How does IRR17 work on other premises?

IRR17 requires that where employees undertake work with ionising radiation on another employer’s premises, both employers must co-operate to ensure that all employees are adequately protected and the requirements of IRR17 are clearly allocated and agreed between them.

Installation, testing and maintenance of dental X-ray equipment

This ‘co-operation between employers’ will be required when employees from other organisations, such as service engineers, visit dental practices to work on X-ray equipment.

In order to demonstrate compliance with this requirement, the Dental GNs recommend that the practice formally hands over responsibility for the area where work is undertaken with X-rays to the engineer, prior to the commencement of work. The area should be formally handed back once the work has been completed. A useful template for a ‘hand-over form’ is given in Appendix C of the Dental GNs.

It is important that the dental practice representative signing the handover form is someone who can appreciate the significance of the process and who is in a position to ensure dental practice staff avoid the areas in which the visiting employee will be working.

Working at other dental practices

Employers whose employees intend to operate dental X-ray equipment on other employers’ premises (for example, as part of their training) must co-operate with the hosting practice to agree the allocation of responsibility for compliance with IRR17.

This would include agreement over the work that is to be carried out and confirmation that a suitable radiation risk assessment, local rules and contingency plans are in place. There may be a need for a ‘hand-over form’ as described above; and the requirements of IRMER17 will also need to considered. Both practices should consult their RPA and MPE about what is required.