Radiation Practices. Annual Report 2001

A total of 1801 safety licences granted for the use of radiation in Finland were current at the end of 2001. There were also 2046 undertakings for dental X-ray diagnostics (licence-free). The Safety Licence Register of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) listed 13 599 radiation devices and 268 radionuclide laboratories. In 2001, STUK performed 412 inspections of licensed practices and 70 inspections of licence-free dental X-ray practices. Restrictions were ordered on the use of one device. Repairs were ordered in 138 cases and recommended in 47 cases. No remarks were given in 296 cases. Imports of radioactive substances amounted to 116 869 GBq and exports totalled 25 622 GBq. Shortlived radionuclides produced in Finland amounted to 55 161 GBq. The STUK interim storage for radioactive wastes received 38 batches of low-level wastes. A total of 10 910 workers were individually monitored for radiation exposure at 1164 workplaces. Of these workers, some 40% were category A workers and 60% category B workers. In no case were annual dose limits exceeded. The total dose in the use of radiation and nuclear energy recorded in the STUK Dose Register was 4.75 Sv. The mean doses in typical diagnostic X-ray procedures based on phantom measurements were below the reference levels issued by the European Community, the IAEA and STUK. Accuracy of the therapeutic doses underlying good therapeutic results in radiotherapy has remained within acceptable limits, and no excessive doses jeopardizing the safety of therapy have occurred. In the regulatory control of natural radiation, inspection reports requesting performance of radon repairs or measurements of radon concentrations to be made during working hours were sent to 137 enterprises. Underground radon inspections were performed in 4 mines. The mean effective dose to aircraft crew caused by natural radiation (cosmic radiation) was 1.7 mSv. Preparation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Decree on the Upper Limits of Exposure to Non-Ionizing Radiation continued in 2001. A co-operation protocol on control of radio equipment was signed with the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority. Research activities in the field of non-ionizing radiation mainly concerned the dosimetry of RF fields and pulsed magnetic fields. Preparation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Decree on the Upper Limits of Exposure to Non-Ionizing Radiation continued in 2001. A co-operation protocol on control of radio equipment was signed with the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority. Research activities in the field of non-ionizing radiation mainly concerned the dosimetry of RF fields and pulsed magnetic fields. A total of 17 abnormal occurrences were studied by STUK in 2001. Six of these involved the use of radiation in industry and research, 9 involved medical uses of radiation and 2 involved uses of non-ionizing radiation. (orig.)