Florida: radiation safety rules for fluoroscopy teams

Yes. Florida is not among the non-Agreement jurisdictions on the NRC list (updated 2026-10-29), and a Florida rulemaking notice for 64E-5.101 refers to Florida's agreement with the NRC.

Chapter 64E-5, F.A.C., "Control of Radiation Hazard Regulations." Part III (64E-5.301-.3xx) holds the general Standards for Protection Against Radiation and applies to both licensees and registrants. Part V (64E-5.501-.511) covers X-ray machines, including 64E-5.502 General Requirements (effective 3/21/2016) and 64E-5.504 Fluoroscopic X-Ray Systems (effective 5/8/2013). Operator certification is in Chapter 468, Part IV, F.S. and Chapter 64E-3, F.A.C. The text was read in the department's compiled version (Revision 15, March 21, 2016), which is not the official F.A.C. itself.

Yes. Registrants must use procedures and engineering controls to achieve occupational doses that are ALARA, and must have a written radiation protection program reviewed every 12 months. Dental and podiatry registrants are exempt from the program and review duties (64E-5.303(4)) but not from the ALARA sentence. Rule 64E-5.303 has been in effect since 10/8/2000.

Where ALARA lives in Florida: Only in a rule shared with radioactive materials. The ALARA duty is in Part III (64E-5.303(2)), which applies to "licensee or registrant" alike, and the definition is in Part I (64E-5.101(11)). Part V (X-ray) contains no "reasonably achievable" or "ALARA" wording; it only points back to Part III dose limits, and its "minimize exposure" language concerns patients. A separate ALARA program rule (64E-5.604) applies only to medical radioactive-materials licensees. An NRC-driven change to the Part III ALARA language would, as written, also reach X-ray registrants unless Florida writes separate X-ray wording. (64E-5.101(11); 64E-5.303(2); 64E-5.604)

5 rem (50 mSv) TEDE per year. Any organ or tissue except the lens: 50 rem (500 mSv) per year.

15 rem (150 mSv) per year. The lower ICRP 20 mSv limit has not been adopted.

50 rem (500 mSv) per year to the skin of the whole body or any extremity.

0.5 rem (5 mSv) to the embryo/fetus of a declared pregnant worker over the whole pregnancy, with no more than 0.05 rem (0.5 mSv) recommended in any one month.

Individual dosimeters must be supplied and required for: adults likely to receive more than 10% of the 64E-5.304(1) limits in a year (by this research's calculation, 5 mSv whole body, 15 mSv lens, or 50 mSv skin/extremity); declared pregnant women likely to receive more than 0.1 rem (1 mSv) deep dose over the pregnancy; minors above lower thresholds; and anyone entering high or very high radiation areas. Rule 64E-5.315 was last amended 12/26/2013.

When an apron is worn, at least one dosimeter goes at the collar outside the apron; if more than one is used, each reading must be recorded with where it was worn. Deep dose is used in place of effective dose unless a department-approved dosimetry method is used. Information Notice 4 (rev. January 2022) requires a written request and approval before a correction factor is applied; the method must come from a published, peer-reviewed source and be accepted by a standards or consensus body (e.g., National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), AAPM, ACR, ICRP, IAEA). The notice does not name NCRP Report 122 or Webster. Declared pregnant workers wear a waist monitor under the apron plus one outside it.

Only staff needed for the procedure may be in the room. Staff must be protected from direct scatter by aprons or whole-body protective barriers of at least 0.25 mm lead equivalent, and any body part in the useful beam needs 0.5 mm lead equivalent. No thyroid shield or eyewear requirement was found, though the department may require additional protective devices where stray radiation could give one-fourth of the maximum permissible dose. Under the fluoroscopy rule, scatter reaching staff (except extremities) must pass through at least 0.25 mm lead equivalent unless the person is at least 120 cm from the center of the beam. The 64E-5.502(1)(a)4 requirement is worded "during the radiographic exposure."

not found

Not addressed by name; no Florida rule or bill on "radiation protection systems" was found. The rule allows aprons "or whole body protective barriers," and a protective barrier is defined as "a barrier containing radiation absorbing material used to reduce radiation exposure." 64E-5.504(9)(b) is written as an equipment-configuration requirement, and Information Notice 4 refers to "protective aprons or other personal protective radiation barriers." Whether an engineered system meets the "whole body protective barrier" wording is not settled in any source found.

Under the rule (added 2007), fluoroscopy may be performed only by a licensed practitioner (medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine/chiropody, naturopathy or chiropractic), a certified radiologist assistant, or a certified general radiographer trained and authorized in writing by the practitioner in charge, for imaging that does not rely on the radiographer for interpretation. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners are not listed. Certified technologists work under direct or general supervision of a licensed practitioner; radiologist assistants work under a radiologist, with fluoroscopy as a "General" supervision duty per 64E-3.0032. The statute is broader in two places that no source reconciles: 468.302(3)(a) lets basic X-ray machine operators perform "general fluoroscopic procedures" under direct supervision, and 468.302(6)(c) exempts cardiopulmonary technology staff under direct supervision from certification. The 2026 statute text is unchanged (amendment history ends in 2012).

All operators must be instructed in and competent in safe use; medical operators must be certified or authorized under Chapter 468, Part IV. General radiographers obtain state certification by an American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)-administered exam after a two-year accredited program. Basic X-ray machine operators take an ARRT-administered exam with no formal program required. Continuing education is 12 hours per two-year renewal cycle (64E-3.008-.010), and the statute caps continuing education (CE) at 24 hours. For fluoroscopy, general radiographers need written authorization from the practitioner in charge. No state fluoroscopy permit, set number of fluoroscopy training hours, or physician fluoroscopy training requirement was found.