Dental practices told to comply with radiation regulations
Safety specialists have warned dentists to abide by radiation regulations or face legal action.
Specialist Inspectors from Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Radiation Department have become increasingly about the carelessness surrounding the fulfilment of Ionising Radiations Regulations (IRR99) at dental practices.
Inspections identified that many clinics are failing to comply with the regulations, with several cases resulting in enforcement action.
James Taylor, a Principal Specialist Inspector with HSE’s Radiation Team, said: ”Compliance with the IRR99 in dental practice is not difficult nor particularly time consuming and will help to ensure the safety of the dental team and members of the public, especially children.
There is a lot of very useful guidance readily available from the HSE, the Health Protection Agency and the British Dental Association (BDA). There is no excuse for this not being followed.”
The warning is echoed by the BDA who are keen to work with the HSE to improve standards and assist members in meeting their statutory responsibilities.
The two bodies have offered the following basic safety advice:
- Notification to HSE is required 28 days before work starts with X-rays – see Notification of work with ionising radiations for information on what is required as part of the notification process.
- Risk assessment is the key to achieving good standards of radiological protection and compliance with the IRR99. The Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) to IRR99 gives a checklist of the matters to be considered when drawing up your risk assessment. Further information is also contained in the dental guidance notes available on the BDA’s website.
- The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 (IRMER) is not the same as IRR99 and compliance with IRMER does not ensure compliance with IRR99.
- Dentists must consult and appoint a suitable radiation protection adviser (RPA) about compliance with the IRR99.
- Local rules are key working instructions which must be reviewed regularly and brought to the attention of all those working with radiation or those likely to be affected by that work. The ACoP to IRR99 and the dental guidance notes lists the essential contents of local rules.
- A suitable quality assurance program needs to be in place to ensure that patient doses are minimised.
HSE said it was willing to work constructively with the profession to improve compliance but expected practices to meet their legal obligations.
Its inspectors have statutory powers which allow them to inspect dental practices at any reasonable time. Officials will try not to inconvenience patients but they may visit unannounced.
Inspectors have a range of enforcement options available to them including verbal and written advice but can also serve enforcement notices including those which could stop the taking of X-rays.
In extreme cases of non-compliance with the IRR99 inspectors can prosecute.
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