Oregon: radiation safety rules for fluoroscopy teams

Yes. This is per the NRC list, and Oregon's rule text confirms it.

X-ray and fluoroscopy rules are in OAR chapter 333, division 106, "X-Rays in the Healing Arts" (fluoroscopy at 333-106-0201 to -0245). General standards for both licensees and registrants are in OAR 333-120, "Standards for Protection Against Radiation." Division 106 applies in addition to other divisions. Registration rules are in divisions 100 and 101, which were not reviewed. The fetched division pages were cut off: division 106 at about 0360 and division 120 at about 0630.

Yes. Each licensee or registrant must use procedures and engineering controls to keep occupational doses ALARA, and must review the radiation protection program at least once a year. The X-ray rules add a separate duty to minimize patient and personnel exposure (333-106-0045(1)). ALARA is also a required topic in operator safety training.

Where ALARA lives in Oregon: Only in a rule shared with radioactive materials. The ALARA requirement sits in shared division 120 (333-120-0020), which applies to licensees and registrants alike. Division 106 has no ALARA requirement of its own, only a separate "minimize" duty and ALARA as a training topic. A rewrite of 333-120-0020 would likely change the explicit ALARA duty for X-ray registrants; the research calls this an observation, not a legal conclusion. (OAR 333-120-0020(2); 333-120-0015(8); 333-106-0045(1); 333-106-0050)

50 mSv (5 rem) total effective dose equivalent per year. Any organ or tissue except the lens: 500 mSv. Minors: 10% of the adult limits.

150 mSv (15 rem) per year. Oregon has not adopted a lower limit such as the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP)'s 20 mSv.

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

5 mSv (0.5 rem) to the embryo/fetus of a declared pregnant woman over the whole pregnancy.

A dosimeter must be worn by: adults likely to exceed 10% of an adult limit in a year; minors likely to exceed 10% of a minor's limit; declared pregnant women likely to exceed 1 mSv (0.1 rem) over the pregnancy; and anyone entering a high or very high radiation area. This applies to X-ray users through 333-106-0050.

When an apron is worn, at least one badge goes at the collar outside the apron. A lens badge goes at the neck or closer to the eye, outside the apron. A second badge goes under the apron at the waist, and is required for a declared pregnant woman. Effective dose for fluoroscopy: (A) one neck badge, the deep dose counts as the effective dose; (B) one neck badge above 25% of the limit, deep dose × 0.3; (C) two badges, 1.5 × waist badge + 0.04 × neck badge. Other methods may be used if approved by the Authority. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) 122 and Webster are not named. The older 333-106-0050(1)(b) "most critical organ" language may be inconsistent with this.

Staff must be protected from scatter by aprons or whole-body protective barriers of at least 0.25 mm lead equivalent. Any body part in the useful beam needs 0.5 mm lead equivalent. In fluoroscopy rooms, under-table scatter must be blocked by at least 0.25 mm lead equivalent. For above-table scatter, staff must be at least 120 cm from the beam center, or the scatter must pass through an additional 0.25 mm lead equivalent beyond the apron; exceptions may be granted on application. Thyroid shields and eyewear are not required for staff and appear only as training topics.

Yes. Aprons, gloves and shields must be checked annually for defects, with records kept. Defective items must be replaced or removed from service. Fluoroscopy may be used to check an item only if a visual and manual check suggests a problem.

Not addressed explicitly. The general rule accepts "protective aprons or whole body protective barriers." The fluoroscopy rule treats drapes, panels and curtains as shielding in addition to the apron and allows exceptions on application. Whether an engineered whole-body system satisfies these rules is not stated.

Radiologists, with no supervision. Trained non-radiologist practitioners (MD, DO, DC, DPM, DVM), without supervision if the registrant arranges radiologist or physicist involvement. OBMI-licensed radiologic technologists, under radiologist personal or direct supervision, trained non-radiologist personal supervision, or personal supervision by an APRN with an OBMI Limited Fluoroscopy Supervision Permit. Physician associates with an OBMI permit and a collaborative agreement, with no supervision. Radiology assistants, under direct radiologist supervision. Students, under personal supervision. Trained veterinary operators. APRNs and nurses are not listed as operators.

All operators need training on a set curriculum, including dose reduction, protective devices, dosimeter placement and dose limits. OBMI-licensed radiographers, permitted physician associates, radiology assistants and radiologists are deemed to meet it. Non-radiologist practitioners need OHA-approved training unless they were operating before April 11, 2005; since PH 28-2026 this also applies when they supervise an operator in the room. No fluoroscopy training hours or continuing education were found in the RPS rules. OBMI rules were not reviewed.