A radiation producing device (RPD) is any piece of equipment that, when energized, is designed to produce ionizing radiation. Some RPDs are designed to intentionally emit this ionizing radiation, while some are designed to contain it. These types of devices pose a hazard if not used properly. Therefore, certain controls must be in place to ensure proper operation and the safety of employees, patients and the general public.
RPDs can be divided into two groups:
Medical – RPDs used on living humans or animals. Examples include:
- Diagnostic X-ray imaging devices
- Therapeutic medical linear accelerators
Research – RPDs not used on living humans or animals. Examples include:
- X-ray irradiator, diffraction, spectroscopy and fluorescence units
- Electron microscopes
- Particle accelerators
All RPDs are regulated by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and must be registered with the state prior to use. The University possesses registrations managed by EH&S Radiation Safety. Depending on the type of device and intended use, there are requirements for facility design, worker training and protection, and device operation.
What you need to know
To ensure employee and public safety, the facility in which an RPD is used must be assessed for adequate radiation shielding. Please contact Radiation Safety early in the process of RPD acquisition to ensure regulatory requirements are addressed for the specific location the RPD will be installed.
Every RPD must be registered with EH&S Radiation Safety prior to its use. This includes devices on loan from a manufacturer or another institution. Every RPD will be registered with the DOH annually, per DOH requirements. Annual registration fees are the responsibility of the RPD owner.
During the registration process, the RPD Program Manager will determine the appropriate device safety assessment frequency. In general, RPDs must be surveyed every one to three years with additional surveys if changes are made to the device (e.g., disassembly, removal or modification to X-ray tube).
You must notify EH&S Radiation Safety before you acquire any RPD.
Due to potential hazards, liability and regulatory requirements, RPDs should not be abandoned, disposed as regular waste or sold to the public through UW Surplus. An RPD can be transferred to another institution if approved by the Radiation Safety Officer.
If you are removing an RPD from your inventory, please contact EH&S Radiation Safety to initiate proper sales, transfer or disposal of X-ray equipment. Refer to the Preparing Radiation Items for Surplus guidance for more information.
What you can do to stay safe
Safety training is required to work with any RPD. Please contact Radiation Safety to identify the most appropriate training for your needs.
Online training is available for certain cases:
Research RPDs
Dental RPDs
Please contact Radiation Safety to determine your Radiation PPE (RPPE) needs. While RPPE is not required for most work utilizing an RPD for research, there are certain cases when it will be required. While RPPE is required for most work utilizing an RPD for medicine, there are certain cases when it will not be required.
Any RPPE used or possessed must be tested for efficacy annually and results must be reported to Radiation Safety. Please refer to Inspecting Radiation PPE Policy and Procedures for guidance.
Services Available
EH&S provides the following services:
- Radiation PPE testing
- Device registration and evaluation
- Safety training
- Safety survey
- Dosimetry (if needed)
- Consultation
Frequently asked questions
An individual is required to wear a dosimeter if Radiation Safety determines that the individual is likely to exceed 10 percent of a dose limit. Most RPDs do not require an individual to wear dosimetry during normal operations, but there are exceptions, particularly among medical use RPDs.
Additional information can be found on the Dosimetry page.
Lead PPE is not required for most research RPDs, but many medical use RPDs do require the use of lead PPE. Your supervisor should inform you if you need to wear lead during RPD operation. If you have any questions, please contact Radiation Safety for guidance.
More Information
Safety training is required to work with any RPD. Please contact Radiation Safety to identify the most appropriate training for your needs.
Online training is available for certain cases:
Research RPDs
Dental RPDs
Washington Administrative Code WAC 246-224 Radiation Protection – Radiation Machine Washington Administrative Code Assembly and Registration
Washington Administrative Code WAC 246-225 Radiation Protection – X Rays in the Healing Arts
Washington Administrative Code WAC 246-225A Radiation Safety and diagnostic image quality standards for dental facilities
Washington Administrative Code WAC 246-226 Radiation Protection – Computed tomography
Washington Administrative Code WAC 246-228 Radiation Protection – Analytical X-ray Equipment
Washington Administrative Code WAC 246-229 Particle accelerators
Emergency Response and Reporting
UW personnel are required to submit an incident report to Environmental Health & Safety for any work-related event that results in an injury, illness, exposure to hazardous materials, property damage, or fire, regardless of the work location. UW personnel are highly encouraged to submit work-related near-miss events. Visit the Incident Reporting page for more information.