1. Status of Radiation Protection in Bangladesh Mahfuza Begum
Head and Chief Scientific Officer Health Physics Division Atomic
Energy Centre, Dhaka Bangladesh
2.
3. Introduction
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) is the national
authority for the introduction, promotion and safety issues of
nuclear science and technology in the country.
Ionizing radiation may cause harms like cancer and genetic
effects to the exposed persons. Effective law and rules are
essential for the safety of the people and for the protection of
environment.
4.
Bangladesh has enacted necessary Act (No. 21 of 1993) and
notified Rules (SRO No. 205-Law/97), 1997. The rules have
incorporated the recommendations of the IAEA. WHO, ILO, FAO
endorsed International Basic Safety Standards IAA-SS-No. 115, 1996
.
The NSRC Act and NSRC Rules requires a license for any person
desiring to engage in any practice using radioactive materials or a
ionizing radiation source .
5. General Requirement of NSRC rules (10.1) for a licensee
The Licensee of the Nuclear Facility Shall:
comply with the requirements that the practice is justified on
the basis of benefit against radiation detriment
ensure that the proposed equipment, facility or practice is
technically safe and provide adequate radiological protection
have adequate financial resource for the safety and protection
throughout the life of the practice, equipment or facility
6.
have qualified and trained personnel adequate to discharge the
licensed responsibilities for the entire life of the practice,
equipment or facility; and
comply with all the requirements of the rules as applicable,
and the specific limits and conditions mentioned in the license
until he is relieved of the responsibilities of the licence by the
commission.
7.
BAEC is the Competent authority to enforce the law in the
country.The Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control Division (NSRCD)
is assisting the BAEC in implementing the Law and Rules.
8. Radiation Facilities in Bangladesh
3MW TRIGA MARK-II Research Reactor
Gamma Irradiator
Radio-Isotope Production
Nuclear Medicine Centre
Radio therapy Facilities
Diagnostic Radiology Centres
Industrial Radiography
Nucleonic Gauges Practices
Radiation Polymerization & Sterilization
3 MeV Van De Graaff Accelerator
Central Radioactive Waste Processing and Storage Facility
(CWPSF)
Research and Education.
9. Control of Occupational Radiation Exposure
Individual Monitoring for External Radiation
Calibration of Monitoring Equipment for External Radiation
Individual Monitoring and Assessment of Intakes of
Radionuclides
Workplace Monitoring
Exposure to Sources of Natural Radiation
Central Dose Record Keeping
10. Individual Monitoring for External Radiation
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) is the only
organization for providing Individual Monitoring Service (IMS)
throughout Bangladesh. According to the recent inventory it is
estimated that the total number of radiation workers in different
facilities is about 6000. Out of 6000 workers about 5000 workers
are working in diagnostic radiology. The monitoring programme
covers 60% of those 5000. The rest of the workers (covering all
other applications) are included in the monitoring programme.
11. Calibration of Monitoring Equipment for External Radiation
A national Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) is
available in the Country. The SSDL covers all potential users. The
laboratory is traceable to Primary Standard (NPL, UK). It covers
all required radiation type and qualities for external dosimetry.
Calibration of equipment are carried out according to the IAEA-SS
(Safety Reports Series No-16).
12. Individual Monitoring for and Assessment of Intakes of
Radionuclides
Internal dose Monitoring is required by the NSRC Rule 1997
(Chapter IX, section 58.3) but the needed service does not exists.
Action plans are being taking to develop internal monitoring
system.
13. Workplace Monitoring
Workplace Monitoring programme, exposure assessment, quality
assurance programme, calibration of monitoring equipment are
required by the NSRC Rule 1997 (Chapter ix). Regulatory authority
verifies these as a condition for issuing licenses.
14. Exposures to Sources of Natural Radiation
Appropriate investigations have been conducted by the authority
and identified the areas where exposures to natural sources of
radiation have to be considered as occupational.
15. Central Dose Record Keeping for external and internal
Exposure
BAEC has established a central dose record keeping system for
keeping records of workers exposed to external radiation as per
requirement of NSRC Rules 1997 (Chapter IX, section 59.2).
16. Table.1. Percentage of Radiation Workers Monitored 100% 35
35 3 Industrial & Research Irradiator 100% 327 327 18 Nuclear
Medicine 100% 186 186 11 Radiotherapy (Tele therapy &
Brachytherapy) 69.82% 3491 5000 3500 Radiodiagnostic Percentage of
No. of Workers Monitored No. of Radiation Workers Monitored No. of
Radiation Workers (Estimated) No. of Facilities Practice
17. Continued 100% 219 219 18 Research & Others 100% 45 45
1 Research Reactor 100% 18 18 1 Radioactive Waste Storage 100% 34
34 1 Production of Isotopes 100% 28 28 2 Accelerator 100% 16 16 1
Neutron Generator 75.38 % 98 130 29 Nucleonic Gauge & Well
Logging 92 % 92 100 14 Industrial Radiography Percentage of No. of
Workers Monitored No. of Radiation Workers Monitored No. of
Radiation Workers (Estimated) No. of Facilities Practice
18. Table-2. Annual average dose of radiation workers in
different disciplines. 0.287 1.480 0.552 1.604 Industrial
Radiography 0.138 0.096 0.110 0.261 Radiotherapy 0.192 0.397 0.405
0.541 Nuclear Medicine 0.144 0.317 0.168 0.295 Diagnostic Radiology
2006 2005 2004 2003 Annual average personal dose equivalent in mSv
Name of the Discipline
19. Medical Exposure Control
NSRC Rule 1997, Chapter VI, Rule No. 23-35 applied for Medical
Exposure Control.
These Rules include the responsibilities of a licensee.to be
performed to control Medical Exposure of patients, occupational
workers, public and environment.
20. Continued..
In meeting the legal requirements of the rules to keep the
risks within the required limits and to keep ALARA, there are three
Regulatory Guides on Radiation Protection in Diagnostic X-ray,
Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine.
The guides, specifies the responsibilities of the different
personnel such as licensee, Radiation Control Officer (RCO),
Radiation Worker and manufacturer and provides radiation protection
activities. By following these guides medical exposures are being
controlled accordingly.
21. Control of Public Exposure
Control of Environmental Radiation Levels
Control of Foodstuffs and selected commodities
Storage of Radioactive Waste
Control of Consumer Products
Control of Chronic Exposure
Control of Radioactivity in Materials for Recycling
22. Control of Environmental Radiation levels
For the control of environmental radiation levels an
environmental monitoring programme is exist, which is supported by
the Bangladesh Gazette, Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control (NSRC)
Rules 1997, Chapter VII, para 40, a-h, which follows BSS 115,
1996.
23. Control of Foodstuffs and Selected Commodities
A national food monitoring system exists for controlling the
levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs and selected commodities.
Food monitoring policy of the Govt. is controlled by the NSRC
Rule-1997, Chapter VII, Section 41.1-4 and 42 (page 37-40) and the
Rule follows the BSS 115.
24. Storage of Radioactive Waste
A Central Radioactive Waste processing and Storage Facility
(CWPSF) is available in the country.
Safety management in CWPSF is being carried out to fulfill the
requirement of NSRC Rule 1997, Chapter X, section 87, for the
protection of occupational worker, public and environment.
25. Control of Consumer Products
NSRC Rule-1997 covers the public exposure control vide the
Chapter VIII, para 42, The exemption criteria or control of public
exposure due to consumer products, viz. Smoke detector, Exit signs,
Mantle, Watches, etc., is refurbished in Schedule-I of NSRC
Rule-1997.
26. Control of Chronic Exposure
To determine the level of radionuclides, heavy sands of Coxs
Bazar, such as, illmenite, Zircon, Rutile, Monazite were analyzed.
Sludge and water samples of Sangu gas field and some other gas
fields, were analyzed.
The draft of the amendment for NSRC Rule 1997, which included
the policy for import of NORM/TENORM, importer has to obtain a
permit from Regulatory Authority for clearance of NORM/TENORM.
27. Control of Radioactivity in Materials for Recycling
The above mentioned draft also included the exemption criteria
regarding the radioactive contamination and radiation level of
scrap materials.
28. Emergency Response Plan
Basic Responsibilities
Establishing emergency management and operations
Managing the medical response
Requirement for infrastructure
29. Basic Responsibilities
According to the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control (NSRC)
Act 1993 (Act No. 21), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)
is empowered to act as a Govt. Body and is the competent authority
for implementation of NSRC Rules 1997.
The NSRC Rule 1997, Chapter VIII provides the responsibility of
licensee for emergency response.
30. Establishing emergency management and operations
A draft version 1.0 on National Radiological Emergency Response
Plan (NRER) has already been prepared (under the NSRC Rule 1997)
and it is under process of approval.
A committee entitled Radiation Emergency Management Committee
has been formed by the BAEC. Three sub-committees, viz. (i)
Radiation Emergency Management Committee, (ii) Radiation Emergency
Medical Sub-committee and (iii) AERE, Savar local Radiation
Emergency Committee under the previous committee were formed for
emergency management and operations.
31. Managing the medical response
Four hospitals, viz. Centre for Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound
(CNM&U) of Bogra, Chittagong, Sylhet and AERE Clinic have been
designated as emergency hospital/centre to manage the victims of
radiological accident.
On the other hand, Centre for Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound
(CNM&U), Dhaka at the premises of Dhaka Medical College
Hospital campus has been designated as a regional Radiological
Emergency Centre.
32. Requirement for infrastructure
Coordination with the national participating organizations
(such as, Ministry of Science, Health and other relevant organs)
and authorities (such as, Acts relating to Food, police, Fire
service, Road transport, civil defense, Environment, etc.) for
radiological emergency are included in the draft of NRER Plan.
33. Conclusion
The practices using ionizing radiation cause radiation exposure
to the occupational workers, patients and the members of the
general public. The occupational workers involved in the use of
radioisotopes and ionizing radiation sources are at risk. The NSRC
Act-1993 and NSRC Rules 1997 impose legal requirements to keep the
risks within acceptable limits and to keep ALARA. According to the
requirement of above Act and Rule, Radiation Protection programmes
of the facilities using ionizing radiation are concerned with the
prevention/limitation of possible harmful effects of radiation
exposure of patients, occupational workers as well as members of
the public and environment.