The Regulations are arranged into nine parts and ten schedules, each dealing with specific areas, principles and practices.

part 1: Interpretation and General

This part, as implied by its title, deals with the gen­eral aspects of the legislation and definition of terms, etc. The most important here are Regulations 2, Interpretation, defining the meaning of phrases, words and so on; Regulation 4, which says that employers must co-operate with each other to ensure that the Regulations can be complied with; and Regulation 5 requiring notification to the HSE, by an employer, that work with radiation is being undertaken.

Regulation 4 is particularly important when the CEGB is employing contract labour. Such contractors may not have previous experience of work with radia­tion and it is important that both the CEGB and the contractor understand their mutual responsibilities.

Part 2: Dose limitation

This part contains only two regulations, but these are perhaps the most important as they deal with dose limitation. Not only must doses be kept below the limits set out in Schedule 1, but all ‘reasonably prac­ticable steps’ must be taken to restrict radiation ex­posure. This latter aspect is known as the ALARP principle, meaning as low as reasonably practicable, and is taken as being equivalent to the ICRP principle that all doses should be kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA), economic and social factors being taken into account

The words ‘reasonably practicable’ have been used throughout the regulations, rather than ‘reasonably achievable’ as the interpretation of it has been es­tablished by case law. Regulation 28 deems that an ALARP investigation must be carried out by the em­ployer if the dose to an employee exceeds three-tenths of any dose limit. This means that for each case where this occurs, the doses received by the workers have to be justified and demonstrated as being ALARP, It should be noted that the same dose limits apply to all persons at work but that some persons may be regarded as not working with radiation. In these cases, for example, administrative staff at a nuclear site, the ACOP states that it is unlikely that their doses would be ALARP if the dose limit exceeds that for members of the public, І. e., one-tenth of the occupa­tional dose limits.

Part 3: Regulation of Work with Ionising Radiation

This part deals with certain administrative arrange­ments to be undertaken by the employer in respect of the nature of the work carried out. Regulation 8 re­quires the designation of controlled and supervised areas. A controlled area is one in which it may be possible for a worker to exceed three-tenths of the dose limit; a supervised area is one in which it may­be possible to exceed one-tenth of the dose limit. On nuclear power stations, the reactor building complex is designated the controlled area, whilst the supervised area is the area within the site fence. Note that it is usual to set the boundaries for such areas where it is physically practicable, rather than the exact dose rate corresponding to the area boundaries, as long as these could not lead to breaches of the requirements. This usually also applies to radiographic work at any location.

Regulation 9 requires the employer to designate as classified persons, those employees who might exceed three-tenths of a relevant dose limit. Here the duty is on the employer to fulfil this requirement. How­ever, for contract labour working on a nuclear li­censed site, Regulation 4 is very relevant as previously mentioned.

Regulations 10 and 11 require the appointment of radiation protection advisers (RPA) and radiation pro­tection supervisors (RPS). The RPA is an independent adviser to the employer and on a nuclear licensed site would be an accredited health physicist. The RPS, as the name suggests, has a more supervisory role and is usually the Senior Authorised Person (NR) on a nuclear site.

Regulation 11 also requires that local rules be draw-n up by the employer, and in the CEGB this require­ment is fulfilled by the Safety Rules (Radiological). However, additional procedures may be enforced at particular locations which would be regarded as local rules, as defined.

Regulation 12 requires the employer to instruct and train the employees so that they may carry out their work in accordance with the Regulations. Also in­cluded, is the requirement to inform those who work with radiation of the health risks associated with the work and the precautions to be taken.