HSE-compliant medical surveillance for classified workers under Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017

Clinics in South West and South Wales & on-site throughout the UK

Instant booking; appointments in 1-2 days

£150 pay-as-you-go; discounts for groups

What is an IRR17 medical examination, and why is it needed?

Ionising radiation medicals are a part of medical surveillance for classified workers under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17).

These IRR17 medical examinations are undertaken by HSE-appointed doctors. Their purpose is to confirm fitness for work, offer health and safety advice and check for early signs of radiation-related health issues:

• The initial radiation medical should be before they start working with ionising radiation.

• The workers are certified to work with ionising radiation for 12 months. Restrictions may be required for medically vulnerable workers.

• Follow-up examinations are required at least every 12 months.
  After the initial IRR medical, in lower-risk cases, the doctor may offer remote (paper-based) radiation medical for up to 4 years. Contact us to discuss if a remote IRR medical may be available.

Employers must designate classified workers – those who are likely to receive effective whole-body dose >6mSv/year (or equivalent doses exceeding 3/10 of annual limits: 15 mSv to the lens of the eye or 150 mSv to the skin or extremities).

They must provide periodic medical surveillance by an HSE-appointed doctor, enable the appointed doctor to visit the facility and share health records, dose history, and absence records for assessments.

Other core employers’ responsibilities: justify that the benefits of using ionising radiation outweigh the risks; limit worker exposure to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP); ensure exposure does not exceed legal dose limits; provide appropriate training and personal protective equipment; implement a system of dose monitoring and record-keeping; consult a Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) and appoint a Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) to oversee compliance with local rules and procedures.

We support clients who require urgent radiation medicals thanks to our online, instant booking service and 1-2 day appointments in Bristol and South Wales.

Bristol OH Clinic

Serving Bristol, Bradley Stoke, Filton, Avonmouth, M4/M5 area, Keynsham, Bath and Weston-super-Mare

Chepstow (South Wales) OH Clinic

Supporting Newport, Cardiff, Cwmbran, Pontypool, Abergavenny and Caldicot.

On-Site IRR medicals (nationwide)

For groups of 5 or more, we can visit workplaces anywhere in the UK. This saves workers’ time and ensures cost-effective IRR assessments.

Our expertise and 10 years of experience

Our doctors are appointed by the HSE to undertake IRR medicals, issue health records and process clinical records as ICO-registered data processors.

We have supported classified workers and employers in various sectors, including the nuclear industry, industrial radiography, radiation-based sterilisation, clinical radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, and non-destructive testing. For example, we recently helped an English radiography company assess 20 workers on-site.

Employer preparation

Before the appointment, the employers need to provide:

• New classified workers: Health Record (page one) and sickness absence record for the past year (if applicable).
• Existing classified workers: Health Record (page one) (less than 12 months old) yearly sickness absence and dose record (lifetime and recent within 3 months)

Classified workers: before your IRR17 medical examination

Please bring a photographic ID and your current prescription, if applicable. Do not attend if you have a new cough or fever.

What to expect during the HSE radiation medical

The assessment takes about 30 minutes. Our HSE-appointed doctor will:

• Review the worker’s medical and work history
• Carry out a brief physical examination and complete health record for the employer
• Discuss the results and explain any radiation risks or safety advice.

Radiation certificate: HSE Health Record

After the medical, the employer will receive an HSE radiation medical certificate (Health Record) with fitness details, restrictions (if any), and an expiry date. We will keep confidential clinical information in the HSE Clinical Record. In lower-risk cases, follow-up medicals may be paper-based for up to 4 years.

Ionising radiation is energy coming from sources like X-rays or sources emitting radiation particles (alpha, beta, neutrons).

It is an occupational hazard in various industries, such as medical imaging (e.g., X-rays, CT scans) and radiotherapy, industrial radiography, nuclear power generation, scientific research, the food industry, and other applications. Ionising radiation can take the form of electromagnetic waves (gamma or X-rays) or particles (alpha, beta, or neutrons).

Ionising radiation health risks

• Direct tissue and organ damage (deterministic or dose-dependent effects). The risk and severity of symptoms increase with the dose of radiation.
  These effects appear when a threshold dose is exceeded and are very unlikely to occur at the annual dose limit.
  Some deterministic effects include skin burns, hair loss, cataracts, changes to blood cells, and reduced fertility. Very high doses during unexpected exposures may lead to acute radiation syndrome (with nausea, anaemia, multiorgan failure, and death).
  
  These risks from occupational exposures are considered low due to strict regulatory controls.
  
• Stochastic (non-dose-dependent) effects. These have no threshold, but their probability increases with dose.
  The main examples include increased risk of cancer, particularly leukaemia and solid tumours. It is important to remember that these figures are relatively low compared with the general lifetime risk of cancer in the UK (i.e., approximately 40-50%).

The period between exposure and the health effects (latency) of radiation-induced cancers can range from a few years to several decades. No safe dose and long latency underpin the importance of regular dosimetry, training, and long-term medical surveillance and record-keeping.

Work with ionising radiation is regulated by the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017, and enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). For more detailed information about ionising radiation risks, controls, and regulations, please visit the HSE’s ionising radiation pages.

HSE: Introduction to Radiation in the Workplace

HSE: Ionising radiation, protecting workers

HSE Guidelines for expectant or breastfeeding mothers (HSE INDG334)

HSE Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017, Approved Code of Practice (I121)