RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM

Are You a New Registrant or Do You Want to Register X-Ray and Laser Devices?

Guidance for many of your questions is available on the Radiation Control Web site at the links below.

• What are the requirements?  See the page for registration.
• Tips and information about Compliance & Inspection.
• Forms for registering x-ray machines.
• Questions the inspectors ask when they visit
• Fee rules.

Medical X-Ray  Registration Frequently Asked Questions

Who can be a Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)?
What are the responsibilities of the RSO?
How do I change the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) RSO?
Can a facility have more than one RSO?
What name(s) are we supposed to put on the Business Information Form?
How long can a new facility operate without a certificate?
What are the requirements for lead walls?
Does the Radiation Machine Source Group register MRI / ultrasound machines?
How long do we need to keep the x-ray films or patient reports?
What do we do for an ownership and/or name change?
We are adding a new location to our company, what do we need to do?
What are the current fee amounts?
Do we need to send fees when adding a new site or equipment?
Will we get a new certificate after we pay our renewal bill?
Why doesn’t my certificate have an expiration date?
How do I get a duplicate/copy of the Certificate of Registration?
How can I verify that the agency has received my amendment request?
How do I dispose of x-ray equipment?
What is the process for transferring a piece of equipment?
What is the process for terminating a site?
What is the process for terminating a registration?
Do I need to submit more than one copy of forms or other documents?
Can dental assistant students or any other students “practice” taking x-rays on each other?

Who can be a Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)?
Requirements for radiation safety officers can be found in §289.226 Registration of Radiation Machine Use and Services. Form: RC 42-3 RSO form

25 Texas Administrative Code §289.226

• Requirements for RSOs for registrants
  • All RSOs shall meet the following general requirements in addition to requirements in specific categories, except for industrial radiography RSOs:
    • knowledge of potential radiation hazards and emergency precautions; and
    • completed educational courses related to ionizing radiation safety or a radiation safety officer course; or
    • experience in the use and familiarity of the type of equipment used.
  • Specific requirements for RSOs by facility are as follows.
    • Healing arts facilities shall have:
      • licensed practitioner RSOs with documentation of licensing board number; or
      • non-practitioner RSOs with the following:
      • evidence of a valid general certificate issued under the Medical Radiologic Technologist Certification Act, Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 601, and at least two years of supervised use of radiation machines;
      • evidence of a valid limited general certificate issued under the Medical Radiologic Technologist Certification Act, Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 601, and at least four years of supervised use of radiation machines;
      • evidence of registry by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or the American Registry of Clinical Radiologic Technologists (ARCRT) and at least two years of supervised use of radiation machines
      • evidence of associate degree in radiologic technology, health physics, or nuclear technology, and at least two years of supervised use of radiation machines;
      • evidence of registration with the Board of Nurse Examiners as a Registered Nurse or a Registered Nurse with an extended scope of practice (Nurse Practitioner) performing radiologic procedures, and at least two years of supervised use of radiation machines in the respective practitioners' specialty;
      • evidence of registration with the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners, and at least two years of supervised use of radiation machines in the respective practitioners' specialty;
      • evidence of:
        • registration with the Texas Medical Board performing radiologic procedures under a physician's instruction and direction;
        • registration with the Texas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners performing radiologic procedures under a chiropractor's instruction and direction; or
        • registration with the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medicine performing radiologic procedures under a podiatrist's instruction and direction; and
        • at least four years of supervised use of radiation machines in the respective practitioners' specialty;
    • for radiotherapy facilities, evidence of registry by the ARRT or ARCRT and at least four years of supervised experience in radiotherapy;
      • evidence of bachelor's (or higher) degree in a natural or physical science, health physics, radiological science, nuclear medicine, or nuclear engineering; or
      • evidence of a current Texas license under the Medical Physics Practice Act, Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 602, in one or more of the following appropriate specialties:
        • medical health physics, diagnostic radiological physics, or medical nuclear physics for diagnostic x-ray facilities; or
        • medical health physics or therapeutic radiological physics for radiotherapy facilities.
    • Academic institutions and/or research and development facilities shall have RSOs who are faculty or staff members in radiation protection, radiation engineering, or related disciplines. (This individual may also serve as the RSO over the healing arts section of the facility.)
    • Industrial radiography operations shall have RSOs who meet the requirements of §289.255(m)(4)(B) of this title.
    • Exemptions. The RSO identified on a certificate of registration issued before September 1, 1993, need not comply with the training requirements in this subsection.

• establishing and overseeing operating and safety procedures that maintain radiation exposures as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA), and to review them regularly to ensure that the procedures are current and conform with this chapter;
• ensuring that individual monitoring devices are properly used by occupationally-exposed personnel, that records are kept of the monitoring results, and that timely notifications are made as required by '289.203 of this title;
• investigating and reporting to the agency each known or suspected case of radiation exposure to an individual or radiation level detected in excess of limits established by this chapter and each theft or loss of source(s) of radiation, determining the cause, and taking steps to prevent its recurrence;
• having a thorough knowledge of management policies and administrative procedures of the registrant and keeping management informed on a periodic basis of the performance of the registrant's radiation protection program, if applicable;
• assuming control and having the authority to institute corrective actions including shut-down of operations when necessary in emergency situations or unsafe conditions;
• maintaining records as required by this chapter; and
• ensuring that personnel are adequately trained and complying with this chapter, the conditions of the certificate of registration, and the operating and safety procedures of the registrant.

• exposure of an individual for training, demonstration, or other non-healing arts purposes;

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Division for Regulatory Services - P. O. Box 149347 - Austin, Texas 78714-9347 - (512) 834-6770