Regulatory Infrastructure of Radiation Control in Bangladesh

Training Course on Radiation Protection for Radiation Workers and
RCOs of BAEC, Medical Facilities and Industries
26 October 2021
Training Institute, AERE, Savar, Dhaka.
Meherun Nahar, Pd. D
Chief Scientific Officer and Director,
Radiation Control Division
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA)
Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Regulatory Infrastructure of Radiation Control in
Bangladesh

Presentation Flow
• Background of Regulatory Activities of BAERA
• Regulatory and Legislative Framework
• Activities
• Responsibilities

Need for Regulatory Control on Radiation Sources
 Sources of ionizing radiation are in
use in Bangladesh for a long time,
bringing immense benefits to the
society. But un controlled use of
radiation sources/unwanted
exposure carries series health risks
for the exposed persons.
 It is essential for every country to
have adequate legal and regulatory
infrastructures to ensure the safety
and security of all radiation
sources, radioactive
material/nuclear material
Accident happened in Goiania Brazil 1987
~ 60 gm of Cs-137 (1400 Ci) generated
40 tons of radwaste for disposal
• Cleanup threshold: ~ 10 Ci/km2 (ground
contamination)
• Significant psychological effects on the
immediate population
• 4 deaths
• Effected health, properties and environment

Regulatory Infrastructure
•The government enacted “Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Act (ACT No 19, June
2012) for establishing an effective regulatory body as well as for introducing Nuclear
Law to ensure safe use of nuclear and radiation sources in the country.
•The BAERA Act-2012 has been formulated based on IAEA Handbook of Nuclear Law and
existing NSRC Act-1993
•Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control Rules- 1997 which was activated by the BAERA Act-
2012
• The Government established Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA)
under section 4 of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Act-2012 on 12th February 2013.
BAERA Building

Regulatory Framework
Inspection Authorization
Enforcement
Formulation of
Safety related
Rules, Guides
and Code of
Conduct
Regulatory Authority oversees through…
In addition to its
regulatory functions in
developing regulations,
licensing and operating
experience feedback
analysis, a regulatory
authority ensures that the
operating organization is
fulfilling its responsibility
in terms of nuclear and
radiation safety.

Vision and Mission BAERA
Vision :
Ensuring the long term safety, security and sustainability in
the safe and peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the country
by establishing a credible regulatory control regime
Mission:
Fostering the nuclear regulatory programmes effectively
concerning safety, security, radiation protection and
safeguards in order to protect the life and health of general
people & radiation workers and to control the adverse effect
of radiation on environment

7
BAER Act 2012
An Act entitled “Bangladesh Atomic
Energy Regulatory Act (BAER) Act was
passed by the parliament in 2012 which
replaced the previous NSRC Act -1993.
NSRC Rules 1997
Nuclear Safety and Control Rules was
passed by the Ministry in 1997
Regulatory Guides
Regulatory Guide on Radiation
Protection in Medical Diagnostic X-Ray
Protection in Nuclear Medicine
Protection in Radiotherapy
Legal Instruments for Regulatory Oversight

Provisions of the BAERA Act-2012 cover safety, security of nuclear and radioactive materials
Key Functions of the Authority -Section-11 of BAER Act 2012
• safe and peaceful use of atomic
energy are established or not
• establish a system or process of
review and assessment for regulatory
function;
• establish and maintain a national
register for radiation sources;
• establish a policy for enforcement
actions and initiate and carryout
enforcement actions against non-
compliance of safety
• carry out inspection
• formulate state nuclear and
radiological emergency planning and
to coordinate all the activities in this
regard
 publish guidelines for the purpose of
enforcement activities and take actions
against noncompliance of this Act and
Rules and Regulations made under this
act
 define matters for exclusion
 establish a public participation system
through seminar, workshop, electronic
and print media and internet, etc
 establish and promote activities related
to the international agreements,
protocols and convention (in which
Bangladesh is a party)
 define and grant exemptions of any
radiological or nuclear facilities from
regulatory control
legislative framework

Radiation Control Division
 Radiation Control Division is responsible for regulating the all facilities using
ionizing radiation sources of Bangladesh.
 The regulatory control is ensured through inspection, authorization
enforcement and Import-export control of radiation sources
 The division organizes nationwide survey inspection notification program at
regular intervals for collecting regulatory data and preparing reports on
radiation protection infrastructure of all radiation sources in Bangladesh.

Radiation Control Division…..
• Notification.
• Issuance of user license for radiation facilities such as
Radiotherapy, Nuclear Medicine, Industry, Medical
diagnostic X-ray, Research & Education facilities etc.
• Issuance of import/export license, permit and NOC for
importing of radioactive materials/ equipment in the
country as well as for exporting from the country.
• Issuance of transport license for ensuring the safe
transport of radioactive materials.
• Review and evaluation of applications and Assessment
of RPP, QA, EPR plan etc. for facility before issuing
license or permit.
• Survey, inspection and re-inspection of radiation
facilities.
• Accident-Incident investigation
• Enforcement
• Investigation of overexposed workers
involved radiation related activities.
• Identification of theft/lost/orphan sources
to bring them under regulatory control.
• Develop and maintain regulatory
inventory
• Formulate Inspection Check list
• Evaluate waste management program
• Develop safety and security framework for
radioactive materials during onsite and
offsite use and transport
• Formulating leaflet, posters, brochures for
creating awareness among general public
about radiation.
• Create awareness about the risk of
harmful ionizing radiation by means of
training and workshop

Basic Regulatory requirements of license
 A person shall obtain license in the prescribed manner from the
competent authority (BAERA) in order to own, operate and
maintain the facility and needs permit/authorization to import
radioactive source/radiation generating equipment.
 The licensee shall also inform BAERA in case of sale, transfer,
lease, gift or loan, damage or decommissioning of the radiation
sources and shifting of the facility.
 The licensee shall apply in the prescribed manner for the
renewal of the license at least 30 days before the expiry of the
licensed period.

Basic Regulatory requirements of license
 The licensee shall ensure qualified and trained personnel to
discharge the licensed responsibilities
 The licensee shall ensure the source, equipment, facility or
practice are technically safe and provide adequate radiological
protection.
 The licensee shall have an approved (by BAERA) Radiation
Control Officer to ensure safe use of radiation sources in the
facility.

Classification of License
At present following categories of license are issued to the radiation sources and
associated facilities :
 Class A : License to manufacture, trade in, produce, process, purchase, own,
transfer, handle, sell, store radioactive material
 Class C : License to manufacture, trade in, produce, process, purchase, own,
transfer, handle, sell, store irradiating apparatus
 Class D : License to transport radioactive material, irradiating apparatus,
nuclear material, prescribed substance and their waste
 Class E : License to export or import radioactive material, irradiating
apparatus, nuclear material, prescribed substance and their waste
 Class H : License issued for any other practice or source which have not been
covered under classes mentioned above.

Personnel Requirements and Responsibilities
 Radiation Control Officer (RCO)
As per rule 54.1of NSRC rule’97 RCO will carryout
responsibilities
 Qualified Radiation Workers
 All Radiation facilities should be managed by a qualified
radiation workers
 The radiotherapy facility should have a medical physicist
who will be responsible for quality assurance in day to
day work in radiotherapy practice
 The installation shall have adequate number of qualified
staffs

Application of Radiation in Bangladesh
Medical
(Diagnostic x-ray,
Nuclear Medicine
and Radiotherapy)
Industrial (Nuclear
Gauge, Well Logging,
Radiography, Quality
Control etc)
Research and
Education
(Academic
Institutes, Research
Institutes)
Research
Laboratories (RTML,
ICDDRB etc)
Agriculture
Consumer
Products
Non Medical
Human Imaging
(Security,
Insurance,
Human
trafficking……)

Licensees shall ensure for all
workers that:
The licensee shall ensure that the
exposure of members of the public
attributable to the practice shall not
exceed the following limits :-
• Occupational exposure be
limited and optimized
• Suitable and adequate facilities,
equipment and services for
protection be provided
• Appropriate protective devices
and monitoring equipment be
provided and properly used
• Appropriate training be
provided as well as periodic
retraining and updating
Control of Occupational Exposure
 an effective dose of 20 mSv per
year averaged over five
consecutive years;
 an effective dose of 50 mSv in
any single year ;
 an equivalent dose to the lens of
the eye of 150 mSv in a year ;
and
 an equivalent dose to the
extremities (hands or feet) or
the skin of 500 mSv in a years ;


Medical
Exposure
Control
For Medical
Exposure Control
license shall ensure
that-
Slide #
19/95
• no patient be administered a diagnostic or therapeutic
medical exposure unless the exposure is prescribed by a
medical practitioner :
•the concerned medical practitioners be assigned the
primary task and obligation of ensuring overall patient
protection and safety while prescribing and administering
medical exposure ;
•for therapeutic uses of radiation, the calibration,
dosimetry and quality assurance requirements in pursuant
to the applicable standards be conducted by or under the
supervision of a qualified expert in radiotherapy physics ;
and
•the exposure of individuals incurred knowingly while
voluntarily helping in the care, support or comfort of
patients undergoing medical diagnosis or treatment shall
be limited within 5 mSv during the whole treatment period
and for the children visitor, such exposure shall be limited
within I mSv.

The licensee shall ensure that the
exposure of members of the public
attributable to the practice shall not
exceed the following limits :-
the licensee shall –
 An effective dose of 1 mSv
in a year
 An equivalent dose to the
lense of the eye of 15 mSv
in a year and
 An equivalent dose to the
skin of 15 mSv in a year
Control of Public Exposure
 ensure that the visitors be accompanied
in any controlled area by a person
knowledgeable about radiation
protection and safety measures for that
area ;
 provide adequate information and
instructions to the visitors before they
enter into a controlled area so as to
ensure appropriate protection of the
visitors and other individuals who may
be affected by their actions; and
 ensure that adequate control over entry
of visitors to a supervised area be
maintained and that the appropriate
signs are posted in such areas.

Transport of Radioactive
Material Waste Management Facility
Ensure Transport Safety/Waste Safety (Regulatory
investigation)
The authorization holder or originator shall ensure
availability of qualified staff and adequate financial
resources as needed for safety and security related
activities for spent fuel and radioactive waste
management during the operating lifetime
Authority shall take all necessary measures including
a system of authorizations, to control the import and
export, re-export, transit and transshipment of
radioactive material and related equipment and
technology that has been determined by the Authority
in order to protect the sovereignty and security of
Bangladesh

22
List of Exempted radiation sources with activities and
activity concentrations have been included in Schedule-II
of NSRC Rules-1997

Activities
• The appropriate training provided to the
professionals/occupational workers engaged in particular
radiation installation
• Training provided to Radiation Control Officer of all facilities
using radiation sources
• Certified after assessment by examination

Training
Slide #
26/95
the authorized radiation control officer shall have
(a)the educational qualification and training approved by the
commission conduct his duty ;
•to be certified by the Regulatory Authority ; and
•to be retrained, if necessary.

Public Awareness
 Create awareness about the
risk of harmful ionizing
radiation by means of
training and workshop.
 Formulating leaflet,
posters, brochures for
creating awareness among
general public about
radiation

Conclusion
29
 Proper regulations including sufficient independence off
the oversight and public awareness , play an important
role in the success of regulating new technology
 BAEAR strongly committed to manage and safe use of
radiation sources and ensuring protection of public
health and environment

Thank you for your attention
30

Regulatory Infrastructure of Radiation Control in Bangladesh

In this document