Quick Tips April 2024 | Page 35

Radiology

{

Quick Tips for the Dental Office

}

Radiology

X-Ray Machine Registration
Any person or entity possessing a radiation-producing machine must register with the Department of Environmental Protection ( DEP ) within 30 days of acquiring the machine . Any change of address , owner , radiation safety officer or number of radiation producing machines requires written notification to DEP within 30 days of the change . Registrants must maintain a written inventory including , at a minimum , the type and location of all radiation producing devices .
Registration may not be transferred to any other person or entity without approval from DEP . Registrants are required to renew their registration each year , and verify the number and type of machines they possess . Machines are inspected by the Department approximately once every four years .
Radiation-producing machines must remain registered with DEP regardless of whether or not they are currently in use . Registration status will only be terminated once a registrant no longer possesses the machine . It is the registrant ’ s responsibility to notify DEP in writing . Machine disposal options include :
• selling the equipment ,
• donating the equipment or
• disposal .
Note : X-ray systems manufactured prior to July 2 , 1979 may contain oil made with polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs ), which are hazardous in nature . Thus these machines must be disposed of properly . Machines manufactured prior to 1979 must be tested for PCB content prior to disposal , and it is the responsibility of the equipment owner to have the machine analyzed before disposal ; the results of the analysis will determine how the equipment may be disposed of .
Do not smash the X-ray tube . Contents of the X-ray tube may cause injury if the tube is broken .
The forms needed to register an x-ray machine or terminate a registration can be found on DEP ’ s website at : http :// www . depgreenport . state . pa . us / elibrary / GetFolder ? FolderID = 3920 .
2023