BERTHOLD TECHNOLOGIES LB4710-050, User Manual

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Chapter 11 Radiation Protection
Mini-Switch LB 471
99
Chapter 11. Radiation Protection
11.1
Basics and Directives
In order to prevent adverse health effects caused by working with
the radioactive substances required for our purposes, limits for the
maximum permissible radiation exposure of operating personnel
have been agreed upon on an international level. The following
information refers to the German Protection Ordinance of August
2001.
Appropriate measures in designing the shieldings and arranging
the measuring system at the measuring point will ensure that the
radiation exposure of the personnel will remain below the maxi-
mum permissible value of 1 mSv (100 mrem) per year.
To ensure proper handling and the observance of statutory re-
quirements, the company has to appoint a radiological safety of-
ficer who is responsible for all radiation protection issues in con-
nection with the measuring system. The radiological safety officer
will monitor work with the radiometric measuring system and, if
necessary, formalize the safeguards and any special precautions
applicable to a given establishment in formal procedural instruc-
tions, which in special cases may serve as a basis for radiation
protection guidelines. These may stipulate that access to the con-
tainer shall only be permitted after the active beam is shielded.
Radiation protection areas outside the shielding must be – if they
are accessible – marked and guarded. These instructions should
also include checks of the shutter device of the shielding and pro-
visions for serious operational trouble - such as fire or explosion.
Any special event has to be reported to the radiological safety of-
ficer immediately. He or she will then investigate any damage and
immediately take suitable precautions if he or she detects defects
that may adversely affect the operation or safety of the system.
The radiological safety officer has to make sure that the provisions
of the Radiation Protection Ordinance will be observed. In particu-
lar, his or her duties include instructing the staff on the proper
handling of radioactive substances.
Radioactive sources that are no longer in use or have reached the
end of their service life must be returned to the national radioac-
tive waste disposal center or to the manufacturer.
Generally, every member of staff should endeavor to minimize any
radiation exposure – even within the permissible limits – by careful
and responsible action and by observing certain safety standards.
The total sum of the radiation dose absorbed by a body is deter-
mined by three factors. On the basis of these factors, certain fun-
damental radiation protection rules can be derived: