Inspection visits at government services with luggage scanners scheduled for the first half of 2024
During the first half of 2024, our inspectors will visit government services that use luggage scanners. These services include courts and Customs, which use X-ray equipment to check luggage and freight. We will check to see whether or not these devices are used safely.
Checking competence, knowledge, work instructions and maintenance
During our inspections, we check to see if these government services use their scanners safely and are in compliance with legislation. The inspection includes the following:
Competence
Is a radiation protection expert involved? The answer should always be yes. The government services should always be able to clearly show which tasks, powers and responsibilities this specialist has.
Education
As part of their daily work, radiation protection officers are responsible for ensuring safety. During our inspection, we check to see whether these employees have completed the required training programme, for example.
Procedures and work instructions
We also look into the available procedures and work instructions for working with X-ray equipment. We also check whether the employees who work with this equipment on a daily basis are familiar with these instructions.
Maintenance and radiation shielding
We will also check to see if the equipment has received proper maintenance and has been tested to ensure it works properly, is secure, and offers radiation shielding.
Visits to various government organisations
We have selected various government organisations all across the country, such as courthouses and municipalities. These organisations have been certified by us or have received a licence for the use of X-ray equipment.
Our visits are scheduled for March, April and May 2024. If an initial inspection reveals issues, then we can schedule a follow-up visit to find out if the points for improvement have been implemented. In the second half of 2024, we will share the inspection results on our website.
The use of X-ray equipment is only permitted with an authorisation from the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS)
A government service can only use their X-ray equipment with permission from the Authority. This permission comes in the form of a certification or a licence. Certification is a lighter form of permission. That is enough in the case of a single luggage scanner at the entrance to a building, for example. A licence is more extensive and is intended for organisations that use multiple X-ray devices or when there are also other radiation applications.
Safety of luggage scanners
The advantage of X-ray devices is that they make it possible to look inside something without having to open it. This makes them a valuable tool used at access control at courts and in airports for detecting weapons and other objects that are not permitted inside.
These X-ray machines are generally safe. They are located in a permanent place with shielding that prevents unnecessary radiation exposure to workers. However, we still check for safety. These devices are often used on a daily basis. This is why it is important that they are being used safely and that proper maintenance is performed.