5.0 Risk assessment

5.1 Any use of a radioisotope must be justified on the grounds that:

  • there is no other way to achieve the results required, or
  • alternative, non-radioisotope methods are significantly less effective, or
  • such alternative methods are not cost-effective.

5.2 All necessary steps must be taken to restrict, so far as is reasonably practicable, the extent to which employees, students nd other persons are exposed to ionising radiations.

5.3 To this end, and to ensure compliance with the regulations, before any work involving the use of radioisotopes is undertaken, a suitable and sufficient assessment must be made of the risk to any employee, student or other person, and the measures to be taken to restrict the exposure of such persons to ionising radiation.

5.4 The assessment must demonstrate that:

  • all hazards with a potential to cause a radiation accident have been identified.
  • The nature and magnitude of the risks has been identified.

5.5 The assessment must be reviewed at least annually, and also whenever the procedure to which it refers changes significantly.