Protection of personnel exposed to ionising radiation

The procedure consists of the following steps:

1. The Radioisotope Laboratory Manager requests the classification of a new user from the Radiation Protection Expert, specifying their name, place and date of birth, duties, and the type and quantity of radioisotopes that the individual will use, by sending the Job Assignment Form – MDL Form. 
    
2. The Radiation Protection Expert proposes the classification for the individual concerned and communicates it to the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager, returning the completed and signed MDL form. 
    
3. The Radioisotope Laboratory Manager forwards the MDL form to the Safety Office, together with the request for a preventive medical examination – M-P Form. 
    
4. The Authorised Physician, upon receiving the request from the Safety Office, carries out the medical examination and then issues the fitness-for-work certificate, which is sent to the Safety Office and to the workers concerned; the latter will inform their respective Laboratory Managers. 
    
5. The Radioisotope Laboratory Manager communicates the fitness-for-work results to the Radiation Protection Expert, who prepares the dosimetric records for the workers who are about to begin their activities. 
    
6. The worker attends a radiation protection training course delivered by the Laboratory Manager, at the end of which they receive a certificate of attendance. 
    
7. Where applicable, the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager assigns and hands over dosimeters to the classified user, then completes the Start of Activity Form – M-I and sends it, duly signed, to the Safety Office. 
    
8. The Radioisotope Laboratory Manager collects dosimetric readings on a monthly basis and communicates them to the Radiation Protection Expert. 
    
9. The Radiation Protection Expert, on the basis of the dosimetric readings, calculates the official doses received and communicates them, on a six-monthly basis, to the Authorised Physician, the Safety Office, and the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager. 
    
10. The Authorised Physician records the doses in each user’s personal health record and evaluates them during subsequent medical examinations in order to confirm or revise the previously established fitness-for-work status.

The suspension procedure consists of the following phases:

• The exposed worker promptly notifies the suspension from exposure to the Head of Department or the appointed manager and to the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager, indicating the date of interruption and the related reasons (pregnancy, changes in laboratory activities, etc.). 
   
• The Employer orders the immediate removal of the worker from supervised and controlled areas, notifying the worker, the Radiation Protection Expert, and the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager. 
   
• The Employer also orders the immediate withdrawal of the access badge and the dosimeter, notifying the worker and the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager. 
   
• The Employer, through the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager, completes the S-A form and sends it, duly signed, to the Occupational Physician, the Radiation Protection Expert, and the Safety Office. 
   

If, instead, the job assignment of classified personnel changes:

• the Employer (Head of Department or appointed manager), through the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager, completes the MDL form and forwards it to the Radiation Protection Expert for the new classification. 
   
• In the event of a change from category B to category A, the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager forwards the new classification (MDL form completed and signed by the Radiation Protection Expert), together with the M-P and/or M-C forms (in the case of personnel moving from categories A/B to NON-EXPOSED), to the Safety Office. 
   
• The subsequent phases will follow the procedures outlined for the classification and/or suspension/closure of radio-exposed personnel.

In the event of closure:

• the exposed worker, through their Laboratory Manager, promptly notifies the Employer (Head of Department or appointed manager) and the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager of the date and manner of cessation of exposure to the risk (under the law it is important to distinguish between the mere cessation of exposure with continuation of the employment relationship and the complete termination of the employment relationship). In the latter case, the worker must also complete the Activity Cessation Notification Form – N-C. The original N-C form, duly signed by the Head of the Structure, will be promptly forwarded by the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager to the Safety Office. 
   
• The Employer (Head of Department or appointed manager) informs the Radiation Protection Expert, the Authorised Physician, and the Safety Office of the identity of the person concerned and the reason for the interruption of the activity. The individual or their manager completes and sends the M-C form to the Safety Office in order to request the closing medical examination. 
   

• The Radioisotope Laboratory Manager forwards the worker’s dosimetric record to the Radiation Protection Expert, together with the individual’s dosimetric data, including the last recorded exposure.

   

• The Radiation Protection Expert processes the dosimetric data and promptly communicates them to the Safety Office and the Authorised Physician. In cases of termination of the employment relationship, the Expert delivers the duly closed dosimetric records to the latter, also through the Radioisotope Laboratory Manager. 
   
• The Authorised Physician carries out the closing medical examination and forwards the related report to the Safety Office and to the worker. The Authorised Physician, only in the event of termination of the employment relationship, sends the relevant documentation to INAIL headquarters in Rome within six months of the date of cessation of the activity and also provides a copy of the documentation to the Employer.