International Qualified Expert

Qualified Expert (QE) radiation safety services for your company or organisation in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE etc

Ionactive provides an international qualified expert (QE) service for ionising radiation users around the world*. The QE is defined by the IAEA ‘...an individual who, by virtue of certification by appropriate boards or societies, professional licences or academic qualifications and experience, is duly recognized as having expertise in a relevant field of specialization, e.g. medical physics, radiation protection, occupational health...'. The UK Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) and Radioactive Waste Adviser (RWA) are broadly equivalent to a Qualified Expert and offer equivalent advice to radiation users. (*Our QE services are currently being utilised in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and further afield).

Our Qualified Expert service is predominantly designed to be delivered by email, conference calling and telephone. However, depending on the level of QE advice required a visit could be made to your site. If a visit is required it might well be cost effective to combine the QE visit with Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) training.

Why use a Qualified Expert? In UAE there is a requirement to consult the QE in article 12(4) of Basic Safety Standards for Facilities and Activities involving Ionizing Radiation other than in Nuclear Facilities (FANR-Reg-24) which states 'The Licensee shall ensure that Qualified Experts are identified and consulted, as necessary, on the proper observance of this regulation'. More generally, the requirement for QE consultation is found in section 2.6 of IAEA Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards (GSR-Part3) which uses similar wording.

I am a Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) , am I a QE? The short answer is no, despite the fact you have a very important role in your organisation. Your RPO role is to oversee the day to day radiation safety requirements in your workplace. The QE is a certificated individual who can provide you and your company with professional advice on all matters of radiation protection.

Services provided by the Qualified Expert

The follow are examples of the professional advice that you may require when working with ionising radiation.

  • The use of exemption and clearance (where licensing may not be required)
  • The application for a license to work with ionising radiation
  • How to implement ALARA and comply with dose limits
  • Management – writing the Protection and Safety programme and local rules
  • Assessment – writing a safety (risk) assessment for ionising radiation sources
  • Advice on emergency (contingency) plans, their content, and how to practice them
  • Undertaking investigations of abnormal events
  • Advice on engineering systems, interlocks, warning lights for protection
  • Shielding assessment, selection and design
  • Import, licensing, storage, use and eventual disposal of radioactive materials
  • Advice on dosimetry (personnel monitoring) and workplace monitoring
  • Advice on the requirements for controlled and supervised areas
  • Advice on personal protective equipment
  • Specific medical related advice (justification, optimisation, reference levels)
  • Specific advice related to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)

Examples of QE work undertaken in the region by Ionactive

DHL (Dubai) - writing their protection and safety programme, safety assessment and local rules (x-ray and ETD security related).

Mattex Group (Dubai) - on site radiation monitoring of Kr-85 sources with report offering advice on compliance with FANR-REG-24.

Tame General Contracting & Maintenance LLC - shielding design and calculations for large industrial radiography bunker (including advice on active and passive safety systems, interlocks, Ir-192 deployment mechanism etc).

Tatweer Petroleum (Bahrain) - provision of bespoke RPO training course and advice on safe work with NORM, industrial radiography sources (Ir-192, Se-75, Co-60) and flow gauges (Am-241, Cs-137).

Ministry of Interior – Customs Affairs (Bahrain) - provision of bespoke RPO course and advice on safe use of cargo screening systems (6MV linac and smaller x-ray systems), Smiths IonScan, radioactive source detection etc).

Qatar Petrochemical Company Ltd (Qatar) - design and delivery of a radioactive source store specification (for storing radioactive source gauges). Advice on the management, storage, security, record keeping and monitoring of radioactive sources also given.

Qatar Steel Company (Qatar) - writing the company Radiation Protection Manual for their onsite radiation sources (nuclear gauges), handling of any NORM and radiation monitoring of scrap steel prior to entering the steel making process.

Qatar Steel Company (Qatar) - steel slag analysis and monitoring project.

Qatar Steel Company Qatar) - design and delivery of a radioactive source store specification (for storing radioactive source gauges). Advice on the management, storage, security, record keeping and radiation monitoring of radioactive sources also given.

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