Radiation protection officers in customs : an experience in Paraguay

The September 11, 2001 events unleashed an offensive of the United States government to detect devices that could suppose a terrorist threat. One U.S. program entitled the Container Security Initiative affected all the customs in the world. All the countries desiring commerce with the USA must be signatory to the program; otherwise its products will not arrive to the U.S. ports. With that imposition Customs began to invest more in non-intrusive means of detection. The introduction of new equipment into the Customs environment forced the institution to enter a new area called radiation protection. The beginning was difficult due to the lack of knowledge concerning procedures in the ionizing radiation field. Not one legal regulation was known. Fortunately, the regulatory authority followed the purchase of the scanner and communicated the necessity of a license to operate and demanded that a qualified person in the radiation protection area be hired. Initially the main goal required the officer to obtain the license; however, this took some time because neither national nor international norms for scanners in Customs existed. At that time the recommendations of the regulatory authority were essential. Therefore, several procedures were adapted, thus reinforcing the necessity of specific rules for scanners in Customs. The support of the Customs director was essential. A department of radiation protection was created. Immediately a series of informative classes about radiation protection was administered producing changes in the minds of the employees, especially concerning the safety of working with ionizing radiation. This paper discusses the role of the radiation protection officer within Customs, the difficulties of this position, and the benefits that the collaboration of the officer can bring towards the construction of a safety culture in this institution. (author)