STATE OF CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES

NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES

STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION

CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL REGULATIONS (17 CA CODE OF REGULATIONS SECTIONS 30250 ET SEQ.)

The California Radiation Control Regulations include standards for protection against radiation hazards. The State Department of Health Services has primary responsibility for administering these standards which apply to both employers and employees. Enforcement is carried out by the Department of Health Services or its contractors, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, the Orange County Health Care Agency and the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health.

EMPLOYEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

You should know and understand those California radiation protection standards and your employer's operating and emergency procedures which apply to your work. You should comply with their requirements for your own safety and the safety of others. Report promptly to your employer any condition which may lead to or cause a violation of these standards or employer's operating and emergency procedures.

SCOPE OF THE STANDARDS

The Standards for Protection Against Radiation define:

Limits on exposure to radiation and radioactive materials in controlled and uncontrolled areas;
Actions to be taken after accidental exposure;
Working conditions requiring personnel monitoring, safety surveys and safety equipment;
Proper use of caution signs, labels and safety interlock devices;
Requirements for keeping worker exposure records and reporting of such exposures;
The requirement for specific operating and emergency procedures for radiation work; and
The rights of workers regarding safety inspections.

EMPLOYERS' RESPONSIBILITIES

Your employer is required to:

Comply with the requirements of the California Radiation Control Regulations, Departmental orders and license conditions;
Post or make available to you copies of the Radiation Control Regulations, any license issued thereunder and your operating and emergency procedures;
Post any notice of violation of radiologic working conditions; and
Provide you with information on your exposure to radiation.

REPORTS ON YOUR RADIATION EXPOSURE HISTORY

California Radiation Control Regulations require your employer to give you a written report if you receive an exposure greater than the limits set in the radiation safety standards. Basic limits for occupational radiation exposure can be found in Section 30253 referencing Federal regulations (10 CFR 20). Limits on exposure to radiation and exposure to concentrations of radioactive material in air are specified in 10 CFR 20 (Subpart C).
If the radiation protection standard, under 10 CFR 20 (Subpart F) requires that your radiation exposure be monitored, your employer must, upon your request, (a) give you a written report of your exposures upon termination of your employment, and (b) advise you of your exposures annually.

INSPECTIONS

The Department or one of its contractors will inspect your workplace from time to time to ensure that health and safety requirements are being followed and that these requirements are effective in protecting you. Inspectors may confer privately with you at the time of inspection. At that time you may direct the inspector's attention to any condition you believe is or was a violation of the safety requirements.

In addition, if you believe at any time that any health and safety requirements are being violated, you or your workers' representative may request that an inspection be made by sending a complaint to the Department of Health Services or other official agency at the address listed below. Your complaint must describe the specific circumstances of the apparent violation and must be signed by you or your workers' representative. The Department is required to give your employer a copy of any such complaint. Names may be withheld at your request. You should understand, however, that the law protects you from being discharged or discriminated against in any way for filing a complaint or otherwise exercising your rights under the California Radiation Control Regulations.

FOR INFORMATION & ASSISTANCE CONTACT:

CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM OFFICES

RADIOLOGIC HEALTH BRANCH
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES

P. O. Box 942732
Sacramento, CA 94234-7320
(916) 445-0931
FAX # (916) 324-3610

2151 Berkeley Way, Annex 2
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 540-2014
FAX # (510) 540-2037

1449 West Temple Street, Room 207
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 580-5788
FAX # (213) 580-5789

LOCAL AGENCIES

Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Radiation Management
550 Vermont, Room 300
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 738-4059
FAX # (213) 380-5630

Orange County Health Care Agency
Radiologic Health
2009 E. Edinger Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(714) 667-3605
FAX # (714) 972-0749

San Diego County Department of Environmental Health
P. O. Box 85261
San Diego, CA 92138-5261
(619) 338-2095
FAX # (619) 338-2139

RADIATION EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ONLY
1-800-852-7550 ALL HOURS

POSTING REQUIREMENTS

Copies of this notice must be posted in a sufficient number of places in every establishment where employees are employed in activities regulated by the Department of Health Services, to permit employees working in or frequenting any portion of a controlled area to observe a copy on the way to or from their place of employment.

Per California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Section 30255: California Radiation Control Regulations, Radioactive Material License, and specific radiation safety instructions and operating procedures are available for reference at:

Safety Office
Room 25, Keith Spalding Building
Extension 6727