Last update : June 11, 2015 National competent authoritiesNational competent authorities: The national competent authority is FANC (Federal Agency for Nuclear Control), with its subsidiary entity BelV. National legislative frameworkMain texts of the national regulation: In Belgium, the legislative and regulatory framework concerning occupational radiation protection is mainly laid down in the Law of 15 April 1994 (in French or Dutch) on the protection of the general public and the environment against the hazards arising from ionising radiation and on the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control, and in the implementation decrees of this law, in particular the Royal Decree of 20 July 2001 (in French or Dutch) laying down the General Regulation for the protection of the public, workers and the environment against the hazards of ionising radiation. Since occupational radiation protection of workers is closely linked to the well-being of workers, elements of the legislative and regulatory framework can also be found in the Law of 4 August 1996 (in French or Dutch) on the well-being of workers at work and in the implementation decrees of this law grouped in the Code on well-being at work. The Royal Decree of 25 April 1997 (in French or Dutch) on the protection of workers against the hazards arising from ionising radiation describes in particular the content and implementation modalities of the medical surveillance as well as the responsibilities of employers, licensees and outside companies regarding medical and dosimetric surveillance of workers and outside workers. The FANC Decree of 1 July 2008 (in French or Dutch) establishes the conditions and criteria for recognition of dosimetry services for performing external dosimetry. Provisions more stringent than the Directive EURATOM: YesPersonal dosimetry is mandatory for category B workers.Effective dose limit of 20 mSv each year rather than 20 mSv/year on average over 5 years. National dose registerNational body responsible of national statistics: FANC is in the phase of becoming responsible for the national statistics. Up to now the Ministry of Employment was in charge of monitoring the occupational exposure but legislation is currently undergoing modifications so that the competence is finally attributed to FANC. In this optic, since a few years, FANC is renewing the national dose registry. This project has been divided in 2 phases: a first phase where the external entities will be able to transmit their dose data through an e-platform but with no direct access to the register for consultation and a second phase where the system will be open for consultation by the external entities in a secured way. The description below reflects the situation after the 1st phase of development that should be reached by the end of this year. Types of recorded data: Passive dosimetryOperational dosimetryInternal dosimetry: commited doses onlyMeasurements of internal exposure to radonAircrew external dosimetryNotional dosesData sender to the register: Only several dosimetry services (e.g. only officially approved dosimetry services)EmployerOther:Mainly the task of health physics departments of undertakings but doses can also be transferred by employers of outside workers; Transfers can be delegated to the dosimetry services; Air crew doses are sent by airlines companies. Doses received in another country: YesDirect access to the register data: AuthoritiesOther access to the register data: WorkersRPE/RPOOccupational doctorEmployerOther:Research institutes (only anonymous data) Radiation passbookWorkers with radiation passbook: Only specific group of workersAfter the first phase of development of our system, outside workers will be provided with a radiation passbook. In a further stage of development, only outside workers crossing the boundaries should still be followed by means of a radiation passbook. Radiation passbook centralisation: YesThis registration will be done in the national register system developed by FANC. Approved dosimetry servicesApproval of dosimetry services: The FANC Decree of 1 July 2008 establishes the conditions and criteria for recognition of dosimetry services by the FANC for performing external dosimetry. Approved dosimetry services: All services performing external monitoring are approved (10). Individual monitoring services: The approval of services performing internal dosimetry is under development in the regulation but not yet of application. We don’t have a clear idea yet about the number of such services.Approval of dosimetry services is currently not intended for radon, but proceeded by the FANC. Intercomparison measurement programs: YesAt least every 3 years. External exposureReference dosimetry: Passive dosimetryCategory B workers: YesPositioning of the dosemeter: Double dosimetry (under and above)Correction factors: YesPassive dosimetry - Radiation background: Subtraction method is chosen by the dosimetry services. The value to be subtracted can be evaluated by the dosimetry services, based on the local radiation background or following the Belgian natural-radiation map (around 0.1 µSv/h). Comment on positioning of the dosemeter:If a lead apron has to be worn during exposure to radiation, the dosimeter is worn beneath the lead apron. If irradiation is liable to cause doses in excess of three-tenths of the effective dose limit, two dosimeters should be worn, one above and one beneath the apron. Duration of the monitoring: It depends on the sector of activity and worker activities : from one day (if the dose is liable to exceed 500 mSv per week) to 3 months. Description of the personal whole body dosemetersWhole body dosimetry: TLDRPLOSLSSNTDBubbledetectorsOthers(precise which one)Recording level(mSv) Photon or photon/electronHp(10)YNYNNElectronic0.05 Photon or photon/electronHp(0.07)YNYNN0.05 NeutronHp(10)YNNYN0.05 Comment: Active dosimetry (electronic devices) is also recognized by the FANC as reference dosimetry. Description of the personal extremity dosemeters (ring)Extremity dosemeter (ring): TLDOthers(precise which one)Recording level(mSv) Photon/electronHp(0.07)Y0.05 Description of the personal extremity dosemeters (wrist)Extremity dosemeter (wrist): TLDOthers(precise which one)Recording level(mSv) Photon/electronHp(0.07)Y0.05 PhotonHp(10)N NeutronHp(0.07), Hp(10)N Description of the lens dosemetersLens dosemeter: TLDOthers(precise which one)Recording level(mSv) Photon/electronHp(0.07), Hp(3), Hp(10)N Aircrew exposureAircrew monitoring: For aircrew liable to exceed 1 mSv/year of exposure, airlines must assess the exposure of their crew with the help of dedicated calculations codes. The codes used by airlines registered in Belgium are the following: IASON-FREE (used by 3 Belgian airlines), PCAIRE (one airline), GlobaLog (one airline), CARI-6 (one airline). More information can be found on the FANC website about cosmic radiations (in French or Dutch). Internal exposure monitoringIn vivo measurements: Whole body counting Thyroid counting Lung counting Wound measurement Radiotoxicological analysis: High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) Gamma spectroscopy Alpha-spectrometry (PIPS detectors) Liquid scintillation counting for low-energetic β emitters Gross β in aqueous samples (proportional detector; liquid scintillation counting) Gross α in aqueous samples, filters, nose-blow samples (ZnS Scintillation detectors) Radium and radon measurements (ZnS Scintillation detectors) Strontium, iodine measurements (Gross beta counting with proportional counters) Internal commited dose assessment: Health physics expert. Recording level for internal commited dose: All doses over 0 mSv. Radon exposureMonitoring radon exposure: Radon measurements (along a period of 3 months) can be proceeded by inhabitants with a radon detector furnished by authorities (FANC, districts). If the measurement exceeds 400 Bq/m³, FANC recommends to take corrective actions. More information can be found on the FANC website about radon (in French, Dutch or German).
