Radiation Protection Regulations (SOR/2000-203)

Interpretation and Application

Interpretation

• 1 (1) The definitions in this subsection apply in these Regulations.

  absorbed dose

  absorbed dose means the quotient, in gray, obtained by dividing the energy absorbed through exposure to radiation by the mass of the body or part of the body that absorbs the radiation. (dose absorbée)

  Act

  Act means the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. (Loi)

  balance of the pregnancy

  balance of the pregnancy means the period from the moment a licensee is informed, in writing, of the pregnancy to the end of the pregnancy. (reste de la grossesse)

  caregiver

  caregiver means a person who willingly and voluntarily — and not as an occupation — helps in the support and comfort of a person who has been administered a nuclear substance for therapeutic purposes as directed by a medical practitioner who is qualified to give such direction under the applicable provincial legislation. (personne soignante)

  committed

  committed means, in respect of a dose of radiation, received by an organ or tissue from a nuclear substance during the 50 years after the substance is taken into the body of a person 18 years old or older or during the period beginning at intake and ending at age 70, after it is taken into the body of a person less than 18 years old. (engagée)

  dosimeter

  dosimeter means a device for measuring a dose of radiation that is worn or carried by an individual. (dosimètre)

  effective dose

  effective dose means the sum of the products, in sievert, obtained by multiplying the equivalent dose of radiation received by and committed to each organ or tissue set out in column 1 of an item of Schedule 1 by the weighting factor set out in column 2 of that item. (dose efficace)

  equivalent dose

  equivalent dose means the product, in sievert, obtained by multiplying the absorbed dose of radiation of the type set out in column 1 of an item of Schedule 2 by the weighting factor set out in column 2 of that item. (dose équivalente)

  exemption quantity

  exemption quantity has the same meaning as in section 1 of the Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices Regulations. (quantité d’exemption)

  five-year dosimetry period

  five-year dosimetry period means the period of five calendar years beginning on January 1 of the year following the year in which these Regulations come into force, and every period of five calendar years after that period. (période de dosimétrie de cinq ans)

  licensed activity

  licensed activity means an activity described in any of paragraphs 26(a) to (f) of the Act that a licence authorizes the licensee to carry on. (activité autorisée)

  licensee

  licensee means a person who is licensed to carry on an activity described in any of paragraphs 26(a) to (f) of the Act. (titulaire de permis)

  one-year dosimetry period

  one-year dosimetry period means the period of one calendar year beginning on January 1 of the year following the year in which these Regulations come into force, and every period of one calendar year after that period. (période de dosimétrie d’un an)

  radon progeny

  radon progeny means the following radioactive decay products of radon 222: bismuth 214, lead 214, polonium 214 and polonium 218. (produit de filiation du radon)

  skin

  skin means the layer of cells within the skin that are 7 mg/cm² below the surface. (peau)

  worker

  worker means a person who performs work that is referred to in a licence. (travailleur)

  working level

  working level[Repealed, SOR/2020-237, s. 1]

  working level month

  working level month[Repealed, SOR/2020-237, s. 1]

• (2) For the purpose of the definition dosimetry service in section 2 of the Act, a dosimetry service is a facility that is licensed by the Commission to measure and monitor radiation doses.

• (3) For the purpose of the definition nuclear energy worker in section 2 of the Act, the prescribed limit for the general public is 1 mSv per calendar year.

Application

• 2 (1) Subject to subsection (2), these Regulations apply generally for the purposes of the Act.

• (2) These Regulations do not apply to a licensee in respect of a dose of radiation received by or committed to a person

  • (a) in the course of the person’s examination, diagnosis or treatment, as directed by a medical practitioner who is qualified to examine, diagnose or treat the person under the applicable provincial legislation;

  • (b) as a result of the person’s voluntary participation in a biomedical research study supervised by a medical practitioner who is qualified to provide such supervision under the applicable provincial legislation; or

  • (c) while the person is acting as a caregiver.

Obligations of Licensees and Nuclear Energy Workers

Administration of Nuclear Substance for Medical Purposes

3 When a nuclear substance is administered to a person for therapeutic purposes, the licensee must inform the person of methods for reducing the exposure of others — including the caregiver or anyone else providing care and assistance — to radiation from the person.

Radiation Protection Program

4 Every licensee must implement a radiation protection program and must, as part of that program,

• (a) keep the effective dose and equivalent dose received by and committed to persons as low as reasonably achievable, taking into account social and economic factors, through the implementation of

  • (i) management control over work practices,

  • (ii) personnel qualification and training,

  • (iii) control of occupational and public exposure to radiation, and

  • (iv) planning for unusual situations; and

• (b) ascertain the quantity and concentration of any nuclear substance released as a result of the licensed activity

  • (i) by direct measurement as a result of monitoring, or

  • (ii) if the time and resources required for direct measurement as a result of monitoring outweigh the usefulness of ascertaining the quantity and concentration using that method, by estimating them.

Ascertainment and Recording of Doses

• 5 (1) For the purpose of keeping a record of doses of radiation in accordance with section 27 of the Act, every licensee must ascertain and record the magnitude of exposure to radon progeny of each person referred to in that section, as well as the effective dose and equivalent dose received by and committed to that person.

• (2) A licensee must ascertain the magnitude of exposure to radon progeny and the effective dose and equivalent dose

  • (a) by direct measurement as a result of monitoring; or

  • (b) if the time and resources required for direct measurement as a result of monitoring outweigh the usefulness of ascertaining the amount of exposure and doses using that method, by estimating them.

Action Levels

• 6 (1) In this section, action level means a specific dose of radiation or other parameter that, if reached, may indicate a loss of control of part of a licensee’s radiation protection program and triggers a requirement for specific action to be taken.

• (2) When a licensee becomes aware that an action level referred to in the licence for the purpose of this subsection has been reached, the licensee must

  • (a) conduct an investigation to establish the cause for reaching the action level;

  • (b) identify and take action to restore the effectiveness of the radiation protection program implemented in accordance with section 4; and

  • (c) notify the Commission within the period specified in the licence.

Provision of Information

• 7 (1) Every licensee must inform each nuclear energy worker, in writing,

  • (a) of the fact that the worker is a nuclear energy worker;

  • (b) of the risks associated with radiation to which the worker may be exposed in the course of their work;

  • (c) of the applicable effective dose limits and equivalent dose limits prescribed by sections 13 to 15;

  • (d) of the worker’s radiation dose levels, received on an annual basis; and

  • (e) of the worker’s responsibilities during an emergency and the risks associated with radiation to which the worker may be exposed during the control of an emergency.

• (2) Every licensee must inform each female nuclear energy worker, in writing,

  • (a) of the risks associated with the exposure of embryos and fetuses to radiation and the risks to breastfed infants from the intake of nuclear substances;

  • (b) of the importance of informing the licensee, as soon as feasible, in writing, that the female nuclear energy worker is pregnant or breastfeeding;

  • (c) of the rights of a pregnant nuclear energy worker and the rights of a breastfeeding nuclear energy worker under section 11; and

  • (d) of the applicable effective dose limits for pregnant nuclear energy workers prescribed by section 13.

• (3) Every licensee must obtain from each nuclear energy worker who is informed of the matters referred to in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) and subsection (2) a written acknowledgement that the worker has received the information.

Requirement to Use Licensed Dosimetry Service

• 8 (1) Every licensee must use a licensed dosimetry service to measure and monitor the doses of radiation received by and committed to nuclear energy workers who have a reasonable probability of receiving

  • (a) an effective dose that is greater than 5 mSv in a one-year dosimetry period; or

  • (b) an equivalent dose to the skin, or the hands and feet, that is greater than 50 mSv in a one-year dosimetry period.

• (2) Every licensee referred to in subsection (1) must provide the following information to the licensed dosimetry service with respect to each nuclear energy worker referred to in subsection (1):

  • (a) the worker’s given names, surname and any previous surname;

  • (b) the worker’s Social Insurance Number;

  • (c) the worker’s gender;

  • (d) the worker’s job category; and

  • (e) the date, province and country of birth of the worker.