Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004

Applicability:
 These rules shall apply to practices adopted and interventions applied with respect to radiation sources.
 They extend to the whole of India
 Enforced by Central Government (AERB)
 Rules have been framed from the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

Salient features of the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004

There are total 35 Rules under the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004.

 "radiation installation" means any location or facility, including a mobile facility, in which a radiation generating
equipment or plant or radioactive material is present and which in the opinion of the competent authority requires radiation
surveillance for ensuring adequate protection against radiation;
 "Radiological Safety Officer” means any person who is so designated by the employer with the approval of the
competent authority;
 No person shall, without a licence

(a) Establish a radiation installation for siting, design, construction, commissioning and operation; and
(b) Decommission a radiation installation.

 Rule(5) provides for exemption from licensing if the radiation does not exceed the limit determined by the Central
Government under clause (g) of Section 3 of the Act

 Rule(6) provides for exclusion for exposures resulting from naturally occurring radionuclides present in the human body,
cosmic radiation at the earth surface, unmodified concentrations of radionuclides in raw materials and from other sources
and practices which may be prescribed as not amenable for control from these rules.
 Issuance of licence- within a period of one hundred and eighty days from the date of receipt of the application.
 Period of validity of Licence- valid for a period of five years from the date of issue of such licence.
 Rule(12) Restrictions on use of sources
 Rules (13) Restriction on certain practices: Practices such as deliberate addition of
radioactive substances in foodstuffs, beverages, toys, personal ornaments, and cosmetics or any other commodity or
product intended for ingestion, inhalation orpercutaneous intake by, or application to, a human being and sale, import or
export of such products shall not be permitted.

 Rule (14) Radiation symbol or Warning sign : The radiation symbol or warning sign shall be conspicuously and
prominently displayed at all times –
a) on externally visible surfaces of radiation equipment, and containers for storage of radioactive materials; packages
for radioactive materials and vehicles carrying such packages;]
b) at the entrance to the room housing the radiation generating equipment; and
c) at the entrance of controlled area and supervised area.
 Rule(15) Dose limits and other regulatory constraints
 Rule(16) Safety Standards and Safety Codes
 Rule (17) Prohibition of employment of persons below certain age
(1) No person under the age of 18 years shall be employed as a worker.
(2) No person under the age of 16 years shall be taken as trainee or employed as an apprentice for radiation work.
 Rule (18)Classified worker:- The employer shall designate as classified workers, those of his employees, who are likely
to receive an effective dose in excess of three tenths of the average annual dose limits notified by the competent
authority and shall forthwith inform those employees that they have been so designated.

 Rule (19) Radiological Safety Officer: - Every employer shall designate, with the written approval of the competent
authority, a person having appropriate qualifications as Radiological Safety Officer.

 Rule (20) Responsibilities of the employer:- (1) Every employer shall:

a) ensure that provisions of these rules are implemented by the licensee Radiological Safety Officer and other worker(s),
b) provide facilities and equipment to the licensee, Radiological Safety Officer and other worker(s) to carry out their
functions effectively in conformity with the regulatory constraints,
c) prior to employment of a worker, procure from his former employer, where applicable, the dose records and health
surveillance reports,
 d) upon termination of service of worker provide to his new employer on request his dose records and health surveillance
reports,
e) furnish to each worker dose records and health surveillance reports of the worker in his employment annually, as and
when requested by the worker and at the termination of his service,
f) inform the competent authority if the licensee or the Radiological Safety Officer or any worker leaves the
employment, and
g) Arrange for health surveillance of workers as specified under rule.
h) The employer shall be the custodian of radiation sources in his possession and shall ensure physical security of the
sources at all times.
i) The employer shall inform the competent authority, within twenty four hours, of any accident involving a source or
loss of source of which he is the custodian.

 Rule (21) Responsibilities of the licensee:-
a) The responsibility for implementing the terms and conditions of the licence shall rest with the licensee
b) The licensee shall comply with the surveillance procedures, safety codes and safety standards specified by the
competent authority.
c) Every licensee shall establish written procedures and plans for controlling, monitoring and assessment of exposure for
ensuring adequate protection of workers, members of the public and the environment and patients, wherever
applicable.
d) The licensee shall comply with the provision of rules for safe disposal of radioactive waste issued under the Act.
e) Maintain records of workers as specified under rule.
f) arrange for preventive and remedial maintenance of radiation protection equipment, and monitoring instruments;
g) in consultation with the Radiological Safety Officer, investigate any case of exposure in excess of regulatory
constraints received by individual workers and maintain records of such investigations;
h) inform competent authority promptly of the occurrence, investigation and follow-up actions in cases of exposure in
excess of regulatory constraints, including steps to prevent recurrence of such incidents;
i) carry out physical verification of radioactive material periodically and maintain inventory;
j) inform appropriate law enforcement agency in the locality of any loss of source;
k) inform the employer and the competent authority of any loss of source;
l) investigate and inform the competent authority of any accident involving source and maintain record of investigations;
m) verify the performance of radiation monitoring systems, safety interlocks, protective devices and any other safety
systems in the radiation installation;
n) in consultation with Radiological Safety Officer, prepare emergency plans, as specified in rule 33, for responding to
accident to mitigate their consequences and ensure emergency preparedness measures;
o) conduct or arrange for quality assurance tests of structures, systems, components and sources and related equipment;
p) advise the employer about the modifications in working condition of a pregnant worker;
q) inform the competent authority if the Radiological Safety Officer or a worker leaves the employment; and
r) Inform the competent authority when he leaves the employment.
s) The licensee shall ensure that the workers are familiarized with contents of the relevant surveillance procedures, safety
standards, safety codes, safety guides and safety manuals issued by the competent authority and emergency response
plans.

 Rule (22) Responsibilities of the Radiological Safety Officer:-

a) The Radiological Safety Officer shall be responsible for advising and assisting the employer and licensee on safety
aspects aimed at ensuring that the provisions of these rules are complied with.
b) The Radiological Safety Officer shall:-carry out routine measurements and analysis on radiation and radioactivity
levels in the controlled area, supervised area of the radiation installation and maintain records of the results thereof;
investigate any situation that could lead to potential exposures; and advise the employer regarding –
I. the necessary steps aimed at ensuring that the regulatory constraints and the terms and conditions of the licence
are adhered to;
II. the safe storage and movement of radioactive material within the radiation installation;
III. initiation of suitable remedial measures in respect of any situation that could lead to potential exposures; and
IV. routine measurements and analysis on radiation and radioactivity levels in the off-site environment of the
radiation installation and maintenance of the results thereof;
c) The Radiological Safety Officer shall:- ensure that –
I. reports on all hazardous situations along with details of any immediate remedial actions taken are made available
to the employer and licensee for reporting to the competent authority and a copy endorsed to the competent
authority;
II. quality assurance tests of structures, systems, components and sources, as applicable are conducted; and
III. Monitoring instruments are calibrated periodically.
 d) The Radiological Safety Officer shall:- assist the employer in -

I. instructing the workers on hazards of radiation and on suitable safety measures and work practices aimed at
optimizing exposures to radiation sources; and
II. the safe disposal of radioactive wastes; and
III. developing suitable emergency response plans to deal with accidents and maintaining emergency preparedness;

e) The Radiological Safety Officer shall:- advise the licensee on –

I. the modifications in working condition of a pregnant worker; and

II. the safety and security of radioactive sources;
III. furnish to the licensee and the competent authority the periodic reports on safety status of the radiation
installation; and
IV. inform the competent authority when he leaves the employment.

 Rule (23) Responsibilities of worker

a) Every worker shall observe the safety requirements and follow safety procedures and instructions and shall refrain
from any wilful act that could be detrimental to self, co-workers, the radiation installation and public.
b) The worker shall:-provide to the employer information about his previous occupations including radiation work, if
any;
c) The worker shall:-make proper use of such protective equipment, radiation monitors and Personnel monitoring devices
as provided; and
d) The worker shall:-inform the licensee and the Radiological Safety Officer, of any accident or potentially hazardous
situation that may come to his notice;
e) A female worker shall, on becoming aware that she is pregnant, notify the employer, licensee and Radiological Safety
Officer in order that her working conditions may be modified, if necessary.

 Rule (24) Records of workers

a) Such records shall be preserved during the working life of each worker, and afterwards until the worker attains or
would have attained the age of Seventy five years, or not less than thirty years after the termination of the work
involving occupational exposure whichever is later.
b) A worker shall have access to his personnel monitoring and the health surveillance records.

 Rule (25) Health surveillance of workers:- Every worker, initially on employment, and classified worker, thereafter at
least once in three years as long as the individual is employed, shall be subjected to medical examination and health
surveillance.

 Rule (26) Medical exposures:-

 Rule (27) Radiation surveillance requirements:-

 Rule (28) Directives in the cases of exposures in excess of regulatory constraints if a worker discontinues radiation
work under the directives of the competent authority issued under this rule, the employer shall assign alternative work not
involving exposure to radiation, until the competent authority is satisfied about the fitness of the worker to resume
radiation work.

 Rule (31) Power to investigate, seal or seize radiation installation or radioactive material and to give direction to the
employer:-Any person duly authorised under Section 17 of the Act, may, after inspection, carry out investigation for the
purposes of determining contravention of any of the provisions of these rules;

 Rule (32) Directives in case of accidents:-

 Rule (33) Emergency preparedness: - The licensee shall prepare emergency response plans as specified by the competent
authority in the relevant safety codes and maintain emergency preparedness.

 Rule (34) Decommissioning of radiation installation No employer shall decommission a radiation installation without the
prior approval of the competent authority.

 Rule(35) Offences and penalties:-

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"quality assurance" means any planned and systematic action necessary to
provide adequate confidence that a structure, system, component or
procedure will perform satisfactorily, in compliance with safety standards
specified by the competent authority, and includes quality control;

(za) "quality control" means the set of operations (programming, coordinating,

implementing) intended to maintain or to improve quality and includes
monitoring, evaluation and maintenance at required levels of performance;