§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 7 March, who appoints the doctor to carry out initial medical and blood examinations for all persons designated for employment as classified workers at licensed nuclear sites; what tests the doctor gives; what opportunities there are for the appointed doctor to examine any person employed on the site who may have been exposed to radiation without prior consultation with the managers of licensed nuclear sites; and who decides whether an employee
428Wfrom July 1975. Age analysis summaries are not available for January 1974 and 1975 and, for Merseyside special development area for dates earlier than January1972.
might have been so exposed, and using what criteria;
(2) who liaises with the appointed doctor on licensed nuclear sites to inform him of possible exposure to radiation by employees; who is responsible for carrying out regular monitoring of employees designated as classified workers on (a) licensed nuclear sites and (b) other Government and private establishments where exposure to radiation takes place.
§ Mr. Mayhew[pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1980, c. 3]: The doctors in question are appointed by the licensees of nuclear sites. Appointments are subject to approval by the Health and Safety Executive under licence conditions. Tests 429W carried out are a matter for the appointed doctor's discretion, relevant factors being the previous occupational history and medical condition of the person being examined and the examination may include, for example, appropriate biological tests. In addition to the routine annual medical and blood examinations for classified workers the appointed doctor may at any time and entirely at his discretion examine any person employed on the site who may have been exposed to radiation.
Under the licence conditions licensees are required to ensure that exposure of all persons to radiation resulting from their operations is kept as low as is reasonably practicable, and in any event is not in excess of the limits set out in licence conditions based on those recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. In particular, licensees are required to make arrangements and to provide suitable equipment for monitoring and measuring the exposure or potential exposure to radiation of persons on the nuclear site. The appointed doctor has unrestricted access to the resultant exposure records. Licensees are responsible for notifying an appointed doctor whenever the above limits are exceeded.
At other establishments not subject to licensing, responsibility for carrying out regular monitoring of employees designated as classified workers rests with the occupier.