[ RadSafe ] Airport X-Ray scanners

[Edmond Baratta]

The FDA'S Center for Radiological Health and Devices regulates X-Rays 
emitting Machines.  Whether they regulate TSA and their X-Ray Machines, I 
don't know.

Ed Baratta

-----Original Message----- 
From: Clayton J Bradt
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 11:01 AM
To: EMERDF at nv.doe.gov
Cc: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Airport X-Ray scanners

Dudley Emer wrote:

>Considering no one can figure out what kind of dose we're actually
>getting I guess the next set of questions would be:
>Who is licensed to use and operate these machines?
>Do the operators possess a Limited X-Ray License or any form of
>certification?
>Just what are the licensure requirements?
>Are the x-ray units registered and operated in compliance with the state
>in which they are used.
>Who does the annual (?) safety inspections?
>Where are the manufacturer's specifications published?
>For regulatory purposes how are these classified - medical, industrial,
>Voyeur?
>Under what regulation is it permissible to drive around in a backscatter
>van and randomly X-ray everyone and anything?

>None of this is passing my giggle test.

>Dudley Emer

All very good questions. The answer is that NOBODY licenses, or registers
the units themselves or the users of these scanners.  The regulation of
the use of x-rays is ordinarily the responsibility of the states. FDA
regulates the manufacturers of the equipment but the installation and use
of all such equipment is under state authority.  The problem is that TSA
is a federal agency. As such it is immune from regulation by the states.
Another federal agency could regulate TSA, but no federal agency has been
given authority to do so.  In effect TSA is self-regulated when it comes
to the application of radiation to humans.  But, don't worry. They are
only trying to protect us.


Clayton J. Bradt
Principal Radiophysicist
NYS Dept. of Health
Biggs Laboratory, Room D486A
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12201-0509

518-474-1993

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential 
or sensitive information which is, or may be, legally privileged or 
otherwise protected by law from further disclosure. It is intended only for 
the addressee. If you received this in error or from someone who was not 
authorized to send it to you, please do not distribute, copy or use it or 
any attachments. Please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and 
delete this from your system. Thank you for your cooperation.

_______________________________________________
You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list

Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood the 
RadSafe rules. These can be found at: 
http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html

For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings visit: 
http://health.phys.iit.edu