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Radiation Protection Advisory Services
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High Activity Sealed Sources (HASS)
Environment Agency Guidance
The Environment Agency has issued guidance on the High Activity Sealed Sources (HASS) regulations that came into force on 1 January 2006.
What is a HASS?
A sealed source is manufactured in such a way that the radioactive material is completely sealed in a capsule and therefore can not, under normal use, escape into the environment. For example, most industrial radiography gamma sources are sealed sources.
A high activity sealed source (HASS) is any radioactive sealed source having an activity greater than the threshold given in the regulations. The Environment Agency guidance provides HASS thresholds for a wide variety of isotopes. Some common examples are:
- Iridium-192: 10 GBq (0.27 Curie)
- Cobalt-60: 4 GBq (0.11 Curie)
- Caesium-137: 20 GBq (0.54 Curie)
- Selenium-75: 30 GBq (0.81 Curie)
Anyone keeping sources above the HASS threshold activity will need to comply with the HASS regulations.
The regulations affect anyone who exchanges sources on a regular basis, such as most industrial radiography companies, and a supplier will not be able to supply you with a HASS until you have a licence in place.
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Brief summary of the guidance:
Holders of all HASS were required to be compliant with the regulations by 1 January 2008, and by now will have needed to amend their licence.
Anyone acquiring a HASS for the first time must comply with the regulations immediately. The application forms can be downloaded from the Environment Agency website. To open the download page, click here.
If you are only going to use a source on your premises you need to complete form RSA1 (sealed sources)
If you are going to use a source both on and away from the premises you need to complete form RSA2 (mobile sealed sources).
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What are the changes?
Click here to go to the Environment Agency download page and obtain the guidance to the HASS regulations.
The regulations include the following:
- Changes in the requirements for identifying, marking and photographing sources and containers
- A requirement to report movement of all HASS to the Environment Agency. Click here to go to the download page for the necessary forms.
- Appointment of a competent person to administer HASS, and training for staff involved
- Enhanced security and safety measures
- Arrangements and financial provisions for the disposal of disused sources.
Security measures required under HASS regulations will, for most users, require:
- A site security plan, detailing arrangements for the security of HASS
- A contingency plan for upgrade of security in the event of an increased threat
- Arrangements for the security of information about HASS
- More robust background checks on individuals using HASS
- Requirements for enhanced physical security
Further guidance on security can be found in the document Security Requirements for Radioactive Sources, produced by NaCTSO. To obtain this document, contact the Counter Terrorism and Security Adviser (CTSA) at your county police headquarters.
NDT MainCal is pleased to announce that a training course for the 'competent person' managing HASS in your company is available. It can be delivered at your premises, or alternatively we can accommodate up to three people at our facility in New Mills. Click here for more information or contact us for costs and details.
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