceeded.

13.  An employer shall not put into effect a system of dose limitation in pursuance of regulation 11(2) unless—

(a)the radiation protection adviser and any employees who are affected have been consulted;

(b)any employees affected and the approved dosimetry service have been informed in writing of the decision and of the reasons for that decision; and

(c)notice has been given to the Executive at least 28 days (or such shorter period as the Executive may allow) before the decision is put into effect giving the reasons for the decision.

14.  Where there is reasonable cause to believe that any employee has been exposed to an effective dose greater than 20 mSv in any calendar year, the employer shall, as soon as is practicable—

(a)undertake an investigation into the circumstances of the exposure for the purpose of determining whether the dose limit referred to in paragraph 9 is likely to be complied with; and

(b)notify the Executive of that suspected exposure.

15.  An employer shall review the decision to put into effect a system of dose limitation pursuant to regulation 11(2) at appropriate intervals and in any event not less than once every five years.

16.  Where as a result of a review undertaken pursuant to paragraph 15 an employer proposes to revert to a system of annual dose limitation pursuant to regulation 11(1), the provisions of paragraph 13 shall apply as if the reference in that paragraph to regulation 11(2) was a reference to regulation 11(1).

17.  Where an employer puts into effect a system of dose limitation in pursuance of regulation 11(2), he shall record the reasons for that decision and shall ensure that the record is preserved for a period of 50 years from the date of its making.

18.  In any case where—

(a)the dose limits specified in paragraph 9 are being applied by a radiation employer in respect of an employee; and

(b)the Executive is not satisfied that it is impracticable for that employee to be subject to the dose limit specified in paragraph 1 of Part I of this Schedule,

the Executive may require the employer to apply the dose limit specified in paragraph 1 of Part I with effect from such time as the Executive may consider appropriate having regard to the interests of the employee concerned.

19.  In any case where, as a result of a review undertaken pursuant to paragraph 15, an employer proposes to revert to an annual dose limitation pursuant to regulation 11(2), the Executive may require the employer to defer the implementation of that decision to such time as the Executive may consider appropriate having regard to the interests of the employee concerned.

20.  Any person who is aggrieved by the decision of the Executive taken pursuant to paragraphs 18 or 19 may appeal to the Secretary of State.

21.  Sub-sections (2) to (6) of section 44 of the 1974 Act shall apply for the purposes of paragraph 20 as they apply to an appeal under section 44(1) of that Act.

22.  The Health and Safety Licensing Appeals (Hearings Procedure) Rules 1974(1), as respects England and Wales, and the Health and Safety Licensing Appeals (Hearing Procedure) (Scotland) Rules 1974(2), as respects Scotland, shall apply to an appeal under paragraph 20 as they apply to an appeal under sub-section (1) of the said section 44, but with the modification that references to a licensing authority are to be read as references to the Executive.