31 January 2018
Deadline 5 February: all employers must reapply under the new regulations
All veterinary employers who work with X-rays must register with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) by Monday 5 February 2018, under new legislation.
The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) replaced IRR99 on 1 January 2018 and employers must now apply to the HSE to carry out work with ionising radiation.
Under the new regulation, notifications given under IRR99 are no longer valid and all employers must reapply under the new regulations by the 5 February deadline.
Registration with the HSE entails a fee of £25 per employer. All veterinary employers that administer radioactive materials or use a linear accelerator will additionally have to obtain consent, with an additional £25 fee per employer. Failure to comply may result in enforcement action, up to and including prosecution.
More information on how to apply is available at the HSE website.
Practices that are part of a larger veterinary group should check with head office before registering, as only one registration per company is required.
BVA produce an Ionising Radiations Guide and, as a result of IRR17, this is in the process of being updated.
BVA is liaising with the HSE and Radiation Protection Advisors to update the guide.
BVA members will be updated when the new Guide is available for sale. For further information, please contact LauraC@bva.co.uk
The draft Approved Code of Practice and Guidance can be downloaded for free from the HSE website and gives advice and direction on how to meet the requirements in the regulations.
