Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department

Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing

Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

Background

Radiation has a wide range of applications such as medical treatment and

diagnosis, radiography in non-destructive testing, nuclear power reactors,
nuclear processing plants, agriculture, food preservation, sterilization, waste
treatment, laboratories and many others. The range and frequency of
applications grow each year, as more industries want greater efficiency and
reliability in their operations. Consequently, radiological protection requires
updated legislation as another step to a safer society.

Short-term exposure to a high dose of radiation can have a fatal effect. Long
term exposure to lower doses of ionizing radiation increases the risk of
developing cancer. Reducing the risk by some control measures can be costly.
Hence, the ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable) principle was conceived.
ALARP implies a balance between cost of additional measures and keeping
doses low to acceptable level.

Technical Guideline No. 66 covers ionizing radiation substances that emit

Alpha, Beta, Gamma, X-Ray, and Neutron. It does not cover non-ionizing
radiation, background or naturally occurring radiation and any other type of
radiation that is not mentioned above. This Technical Guideline does not cover
Ionizing Radiation for medical practice except for the transport of Radioactive
Material where they are covered by applicable regulations.

This Technical Guideline on Ionizing Radiation is issued in accordance to Local

Order 61/1991 and The Dangerous Goods Code of Practice in the Emirate of
Dubai. For the purposes of this Guideline, Competent Authority shall be
referred to as the Public Health and Safety Department of Dubai Municipality.

Guidelines

1. Responsibilities of the Controller (company engaged in radioactive

work)

a) The top management must set up a written Radiation Safety Policy. This
policy must be posted on conspicuous place.

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 Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department
Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing
Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

b) Controller for ionizing radiation must establish a written Radiation

Safety Program approved by the company’s Radiation Protection Adviser
(RPA).

c) Where the maximum instantaneous dose rate of a workplace exceeds 7.5

Sv /hr (0.75 mrem /hr), Radiation Protection Adviser shall be appointed
(part time or full time) in writing. Submit profile of RPA to Public Health
and Safety Department for registration.

d) Without prejudice to paragraph 3 above, the Public Health and Safety

Department may require at its discretion, a company to appoint a RPA.

e) A qualified and competent Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) must

be appointed in writing. He shall be responsible for the safe conduct of
work.

f) Classified Persons: All personnel assigned to work in an area where

radiation level exceeds 7.5 Sv /hr (0.75 mrem /hr) shall be designated as
classified persons. All classified persons must have adequate training
and qualifications for their job. Furthermore, classified persons must
perform their radiation work in accordance with established company
procedures and other applicable regulations.

g) Controlled Area: Any work area where radiation exceeds 7.5 Sv /hr.
shall be designated as controlled area. Management must ensure that only
classified persons are allowed in controlled area except for trainees and
“other persons” where the limit in part (II) below applies. Persons
below 18 years old are not allowed in controlled area.

h) Controlled area must have a standard Radiation Hazard symbol (see

appendix A), a barricade and blinker lights. Appendix B demonstrates a
sample technique for barricading a controlled area.

i) Supervised Area: Where the instantaneous dose rate of an area exceeds

2.5 Sv /hr, to 7.5 Sv/hr the area shall be designated as Supervised
Area. All supervised area must be regularly monitored.

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 Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department
Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing
Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

2. Permissible Dose

a) Maximum Permissible Effective Dose (whole body)

Recipient Annual Quarterly

 Classified persons 20 mSv (2 rem) 12 mSv (1.2 rem)
 Trainees 6 mSv (0.6 rem) 4 mSv (0.4 rem)
 Other persons 5 mSv (0.5 rem) 3 mSv (0.3 rem)
 Public/ Environment 1.0 mSv (0.1 rem)

b) The maximum instantaneous dose rate

 Other persons 7.5 Sv/ hr (0.75 mrem/ hr.)
 Public/ Environment 0.5 Sv/ hr (0.05 mrem/ hr.)

b) A maximum dose of 50 mSv (5 rem) per year may be allowed for

Classified Persons provided that the total dose for five year period does
not exceed 100 mSv (10 rem).

c) No occupational equivalent dose for any area of the skin shall exceed
500 mSv/year average over 1 cm2 and 150 mSv/yr. for lens of the eye.
Public equivalent dose is 1/10 of occupational dose.

d) Special dose may be requested in writing to Public Health and Safety

Department, Public Health and Safety Department, Dubai Municipality.
No special dose will be implemented unless approved by Competent
Authority. Patients’ exposure to ionizing radiation is not covered by this
guideline but subject to the approval of the competent attending
physician.

e) Public/Environment exposure limits exclude occupational or medical

exposure and natural background radiation.

3. Medical Surveillance

a) All Classified persons shall have a current health card issued by Dubai
Municipality Clinic. The RPA may recommend to include other persons
in the medical surveillance list based on his professional assessment of
the situation.

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 Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department
Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing
Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

4. Monitoring Dose Rate

a) The company must provide a Thermo Luminescent Device (TLD) or

similar personal monitoring badge to every classified worker exposed to
ionizing radiation. The old badge must be returned to the RPS who will
submit the badge monthly to a recognized company or laboratory for
processing.

b) The RPS must keep dose records of each classified worker. The record
must be available for inspection by competent authority at any time.

c) Any over exposure must be reported to Public Health and Safety

Department within 24 hrs from the time the incident was discovered. An
incident report must be submitted to Public Health and Safety
Department \ explaining the nature of the incident and the preventive
measures taken.

d) All classified workers and their respective dose records shall be

submitted to Dubai Municipality’s PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
DEPARTMENT on quarterly basis.

5. Radiation Instruments

a) The company’s RPA shall be consulted on the selection of radiation

instrument appropriate for the specific type of radiation hazard.

b) All radiation instruments shall have a valid test/calibration certificate.

Re-calibration and re-certification shall be done annually. Copy of the
test certificate shall accompany the instrument and the original copy with
the RPS.

c) All available calibration or functional test of the equipment shall be

performed (as per instrument manual) before and after use of the
equipment. Company’s RPS must maintain a calibration or test logbook.

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 Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department
Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing
Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

6. Radiation Work

a) Personnel must wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment

before entering a controlled or supervised area.

b) Monitoring instrument and personal dosimeter such as film badge or

Thermo Luminescent Device shall be used during work.

c) When radiation work is conducted in an operating area where other

personnel could be exposed to ionizing radiation, the controller of the
establishment shall establish a work permit system to prevent exposures
to non classified personnel.

7. Licensing of Radionuclides
a) All radionuclides shall have a valid permit from Competent Authority.
Controllers of low activity radionuclides must apply for exemptions
(see paragraph XII) to Competent Authority.

8. Storage of Radionuclides
a) The storage of radionuclides shall be in a locked container or vault.
The area must be accessible only to Classified personnel and inspectors
of the Competent Authority. The radiation level at 1 meter distance
from the surface of the container shall not exceed 5.0 Sv/ hr. In-
transit storage must comply with transport regulations below.

9. Transportation of Radioactive Material

a) Radioactive Material shall be packed, marked, labeled and transported as

per Code of Practice for the Management of Dangerous Goods (in the
Emirate of Dubai.), IATA and IMDG regulations as applicable.

b) Before each package of radioactive material is offered for transportation,

it shall not have a radiation level exceeding 2 mSv/h (200 mrem/h) at any
point on the external surface of the package and 100 Sv/hr (10 mrem/hr)
at one meter distance from the external surface of the package.

c) For exceptions to paragraph b above where prescribed level is exceeded,

the package of the radioactive material shall be transported by exclusive
use only and with approval from Competent Authority.

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 Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department
Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing
Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

d) Permits for importation and re-exportation of radioactive material must

be approved by Competent Authority (see Technical Guideline no. 46)
and by Civil Defense. Radioactive Materials shall be transported as per
Code of Practice for the Management of Dangerous Goods in the Emirate
of Dubai.

10. Emergency Situation

a) In the event of an accident, where there is an uncontrolled exposure of

public to radiation or where dose limits are exceeded, the company must
immediately activate their emergency plan and notify the Civil Defense
(Tel: 997) and the Public Health and Safety Department \ (Tel: 800900
24 hours) immediately.

b) Rescue of trapped persons must be given priority. In case of fire, the

firefighters must be informed of the presence of radioactive materials.
Radiation incident/accident report must be submitted to Public Health
and Safety Department immediately.

c) During “Intervention” by competent authority, dose limits for rescuers

still apply. Exemption may be granted subject to assessment and approval
by the Competent Authority. All practicable measure shall be enforced to
protect the rescuer and the surroundings.

11. Waste Disposal

a) Radioactive Waste disposal is not allowed in Dubai. User of spent

Radioactive Material must arrange with their supplier for the return of
radioactive waste or decayed source to port or country of origin or to
approved disposal sites.

b) Where the expected annual dose from radioactive waste is less than
0.01 mSv to members of the public, the generator may refer to the
Competent Authority for disposal options.

12. Exemption

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 Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department
Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing
Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

a) Controller/Company may apply for exemption of low activity

radionuclides. The application must provide the following information:

 Name, address and telephone no. of the Company or controller

 License number of the Company or controller.
 Name of Radionuclide
 Activity concentration (Bq/g)
 Total activity (Bq)
 Purpose of using the radionuclide.

13. Penalty

b) Any violation of this Technical Guideline shall be considered a “serious

offence” and is subject to penalties stipulated in Local Order 61/1991
and Federal Law 24/1999 on Public Health and Safety Department
Protection & Development.

References:

i. Local Order 61/1991. Dubai, U.A.E.

ii. Federal Law 24/1999 on Environment Protection & Development.
iii. IAEA Safety Series No. 115 of IAEA, Vienna, 1996.
iv. IAEA Safety Series No. 111-G-1.1 of IAEA, Vienna, 1994.
v. 10 CFR parts 19,20,21,30,34,71. U.S.A.
vi. Health & Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974. U.K.
vii. Ionizing Radiations Regulations, 1999, U.K.
viii. U.A.E. Civil Defense Handbook, Protection & Safety Series (no. 1, 2 &
3) for Radioactive Materials, 1999

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR CLARIFICATION CONTACT

THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT

Tel: 2064244 / 2064282 Fax: 2270160

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 Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department
Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing
Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

9/8:‫الصفحة‬ 2010 ‫أبريل‬:‫تاريخ اإلصدار‬ 2: ‫رقم اإلصدار‬

 Organization Unit Public Health & Safety Department
Guidelines for Protection Against Ionizing
Form sheet title:
Radiation
Doc Ref. DM-PH&SD-P4-TG28

9/9:‫الصفحة‬ 2010 ‫أبريل‬:‫تاريخ اإلصدار‬ 2: ‫رقم اإلصدار‬