Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017
What this means for your business
- Enforced by
- MHRA
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 26 compliance obligations, 3 practical guides across 2 topics
What you must do
26 compliance obligations under this legislation — 5 can result in imprisonment.
Appointments 2
Appoint and consult radiation protection advisers
Unlimited fineIf your business carries out ionising radiation work that is not limited to the low‑risk activities listed in Schedule 1, you must seek advice from qualified radiation protection advisers. You need to appoint any adviser you rely on in writing, set out the advice they must give, and give them the information and facilities they need to do their job.
Designate and inform employees as classified persons for radiation exposure
Unlimited fineIf any of your staff are expected to receive radiation doses above the legal limits, you must officially designate them as "classified persons". This can only be done for employees aged 18 or over who have a doctor’s fit‑for‑work certificate, and you must tell them straight away. They stay classified until the end of the calendar year unless a doctor advises otherwise or they stop the relevant work.
Risk assessment 1
Carry out radiation risk assessments and put safety measures in place
Unlimited fineBefore you start any new work that involves ionising radiation, you must assess the risk to your staff and anyone else who could be affected. The assessment must identify any hazards that could cause a radiation accident, evaluate the size of the risks, and then lead to practical steps to prevent accidents, limit any damage and provide training and equipment to protect people.
Equipment and safety 2
Design and construct radiation equipment to minimise exposure
Unlimited fineIf you supply any plant or device that will be used where ionising radiation is present, you must make sure it is designed and built so that, as far as reasonably practicable, it limits the exposure of employees and other people to that radiation.
Provide suitable PPE and adequate storage for it
6 months imprisonmentIf you give your staff any protective gear for work with ionising radiation, you must make sure it is fit for purpose and meets the relevant legal standards or executive approval. You also have to provide proper, secure storage for that equipment so it remains effective and safe to use.
Inspections 1
Maintain and regularly examine radiation controls and PPE
You must keep any engineering controls, safety devices or warning systems you provide for ionising radiation in good working order and have them thoroughly checked at appropriate intervals. You also need to regularly inspect all personal protective equipment, especially respiratory gear, and keep a record of those checks for at least two years.
Management duties 14
Arrange dose assessment and notify authorities after radiation accident
If a radiation accident occurs that could give anyone an effective dose over 6 mSv (or higher doses to the eyes, skin or extremities), you must quickly have the dose measured, tell the affected people the results, report the incident to the regulator, and keep the assessment records for many years.
Control radiation dose for overexposed employees
Unlimited fineIf an employee has already received an over‑exposure to ionising radiation, you must make sure they do not receive any more radiation that would exceed the allowed proportion of the yearly (or five‑year) dose limit. You also have to tell the employee what the remaining dose limit is for the rest of that period.
Create local radiation protection rules and appoint supervisors
Unlimited fineIf your business uses ionising radiation, you must write clear safety rules for each controlled or supervised area, make sure they limit exposure, and keep them visible to anyone who might be affected. You also need to tell staff about these rules, enforce them, and appoint a qualified radiation protection supervisor (or supervisors) who is named in the rules and given the resources to do the job.
Designate controlled and supervised radiation areas
Unlimited fineIf you run a business that uses ionising radiation, you must assess every area you control and label any area that could expose people to radiation above the set limits as a "controlled" area, and label any area that may need monitoring as a "supervised" area. You also must not deliberately create conditions that would require a controlled area unless you control that area.
Investigate and notify suspected radiation over‑exposure
If you think anyone may have been exposed to more ionising radiation than allowed while working for you, you must promptly investigate the incident, tell the regulator (or ONR for nuclear sites) and any other relevant parties, assess the dose received and put measures in place to stop it happening again. You also have to keep a written report of the investigation for at least two years (or up to 30 years for long‑term records) and update the employee’s dose record where applicable.
Keep ionising radiation doses within legal limits
6 months imprisonmentIf your business carries out work that involves ionising radiation, you must make sure that employees and any other people covered by the regulations are not exposed to more radiation than the yearly dose limits allow. You need to monitor and record doses each year, estimate any exposure to the public, and, if a limit cannot be met, get permission to use the alternative limits.
Maintain safe, clearly marked controlled and supervised radiation areas
2 years imprisonmentWhen you label any part of your premises as a controlled or supervised area because of ionising radiation, you must describe the area in your local rules, put up clear signs, physically mark the boundaries, and strictly control who can enter. You also need to provide training, protective equipment, dose‑monitoring and contamination‑control measures, and keep records of all these steps.
Monitor radiation levels in controlled and supervised areas
Unlimited fineIf you label any part of your workplace as a controlled or supervised radiation zone, you must regularly check the radiation levels, keep the monitoring equipment fit for purpose and tested, and retain written records of the checks and results for at least two years.
Prepare and maintain a radiation‑accident contingency plan
6 months imprisonmentIf a risk assessment shows that a radiation accident could happen at your site, you must create a plan to limit exposure and protect anyone affected. The plan has to be built into any local safety rules, you must train staff, give them dose‑meters where needed, run regular drills, and record any incidents and the resulting doses for at least two years.
Provide medical surveillance and keep health records for radiation workers
Unlimited fineIf you employ people who work with ionising radiation – including classified workers, anyone who has had an over‑exposure, or anyone a doctor has flagged – you must arrange regular medical checks by a qualified doctor and keep a detailed health record for each of them. You must keep these records up to the employee’s 75th birthday (or at least 30 years after the last entry) and act on any doctor's advice not to allow the employee to work with radiation.
Restrict exposure to ionising radiation
If your business carries out any work that involves ionising radiation, you must do everything reasonably practicable to keep employees and other people safe. This means using engineering controls, safe work procedures and, where needed, suitable protective equipment, setting dose limits, monitoring doses and investigating any exposure that exceeds the set level, and taking extra steps to protect pregnant or breastfeeding staff.
Share radiation exposure information with other employers
If your business carries out work with ionising radiation that could expose employees of another employer, you must exchange the relevant exposure information with that employer. This cooperation helps the other employer understand any radiation risks to their staff and enables them to meet the regulations. In practice you need to provide access to exposure data and any supporting details whenever such a cross‑employer risk exists.
Store and move radioactive substances safely
If your business holds any radioactive material that isn’t currently being used, transported, or disposed of, you must keep it in an appropriate container and store it safely. When you need to move the material (but not transport it off‑site), it must also be in a suitable, clearly labelled container while it’s being moved. These rules do not apply when the material is inside a living or deceased person.
Use sealed sources and test for leakage of radioactive substances
2 years imprisonmentIf your business uses radioactive material as a source of ionising radiation, you must use a sealed source wherever reasonably possible. You also have to ensure any equipment or container that holds radioactive substances is designed and maintained to stop leaks, carry out regular leakage tests, and keep a record of each test for at least two years after the item is disposed of.
Other requirements 1
Act responsibly with ionising radiation and follow safety procedures
If you work with ionising radiation you must not expose yourself or anyone else to more radiation than is needed for the job, use any protective equipment correctly, report any faults, return the equipment after use, keep your radiation passbook accurate, follow any measurement or assessment instructions from your employer, attend required medical checks, and immediately tell your employer if you suspect an over‑exposure. Failing to do so is a criminal offence.
Offences and prohibitions 1
Misuse or interference with ionising radiation sources
If you intentionally, recklessly, or without a reasonable excuse misuse a radioactive substance or interfere with any electrical equipment covered by the Ionising Radiations Regulations, you commit a criminal offence. This can apply to businesses that handle, store, or use such materials or equipment. Conviction can lead to a fine and/or imprisonment, depending on the severity and the court.
Record keeping 3
Assess and record radiation doses for classified workers
Unlimited fineIf your business has employees who are classified as exposed to ionising radiation, you must arrange regular dose assessments (by measurement or other suitable methods) and keep detailed records for each person. Those records must be retained for at least 30 years (or until the employee turns 75) and you must provide summaries to the regulator, give copies to workers on request, and keep your own copies for two years.
Keep records of radioactive substances and retain them for 2 years
Unlimited fineIf your business uses radioactive material as part of work with ionising radiation, you must track how much you have and where it is stored. You also need to keep those records (or copies) for at least two years after they are created and for at least two years after any material is disposed of.
Record required details in radiation passbooks for classified outside workers
If you employ a worker who is exposed to ionising radiation outside your premises, you must keep a radiation passbook for them and enter all the specific details listed in the regulations. This includes information about the worker, your business, the dosimetry service, medical reviews, dose limits and cumulative doses, and you must keep the entry up to date whenever new data become available.
Training 1
Provide radiation safety training and information to employees
Unlimited fineIf any of your staff work with ionising radiation you must give them suitable radiation‑protection training and clear information about the health risks, the safety procedures they must follow and the regulatory requirements. You also need to inform other people directly involved, give special briefings to women about pregnancy and breastfeeding risks, provide extra training for controlled‑area work and for high‑activity sealed sources, repeat the training at appropriate intervals and keep evidence of it.
Penalties for non-compliance
18 penalties under this legislation. 5 can result in imprisonment. 17 carry an unlimited fine.
Provide suitable PPE and adequate storage for it
Unlimited fine and/or 6 months imprisonment
Keep ionising radiation doses within legal limits
Unlimited fine and/or 6 months imprisonment
Maintain safe, clearly marked controlled and supervised radiation areas
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Prepare and maintain a radiation‑accident contingency plan
Unlimited fine and/or 6 months imprisonment
Use sealed sources and test for leakage of radioactive substances
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Appoint and consult radiation protection advisers
Unlimited fine
Designate and inform employees as classified persons for radiation exposure
Unlimited fine
Carry out radiation risk assessments and put safety measures in place
Unlimited fine
Design and construct radiation equipment to minimise exposure
Unlimited fine
Control radiation dose for overexposed employees
Unlimited fine
Create local radiation protection rules and appoint supervisors
Unlimited fine
Designate controlled and supervised radiation areas
Unlimited fine
Monitor radiation levels in controlled and supervised areas
Unlimited fine
Provide medical surveillance and keep health records for radiation workers
Unlimited fine
Assess and record radiation doses for classified workers
Unlimited fine
Keep records of radioactive substances and retain them for 2 years
Unlimited fine
Provide radiation safety training and information to employees
Unlimited fine
Misuse or interference with ionising radiation sources
Penalty applies
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Working in the civil nuclear industry
Regulatory compliance requirements for businesses operating in the civil nuclear industry including site licensing, security vetting, liability insurance, and decommissioning …
Health surveillance at work
When health surveillance is legally required at work and how to set it up. Covers COSHH hazardous substances, noise, hand-arm …
Healthcare premises and equipment requirements
CQC Regulation 15 premises and equipment requirements, radiation protection under IRR 2017, healthcare ventilation, medical gas systems, decontamination of reusable …
Sections and provisions
43 classified provisions from this legislation.
Duties 25
- Schedule 5 Particulars to be entered in the radiation passbook
- s.8 Radiation risk assessments an employer
- s.9 Restriction of exposure
- s.10 Personal protective equipment
- s.11 Maintenance and examination of engineering controls etc and personal protective equipment employer
- s.12 Dose limitation employer
- s.13 Contingency plans exposure which occurs due
- s.14 Radiation protection adviser
- s.15 Information, instruction and training employer
- s.16 Co-operation between employers
- s.17 Designation of controlled or supervised areas employer
- s.18 Local rules and radiation protection supervisors An employer
- s.19 Additional requirements for designated areas
- s.20 Monitoring of designated areas
- s.21 Designation of classified persons The employer
- s.22 Dose assessment and recording employer
- s.24 Dosimetry for accidents etc
- s.25 Medical surveillance of its employees
- s.26 Investigation and notification of overexposure person is likely
- s.27 Dose limitation for overexposed employees The employer
- ... and 5 more duties
Definitions 8
- Schedule 1 Work not required to be notified under regulation 5
- Schedule 2 Consent to carry out a practice: indicative list of information
- s.3 Application
- s.4 Duties under the Regulations
- s.6 Registration of certain practices
- s.7 Consent to carry out specified practices
- s.39 Extension outside Great Britain
- s.43 Review