HSE inspecting school for radiation

[Nick Mitchener]

HSE will usually use the contact email address that was given on the employers details online when the 'Registration' was completed.

I recommend a specific email address is created for this purpose e.g. radiation@... then key people added to this address e.g., RPS, Head of Science, Business Manager etc.

Thanks

Tony

In the case of LA schools that will be the LA, so who do they contact?
If a school changes to an academy now subsequent to registration presumably they have to register again? If a MAT then it will be the admin of the MAT who do that?

 

[TonyRPA]

HI Nick, for LA schools they should contact the LA and the school via the admin@ / reception@... email address for the school.

Yes you are correct (and this is detailed in CLEAPSS guidance) if an independent school joins a MAT (whose schools already hold sources) then the original school HSE Registration will need to be closed and I recommend the school RPS then liaise with the MAT Business Manager (or equivalent) for a copy of the MAT Registration and ensure the number of premises declared on the employers details is still sufficient ( e.g. MAT originally declared 2-5 premises however the new school addition puts the number to 6 and will require amendment of the employers details on the HSE account).

If the MAT has not been required to complete a Registration before the new school addition, then yes the MAT Business Manager (or equivalent) must do so on behalf of the school and send a copy of the registration to the school RPS to hold on file.

With schools joining/leaving MAT's the HSE Registration sometimes gets overlooked by admin, so I always recommend the RPS liaise with the relevant people to ensure it doesn't get missed.

Thanks

Tony

 

[Hobnob]

Following on from this

Does anyone here have an official title of assistant rps and get a point or two up the pay scale as a result? I think the HoD would support me if I asked for this, but having some examples would help my case. (Not that we have a pay scale, and realistically it would be more like a fiver a month for doing it)

I self appointed myself as this but no money

 

[Dino Girl]

Everyone see this little ray of sunshine coming from the government:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKHSE/bulletins/3104300

Where schools use radioactive materials as part of their learning activities, they are required to comply with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) and seek registration from HSE.

To ensure that the risks to workers and students from radiation are managed effectively, from April 2022 HSE’s radiation team will be carrying out inspections in schools who hold registration for this type of work to review compliance with IRR17.

Just great...

We are already registered with the HSE by our external RPA inspector.

It's usually done by a RPA / RPO.

A copy should be kept in the Radiaton file.

It may just be a matter of getting the copy of the letter from the higer up's.

 

[TonyRPA]

HI all,

Feedback from a school RPS from a HSE visit yesterday (they passed) :

1. HSE are very much using CLEAPSS L93 guidance as reference (so use forms 6.6 and 16.1-16.13 for compliance evidence)
2. The inspector went through the last RPA audit report to ensure that any issues raised on that had been actioned.
3. The inspector discussed the school's radon risk - in this case <1% on the UKRadon map, so did not want any follow up action.
4. Big emphasis on contingency plans and senior leaders and governors of schools being kept informed of responsibilities and dangers via annual RPS report to school Health and Safety Committee / SLT and then Governors reports, meetings etc.
5. Source cabinet key should be kept in a key safe (i.e. secured and not just left in a drawer)

This is the twelfth school that I cover that has had a HSE visit since October 2022

Hope this helps

Thanks

Tony

 

[Paul]

Source cabinet key should be kept in a key safe (i.e. secured and not just left in a drawer)

and where do you keep then key safe key? (mine is inside the chemical store.)

 

[Physbang]

and where do you keep then key safe key? (mine is inside the chemical store.)

The source cabinet key is kept in a small locker in the prep room. The technicians have a key to the locker on their key ring. This ensures only technicians have access to the sources.

 

[TonyRPA]

I always advise purchasing a small combination coded key cabinet to store the source cabinet key in (like you can buy from Screwfix for house keys for carers) and locating this key cabinet discretely in the Prep Room.

Thanks

Tony