2.0 Administration

2.1 The Vice-chancellor has the responsibility in law for the University's compliance with Regulations. He must agree and sign a Policy Statement and approve the accompanying Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes. He must ensure that adequate funding is available and that a suitable managements structure is in place and is supported by his authority.

2.2 Under the Ionising Radiations Regulations the University must appoint a Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA), who advises the University on the following matters:

  1. The implementation of requirements as to controlled and supervised areas.

  2. The prior examination of plans for installations and the acceptance into service of new or modified sources of ionising radiation in relation to any engineering controls, design features, safety features and warning devices provided to restrict exposure to ionising radiation.

  3. The regular calibration of equipment provided for monitoring levels of ionising radiation and the regular checking that such equipment is serviceable and correctly used.

  4. The periodic examination of checking and engineering controls, design features, safety features and warning devices and regular checking of systems of work provided to restrict exposure to ionising radiation.

2.3 The person appointed may or may not be an employee of the University, but must be able to demonstrate his/her competence and suitability to hold the post. He or she will, as from 1st January 2005, be required to hold a recognised qualification in radiation protection, either a Certificate of Competence granted by RPA2000, or an NVQ Level 4 in Radiation Protection.

2.4 Under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 and the Environment Act 1995 the Vice-chancellor must appoint someone responsible for the following:

  1. The application for new licences or variations in existing licences to hold, use and dispose of radionuclides and radioactive substances. In making such application, he has the authority to sign documents on behalf of the Vice-chancellor.

  2. The control of disposal of radioactive waste and assurance that the Best Practical Means are employed to do this.

2.5 In practice this person should be an employee of the University with the requisite knowledge and experience to discharge his duties. It is usually convenient to appoint the URPO or, where applicable, the RPA to this position. At Exeter the URPO will carryout this function.

2.6 College Deans have a statutory duty to comply with relevant legisation and regulations, and must ensure that such compliance is adequately supported and funded where this falls within their remit.

2.7 The University appoints members to a Radiation Protection Group (Safety Group 9) which meets at least once a year. The Group is composed of a Chairman, who reports to the Safety Committee, the RPA, the University Radiation Protection Officer (URPO), the University Health, Safety and Enviromnment Adviser and the College Radiation Protection and Laser Safety Officers appointed by the Colleges involved with the use of ionising radiations and lasers. The Group is responsible for all matters of radiation and laser safety within the University, and its duties are carried out by the URPO. Most of the day-to-day running of the University Radiation Protection Service is also undertaken by the URPO.

2.8 Each College involved with the use of radioactive materials and instruments that produce ionising radiations must appoint a College Radiation Protection Officer (CRPO) and one or more Radiation Protection Supervisors (RPS). These appointments must be made through the College Dean, and a letter of appointment written. The CRPO oversees all matters concerned with radiation protection for the particular College and liaises with the University Radiation Protection Service. The RPS is responsible for ensuring that adequate radiation protection procedures are carried out in specific areas in a College, eg a research group or teaching laboratory. The RPS is responsible to the CRPO and both the CRPO and the RPS are responsible to the College Dean, who is himself ultimately responsible for all matters concerning radiation protection in his College.

2.9 A Risk Assessment must be made, and Local Rules and Schemes of Work must be written for each project involving ionising radiations to ensure that the work is carried out in compliance with the Regulations. The Local Rules must be brought to the attention of all employees who may be affected by them and must be displayed at each work area. The CRPO and the RPS should write these rules, in cosultation with the RPA when necessary. It is the duty of the College Dean through his CRPO and RPSs to ensure that the Local Rules are adhered to, and that all persons working in his College are properly trained in the safe use of ionising radiations.

2.10 It is the duty of each person whose work involves ionising radiations to ensure that the Local Rules are adhered to.

In this Code: