1. Austrian Research Centers Seibersdorf
Occupational Radiological Protection Control through Inspection Done by Qualified Experts for Licensing Procedures in AUSTRIA
Hefner, A. Steurer
Austrian Research Centers Seibersdorf
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

2. The Austrian Research Centers Seibersdorf
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

3. Development of the Austrian Radiation Protection Law
1969: first radiation protection law;
1972 Austrian radiation protection decree;
2002: according to the directives 96/29 and 97/43 Euratom; extensive modification of the law;
In progress: modification of the decree; it will be replaced by three new decrees
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

4. Development of the New Austrian Radiation Protection Law
An important part of the Austrian radiation protection systems are the standards set and edited by the Austrian standard institute
Taking into account the most important contents of the EURATOM directives
Instructions of the responsible ministery to the different competent authorities
Establishing new limits
Starting quality assurance in medicine
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

5. Old Limits (Photon Equivalent Dose)HX
Maximum permissible dose for oocupational exposure
50 mSv/a
Lower boundary of the controlled area (3/10 of the maximum permissible dose for occupational exposure)
15 mSv/a
Maximum permissible dose for general public and lower boundary of the surveillance area (1/30 of the maximum permissible dose for occupational exposure)
1,67 mSv/a
Derived maximum permissible dose HX and dose rate
i.e., 33 µSv/week
i.e., 0,83 µSv/h (for a 40-hour work week)
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

6. New Limits (Effective Dose E and Ambient Equivalent Dose H*)
Maximum permissible dose for oocupational exposure, category A
20 mSv/a
Maximum permissible dose for oocupational exposure, category B
6 mSv/a
Individual person from the general public
1 mSv/a
Derived maximum permissible dose H* and dose rate
i.e., 20 µSv/week
i.e., 0,50 µSv/h (for a 40-hour work week)
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

7. Considerations
Reduction of maximum dose rate from HX=33 µSv/week to H*=20 µSv/week
New measurement quantities: conversion from HX to H* results in a reduction of the numerical value (energy dependent)
For x-rays H* ≈ 1,3•HX
Total reduction of maximum dose rate from HX=33 µSv/week to HX ≈ 15 µSv/week
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

8. AUTHORIZATION Licensing- Procedures
Construction licence (§ 5 ARPL)
What is needed:
Expert opinion including calculation of shielding requirements
Review of design and construction documents of buildings and laboratories
Review of design and shielding of x-ray equipment and radioactive sources
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

9. AUTHORIZATION - Procedures
Documents required by the Authorities and reviewed by the Qualified Expert (e.g., x-ray equipment):
Room lay-out and equipment positions
Technical description of equipment
Building and construction plans (wall thickness, etc.)
Information on intended equipment use
Description of working procedures with regards to radiation protection
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

10. AUTHORIZATION - Procedures
Contents of the report by the Qualified Expert:
Review and assessment of relevent information pertaining to radiation protection requirements posed by the Authorities and the ALARA principle
Assesment of data on equipment use
Calculations of necessary shielding (according to ÖNorm S 5212)
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

11. AUTHORIZATION Licensing- Procedures
Operational licence (§ 6 ARPL)
What is needed:
Expert opinion including experimental verification of shielding
Verification of design and construction documents for buildings and laboratories submitted for construction licence
Verification of design and shielding of x-ray equipment and radioactive sources
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

12. AUTHORIZATION - Procedures
Contents of the report by the Qualified Expert:
Assessment of data on use of equipment
Assessment of final construction details of building and laboratory
Verification of organizational and technical radiation protection measures and necessary shielding (according to ÖNorm S 5214)
Safety, risk, and security analysis
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

13. Problems Experienced in Practice
Many could be avoided by early consultation of the Qualified Expert
Others could be solved during calculational analysis in the frame of the construction licence
Cooperation between licencee and Qualified Expert all throughout the licensing procedure may result in optimization of radiation protection principles
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

14. Problems Experienced in Practice
Work and report by Qualified Expert often viewed as inconvenience to simply fulfil regulatory requirements by licencee, lacks comprehension of usefulness with respect to ALARA principle
Qualified Expert not just control of licencee or manufacturer, but primarily benefits employees, patients, and general public
Licencee‘s motivation to submit all relevant documents low
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

15. Problems Experienced in Practice
Construction and design problems, non-conformity in realization (plan)
i.e., doors and door jambs
Equipment design and manufacturing problems
i.e., even CE labelling does not always guarantee conformity
Necessitates independent check of all relevant parameters
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

16. Problems European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

17. Problems European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

18. Problems European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

19. Qualified Expert Checking X-Ray Equipment
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

20. Wall Thickness for Diagnostic Room
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

21. Measurement Outside a Diagnostic Room, Shielding by the Wall
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

22. Exterior Measurements at X-Ray Practitioner
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

23. Dose Rate Assessment at Various Points
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

24. Scattering Body for X-Ray Measurements
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

25. X-Ray Control Room European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

26. Non-routine Applications
Brachytherapy in a regular angiography surgery room
Equipment design problems
Regular surgery room, shielding only for x-ray equipment
no additional shielding for gamma and bremsstrahlung radiation
Solution:
Time and frequency limitation on application
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

27. Cordis Ir-192 Checkmate System
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

28. Brachytherapy Source - Application
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

29. Gamma Brachytherapy in the Cath-lab
Results are based on measurements in phantom and maximum values „in-vivo“ during 15 procedures ( GBq)
3 / 0.5 Sv/h
30 / 2 Sv/h
12 / 1.5 Sv/h
5 / 5 Sv/h
20 / 20 Sv/h
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

30. Attenuation Beta radiation Half Value Layer for 192Ir: Range in Air
Lead 3 mm
Steel 14 mm
Concrete 50 mm
(DIN Teil 1 Beiblatt 1)
Half Value Layer for
Diagnostic X-ray:
Lead < 0.1 mm
Beta radiation
Range in Air
Sr-90/Y-90: m
Maximum Range in tissue
Sr-90/Y mm
P mm
Attenuation with 1 cm PMMA
(except Bremsstrahlung)
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004

31. Vienna experience: Radiation exposure with Iridium-192 source in the Cathlab
Data based on measurements during 15 procedures
Angiography μSv / month
Cardiologist / Technicians / Nurses per procedure
Control room = 0.7 μSv
Radiation Oncologist  6 μSv
Physicist  3 μSv
European ALARA Network 8th Workshop,
UPPSALA, SCHWEDEN Sept. 2004