Mid Term Review Meeting of National Focal Persons on

Radiation Protection

June 7 - 11, 2004, Beijing, China

Country Presentation
A.S. Pradhan
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Mumbai 400 085, India
Organizational Chart Relevant to Radiation
Protection Infrastructure in India
Prime Minister of India / Cabinet

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

Department of Atomic Atomic Energy Regulatory

Energy (DAE) Board (AERB)

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

Nuclear Power Corporation

Nuclear Fuel Complex

Centre for Advanced Technology

Atomic Minerals Division

Uranium Corporation of India Limited

Present Composition of the Atomic
Energy Commission of India
Chairman
Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy
Member
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister
Member
Cabinet Secretary
Finance Secretary and Secretary, Dept. of
Member
Economic Affairs, Min. of Finance
Ex officio Secretary to the Government Member for Finance
President, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for
Member
Advanced Scientific Research
Former Member Planning Commission & ex- Member
Chairman AEC
ISRO Disting. Prof., Chair. BRNS & Former Member
Chairman AERB
Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Member

Head Management Services Group, DAE Secretary

Organizational Chart of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board

AERB Secretariat Advisory Bodies

Atomic Energy
Executive Committee Regulatory Standing Committees
Board
Safety Research Institute Project Review
KALPAKKAM Committees

Safety Review Committee for Safety Review Committee

Operating Plants for Applications of
Radiation

Operating Plants Safety Division Radiological Safety Division

Industrial plants Safety Division Nuclear Projects Safety Division

Information & Technical Services Safety Analysis & Documentation Division

Division
Administrative Division
Civil & Structural Engineering
Division Accounts Division
 MAIN ACTIVITIES OF THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY
Ensure compliance by DAE and non-DAE installations with the safety codes, guides
and standards.
Review operational experience in the light of the radiological and other safety criteria.
Review applications for authorization, commissioning and operation of DAE projects
and plants.
Prescribe acceptable limits of (a) radiation exposure to occupational workers and
members of the public and (b) environmental release of radioactive substances.
Carry out safety research and promote safety research and development efforts at
various academic and research institutions in India.
Prescribe syllabi for training of personnel in the safety aspects at all levels.
Maintain liaison with other regulatory bodies regarding safety matters.
Keep the public informed on major issues of radiological safety significance.
Review and investigate safety-related unusual occurrences in respect of radiation
generating equipment and radioactive materials in radiation and nuclear facilities.
1. Inspect all nuclear and radiation installations.
Prescribe standards for safe disposal of radioactive waste.
Maintain inventory of all radioactive material / radiation sources.
Prescribe Safety standards for the transport of radioactive material / radiation sources.
Safety promotional activities.
Issue of licenses to operating personnel in DAE facilities.
Monitor Emergency preparedness in all nuclear and radiological facilities.
Develop safety codes, guides and standards.
Health, Safety and Environment Group, HS&EG,
BARC (Till 1983 Competent authority within BARC)
Reactor Safety Division (RSD) - engineering R&D related to reactor design and
safety,
Radiological Physics and Advisory Division (RP&AD) - training in radiological
physics and radiation safety in medical, industrial and research applications and
individual monitoring services for external radiation exposures.
Health Physics Division (HPD) - nuclear power plants (NPPs) and other fuel
cycle facilities & human recourse development for operational health physics.
Radiation Standards & Safety Division (RSSD) - research reactors and other
nuclear facilities of BARC, radiation survey instruments, primary and secondary
standards , emergency preparedness and accident prevention program and
providing regulatory services for all the BARC facilities under the aegis of BSC.
Environmental Assessment Division (EAD) - radioactivity measurements, radon
surveys, radioactivity contents of samples, radionuclide fallout analysis,
surveillance at the front end of nuclear fuel cycle and pollution monitoring and
environmental monitoring studies
Internal Dosimetry Division (IDD) -assessment of internal exposures due to
intakes of radionuclides using direct and indirect methods, Mobile Radiological
Laboratory for preparedness for off-site emergency .
Practices and Radiation Sources in India
* Diagnostic X-ray machines - about 40000
* X-ray fluorescence machines - 120
* Teletherapy units (at 180 centers ) - 260 units
* Brachytherapy HDR+LDR units - 70
* 60Co, 137Cs, 192Ir, 90Sr 60Co Brachytherapy sources - 1300
* Medical and industrial LINACs - 50
* Research laboratories - 500
* Industrial radiography exposure devices - 1100
* Gamma Irradiator Facilities - 7
* Nucleonic Gauges including well logging sources - 7500
* Users of nucl. med. unsealed sources (including RIA) - 500 centers
* Users of unsealed sources material with higher activities - 150 centers
* Manufacturers of products containing radioactive material- 200
* Ur-Th mining and milling (at 3 centers ) - 8 units
* Nuclear Fuel cycle facilities - 2
* Research Reactors - 4
* Power Reactors in operation - 14
* Production of Radioisotopes units - 3
 CONTROL OF OCCUPATIONAL
RADIATION EXPOSURES

Individual monitoring for and assessment

of intakes of radionuclides
Practice No. of workers
Fission/Activation products 3300/year
(whole body/counting & Bioassay)
Actinides (Pu/Am,Y,Th) (Lung counting)
650/year
Radon Personal Dosimeters 300/year
Radon Breath Monitoring 450/year
 Individual monitoring for external radiation
by using indigenously developed TLD system
No. of persons monitored 45000 in
3000 institutions
No. of Dosimeters / year - 4,60,000
Type approval, QA tests mandatory, Accreditation of
laboratories since 1999
Workplace monitoring
Assessment of exposure to sources of natural radiation

Calibration of monitoring equipment for external

radiation

Central dose record keeping since 1952.

For external and internal exposure
 Occupational Exposure
Category No. of N0. of Annual No. of
Institutions Workers Average Workers
Dose Exceeding
(mSv) 20 mSv
in any y
Industry 555 5359 0.75 17

Medicine 2076 17259 0.55 37

Research 198 2490 0.14 -

Nuclear Power Plant Workers Exposed to annual dose
> 20 mSv and > 30 mSv

Year Total Those with annual dose exceeding

number 20 mSv 30 mSv
of Number Percent Num Percent
workers ber
1996 11090 98* 0.88 3 0.03
1997 10008 30 0.30 3 0.03
1998 10145 9 0.09 3 0.03
1999 10233 80* 0.80 5 0.05
2000 14276 12 0.08 1 0.01
*Cases due to planned exposures. Annual average dose in PHWR < 4 mSv
CONTROL OF MEDICAL EXPOSURES

Number of Annual Average

Institutions Dose (mSv)

Teletherapy 0.60

Nuclear 1.30
Medicine
Diagnostic X- 0.45
rays
 CONTROL OF PUBLIC EXPOSURE
Control of radioactive discharges
National waste management strategy and
Provisions for Radioactive Waste
Treatment of Radioactive Waste
Control of Discharges from the Management
of Radioactive Waste
Storage of Radioactive Waste
Disposal of Radioactive Waste
Decommissioning of Facilities
Environmental and food monitoring
Control of exposure to radon
 TRANSPORT SAFETY
Safety Code based on IAEA Regulations prescribing
the regulatory requirements for transport of
radioactive materials.
All Type packages are subject to approval by AERB.
Type A packages are required to be registered with
the Regulatory Authority
In respect of radioactive materials that are to be
transported under special arrangement,
permission is granted only on the basis of a
safety analysis.
As a rule, special arrangement shipments are
discouraged.
 PLANNING RESPONSE TO
RADIATION EMERGENCIES
Infrastructure for radiation emergency response
1. National Emergency Plan for Emergency Response
National Crisis Management Committee (Apex
Body)
Crisis Management Group
a) Nuclear Fuel Cycle Operation, Nuclear Power
Plants and Research Reactors
b) Industrial Gamma Irradiators
c) Industrial Radiation Source
d) Radiotherapy sources
2. Multilateral Agreement through IAEA
3. Medical management of serious over-exposure
Mobile Radiological Laboratory
 EDUCATION & TRAINING (E & T)

Training for comprehensive responsibilities in

radiation protection

Training of managers, workers and medical

and paramedical professionals

Training of peripheral persons

Training Courses Related to Radiation Protection and
Radiation Safety

Diploma in Radiological Physics (one year course)

Radiation Safety for Radiation Therapy Technologists (7 days)

Radiation Safety in Applications of Radioisotopes in Research(7 days)

Radiation Safety in Radioluminous Paints

Radiation Safety in Quality Assurance in Diagnostic Radiology (7 days)

Radiation Safety in Food Irradiation Facilities (30 days)

Radiation Safety in Industrial Radiography (6 weeks)
Radiation Safety in Radiography Testing (level-1)RT1 (15 days)

Radiation Safety in High Intensity Irradiator Operators (15 days)

Radiation Safety Awareness Programmes (1-3 days)

Radiation Safety in Applications of Nucleonic Gauges (NG) (7 days)
Radiation Safety in Diagnostic X-ray Technology (7 days)
Familiarization Programme on NG/Logging Tools (1-3 days)
Radiation Safety for Transport Carriers of Radioactive Materials

Radiation Safety in Radioimmunoassay & its Application

Radiation Safety in Radiography Testing (level-2)RT2 (4 weeks)

Radiation Safety in Radiography Testing (level-3)RT3

Training Course in Health Physics 1 y

Planning, Preparedness & Response to Radiological Emergencies

Diploma in Radiation Medicine (DRM) 2 y

Diploma in Medical Radioisotope Techniques (DMRIT) 1 y

Safety Training Course for Regulators in Medical And Industrial

Applications of Ionising Radiation (42 lecture)
 SOME PROFESSIONAL BODIES
INVOLVED IN RADIATION PROTECTION
AND PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAMS
Indian Association for Radiation Protection (IARP),
Association of Medical Physicists of India (AMPI),
Indian Society for Radiation Physics (ISRP),
National Association for Applications of
Radioisotopes & Radiation in Industry (NAARI),
Indian Nuclear Society (INS),
Association of Radiation Oncologists of India (AROI),
Society of Nuclear Medicine in India (SNM),
Luminescence Society of India (LSI)
 UNUSUAL OCCURRENCES
Loss of well logging sources

Seven well logging sources belonging to various

institutions got stuck in wells while in
operation. As per international practice, the
wells were sealed with about 50 m of concrete
so that the' sources would not pose any hazard
or interfere with the oil production.
 Loss of Industrial Gamma Radiography
Exposure Device(IGRED)

A radiography camera with source was reported to be

stolen during its transport by the radiography
personnel to the radiography site by a public transport
bus.
Institution lodged a police complaint and informed
the regulatory authority. A team of scientists equipped
with very sensitive instruments was immediately sent.
In spite of wide publicity and intense search, it could
not be traced out. However, there was no report of any
radiation injury or any other kind of radiation
exposure related incident in the area.
It was noted that the potential for hazard would die
faster due to short half-life of Ir-192.

It was purely a case of negligence and violation of the

provisions of the regulations for safe transport of
radioactive material which prohibit such transport of
radioactive material by public transport buses or
vehicles by the institution.

As a punitive action to the institution show cause notice

was sent and the institution was suspended from
carrying out the radiography work for 6 months and
the certificate of the personnel who was in charge of
the radiation safety was also cancelled.