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For all establishments of Education the full provision set out in the Code of
Practice (H.M.S.O., 1964) must be applied if work of a higher level than the
“school level” is undertaken and the Principal School Medical Officer is consulted
when application for approval is made to the Secretary of State.
There is one technical college in the Borough within this category. The
Radiological Protection Service investigated the need to keep the designated Safety
Officer of the college under regular medical supervision and found that this was
not necessary.
In 1964 the Department of Education and Science, the Ministry of Health, the
Scottish Home and Health Department and the Ministry of Health and Local
Government for Northern Ireland, jointly produced a Code of Practice for the
Protection of Persons against Ionising Radiations arising from Medical and Dental
use.
The Code of Practice applies to the use of ionising radiations arising from
X-ray machines in the Council's dental clinics. There are eight clinics using X-ray
machines and during the year 1,092 X-ray exposures were taken; 883 were for
orthodontic purposes and the remainder were taken during the course of general
dental treatment. A total of 561 pupils had an X-ray examination.
The Code applies to all persons who are exposed to ionising radiations arising
from dental practice and there are 13 such persons employed by the Council.
For the purpose of the Code they are divided into the following categories:
(i) Designated persons.
(ii) Other staff.
(iii) Patients.
(iv) Persons not included in (i), (ii) or (iii).
In accordance with the Code, the Science Adviser to the London Boroughs of
Enfield and Haringey was appointed Radiological Technical Adviser, the Chief
Dental Officer was appointed Radiological Safety Officer and the Deputy Medical
Officer of Health was appointed Supervisory Medical Officer, and instructions were
given to the appropriate dental staff regarding safety precautions.
In December the Radiological Protection Service reported that the result of
film monitoring over the previous six months showed that the overall rate of
radiation exposure was low and did not justify the designation of our dental staff
as radiation workers. It was accordingly decided that provided the films continued
to show satisfactory results and subject to the relevant conditions in the Code of
Practice for the Protection of Persons against Ionising Radiations arising from
Medical and Dental Use —
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