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Out of a possible attendance of 120 pupils, only 13 attended. Although such
a response was predictable in the light of past experience here and elsewhere it
is of value to the assessment of effectiveness and methods of health education to
experience even negative results.
IONISING RADIATIONS
Guidance as to the health and safety of those working with potentially dangerous
sources of ionising radiations in schools and colleges is given in the
Administrative Memorandum 1/65 issued by the Secretary of State.
In respect of schools, the approval of the Secretary of State is required before
radioactive sources (other than potassium, uranium and thorium compounds
normally used as a chemical agent) are used. Application on form I.R.N. (Certificate)
is required when closed sources up to 10 micro curies each, and up to 30
micro curies in aggregate, are to be used as set out by the Association for Science
Education and the Nuffield Foundation in their Modern Physics Reports, 1962
and 1964.
Four applications were approved making a total of 11 such approvals comprising
over half the secondary schools in the Borough. Each authorised school
has been supplied with fireproof notices to identify rooms in which radioactive
substances are stored and the local fire brigade service has been advised of the
location of these stores.
Application on form I.R.N, is required when closed sources over 10 micro
curies or any open sources are to be used, and the Principal School Medical Officer
is consulted, or, in the case of private schools, the Medical Officer of Health.
Approval was sought last year by one of the secondary schools, already
approved on form I.R.N. (Certificate), but it has not been granted and the matter
is to be held in abeyance.
Application on form I.R.X. is required for the use of X-ray sources in which
electrons are accelerated by a potential over 5,000 volts. The only exception to
this is a TV receiver used in the normal way for viewing. It should be noted that
this rule would exclude the use of an induction coil to operate a discharge tube.
There are no schools in the Borough using X-ray sources.
The Radiological Protection Service conducted a survey at a technical college,
where servicing of TV receivers is carried out, and established that there was no
hazard to the health and safety of the personnel involved. There is a greater
potential hazard when working with some colour TV receivers, and the college
has been advised by the Radiological Protection Service on the necessary measures
to be taken.
Establishments of further education and teacher training colleges need not
obtain the approval of the Secretary of State if work at “school level” only is being
performed. One technical college and the teacher training college fall within this
category.
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