This Nuclear Industry Good Practice Guide (GPG) has been written for radiological respiratory protective equipment (hereby referred to as RPE) used in the nuclear industry. Although the GPG was developed for RPE in the nuclear industry, it could form the basis for the use of enhanced protection factors in other industries.
The GPG has been produced to identify and facilitate consistent application of good practice within the nuclear industry regarding the management and use of RPE, including the application of assigned protection factors for the different forms of RPE.
This GPG follows recent protection factors studies undertaken at the Health and Safety Laboratory (on behalf of the nuclear industry and referenced in the relevant appendices), which concluded that a higher protection factor can be applied to some RPE provided rigorous management arrangements are applied. These required minimum management arrangements are detailed in the relevant appendix, with greater detail provided within the main body of this guide. It was recognised through the Industry Radiological Protection Co- ordination Group (IRPCG) that a GPG facilitates the application of consistent protection factors underpinned by a suitable level of management and use. This GPG describes the level of management and use required to underpin a higher Assigned Protection Factor (APF) being applied to the RPE. This GPG must be followed to use the APFs quoted.
The GPG is consistent with legislation and guidance listed in the References (page 21) and has been endorsed by the following organisations:
- Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) plc;
- Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S);
- Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd (DRDL);
- Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL);
- EDF;
- GE Healthcare Ltd;
- Horizon Limited;
- Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR);
- Magnox;
- Ministry of Defence (MoD);
- Rolls-Royce:
- Sellafield Ltd;
- URENCO;
- Westinghouse Limited.