Working with radiation
Do you work with ionising radiation? Do you use radiation in your production process, or is it released as a result thereof? This radiation may be harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. You must therefore follow strict rules on working with radiation.
Ionising radiation is used in applications by industry, aviation and healthcare, among others. It may come from radioactive substances, ores, fissionable materials, natural resources and X-ray equipment. Ionising radiation is used in applications by industry, aviation and healthcare, among others.
Permit under the Nuclear Energy Act
If you possess, work with, or transport products or applications that contain or use ionising radiation in the Netherlands, you must comply with the Dutch nuclear energy legislation. Depending on the situation, you must apply for a permit under the Nuclear Energy Act (in Dutch) or register your radioactive sources or equipment (in Dutch) with the Dutch Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (Autoriteit Nucleaire Veiligheid en Stralingsbescherming, ANVS).
ANVS not only issues permits, but is also the responsible authority for policy development, rules and regulations, supervision and enforcement.
Your employees and ionising radiation
Employees in, for example, nuclear plants and hospitals can be exposed to ionising radiation. Is there a chance that your employees will be exposed to over 6 millisievert (mSv) of radiation per year? A radiation physician must perform an initial test and examine your employees on a regular basis. If an employee stops working with radiation, they must be tested again. The radiation physician should be part of your health and safety department or agency (arbodienst) or work closely with either of these.
A medical examination is not required if the exposure to radiation on a yearly basis is 6 mSv or less.
You can find an overview of legislation concerning medical applications of radiation on the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment’s (RIVM) website (in Dutch).
Monitoring safety measures
Do the examinations by the radiation physician indicate that more safety measures need to be taken? Your health and safety agency must implement these measures. A radiation protection expert (stralingsbeschermingsdeskundige, SBD) must assess your plans and the risks involved. The radiation protection expert must also check if all safety measures are implemented and upheld.
Dosimetric services
A dosimetric service can determine how much ionising radiation your employees are exposed to, using dosimeters. They supply personal dosimeters with which you can monitor the amount of radiation your employees are exposed to. This dosimetric service should be recognised by ANVS. Data gathered by the dosimeter is registered with the National Radiation Dose and Information System (NDRIS, in Dutch). Radiation professionals can request their radiation dose history (in Dutch) or apply for a radiation passport (in Dutch) if they work as external workers.
Monitoring activities
You must have a supervising radiation protection expert (toezichthoudend medewerker stralingsbescherming, TMS) to perform or monitor activities involving ionising radiation on-site. This applies to activities for which registration or a licence is mandatory, and for activities involving a high risk. The TMS may monitor low or medium risk activities off-site. Your radiation protection expert may also be your appointed TMS.
The Dutch-language factsheet for monitoring the workplace explains when a TMS is required.
Online application procedure via Message Box
You can apply for the permit under the Nuclear Energy Act and the dosimetric service recognition to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency digitally via Message Box. Message Box is a secure email system that enables you as an entrepreneur to exchange digital messages with Dutch government agencies.