No C 321/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 12.90 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Directive on the operational protection of outside workers exposed to 
ionizing radiation during their activities in installations in which such radiation is used 
COM(89) 376 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 21 November 1990) 
(90/C 321/02) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Articles 31 
and 32 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
drawn up after the opinion of a group of experts 
appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee 
had been obtained, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas Article 2 (b) of the Treaty provides that the 
Community shall establish uniform safety standards to 
protect the health of workers and of the general public 
and ensure that they are applied in accordance with the 
procedures laid down in Chapter III of Title Two of the 
Treaty; 
Whereas on 2 February 1959 the Council adopted initial 
directives (l) laying down such basic standards, which 
were amended by Directive 80/836/Euratom (2), as 
amended by Directive 84/467/Euratom (5); 
Whereas Title VI of Directive 80/836/Euratom lays 
down the fundamental principles governing operational 
protection of exposed workers; 
O OJ No 11, 20. 2. 1959, p. 221/59. 
(2) OJ No L 246, 17. 9. 1980, p. 1. 
(3) OJ No L 265, 5. 10. 1984, p. 4. Whereas in accordance with the principles of Directive 
80/836/Euratom it should be the duty of employers and 
operators to ensure that exposed workers are given 
optimized protection and that dosage is kept as low as 
reasonably achievable; 
Whereas Article 40 (1) of Directive 80/836/Euratom 
provides that each Member State shall take all necessary 
measures to ensure the effective protection of exposed 
workers; whereas the employer is, moreover, primarily 
responsible for the protection of exposed workers; 
Whereas Articles 20 and 23 of that Directive classify the 
areas of the installations and the exposed workers into 
sub-categories according to the level of exposure; 
Whereas the workers performing activities in a 
controlled area and classified as category A workers 
within the meaning of the said Articles 20 and 23 can 
belong to the personnel of the installation or be workers 
in outside undertakings or self-employed workers; 
Whereas Article 3 of Directive 80/836/Euratom 
concerning activities involving a hazard arising from 
ionizing radiation provides that such activities must be 
reported and be subject to prior authorization; 
Whereas the principal activity of outside undertakings 
does not necessarily involve a hazard arising from 
ionizing radiation within the meaning of Article 2 of 
Directive 80/836/Euratom, but insofar as the work 
performed by category A workers employed by such 
undertakings in installations in which ionizing radiation 
is used nonetheless constitutes such an activity, it is 
necessary for it to be reported and be subject to prior 
authorization within the meaning of Articles 3 and 4 of 
Directive 80/836/Euratom; 
21. 12.90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 321/3 
Whereas category A outside workers are liable to be 
exposed to ionizing radiation in several installations in 
succession in one and the same Member State or in 
different Member States; whereas these specific working 
conditions require dosimetric monitoring specially 
adapted to the nature of the work which ensures 
radiation protection in accordance with the basic 
standards for that category of worker; 
Whereas Article 24 of Directive 80/836/Euratom 
provides that category A outside workers employed to 
perform activities in the controlled areas of several 
installations in succession are, over and above basic 
training in radiation protection, to receive in each 
separate installation further training and information 
regarding the special features of the installation and the 
tasks to be performed which are not covered by the basic 
training; 
Whereas several Member States have already taken 
specific measures with regard to the radiation protection 
of outside workers by requiring each outside undertaking 
engaged to perform work in an installation in which 
ionizing radiation is used to obtain prior authorization 
from the competent authority and by setting up a central 
register of exposure data and of personal radiation 
protection charts and record sheets; 
Whereas, the better to protect category A outside 
workers, it is necessary to define clearly the responsi­
bilities of employers, installation operators and workers; 
Whereas all category A outside workers performing ac­
tivities in a controlled area of an installation in which 
ionizing radiation is used in a Member State should 
benefit from such protection; 
Whereas the operator of an installation should be 
responsible for ensuring that all workers active in his 
installation are protected in accordance with the rules set 
out in Directive 80/836/Euratom; 
Whereas in order to ensure that responsibilities are 
properly distributed among employers, installation 
operators and workers, the employer must bear primary 
responsibility for radiation protection, while assignment 
of additional obligations to the operator with regard to 
operational dosimetric monitoring should contribute to 
ensuring improved protection for category A outside 
workers; 
Whereas the use of a personal acceptability certificate in 
the case of such workers should enable the installation 
operator to check the information required to ensure 
that they are protected in accordance with the rules set 
out in Directive 80/836/Euratom while they are 
performing activities in the installation; 
Whereas the introduction of such a certificate will 
facilitate access to information concerning the exposure 
of such workers within the Community as laid down in 
Article 40 (5) of Directive 80/836/Euratom; Whereas, on 12 June 1989, the Council adopted 
Directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures 
to encourage improvements in the safety and health of 
workers at work ('); 
Whereas Article 10 (2) of that Directive provides that the 
installation operator must inform the employers of 
workers from outside undertakings present in the instal­
lation of the safety and health risks and the protection 
and prevention measures and activities in respect both of 
the installation in general and of each worker's work­
station and/or job; 
Whereas Article 12 (2) of that Directive stipulates that 
the installation operator must ensure that workers from 
outside undertakings engaged in work in his installation 
have received appropriate training in relation to the 
safety and health risks arising from their activities there, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
TITLE I 
Purpose and definitions 
Article 1 
The purpose of this Directive is to increase the oper­
ational protection of category A outside workers 
performing activities in the controlled areas of instal­
lations in which ionizing radiation is used against the 
dangers of such radiation. 
Article 2 
For the purpose of this Directive: 
— the term 'installation in which ionizing radiation is 
used' shall apply to any installation in which an 
activity is performed involving a hazard arising from 
ionizing radiation within the meaning of Article 2 of 
Directive 80/836/Euratom, 
— the term 'outside worker' shall apply to any person, 
including students, apprentices and trainees, who 
performs a service in an installation in which 
(') OJ No L 183, 29. 6. 1989, p. 1. 
No C 321/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 12. 90 
ionizing radiation is used and is either self-employed 
or employed by an undertaking other than that 
responsible for the installation, 
— the term 'outside undertaking' shall apply to any 
undertaking or self-employed worker performing 
activities of any nature in an installation in which 
ionizing radiation is used, 
— the terms 'controlled area' and 'category A workers' 
shall have the meanings assigned to them in Articles 
20 and 23, respectively, of Directive 80/836/Euratom. 
TITLE II 
Obligation of outside undertakings and operators 
Article 3 
Each Member State shall require outside undertakings 
employing category A workers and having premises 
within its territory to report activities and obtain prior 
authorization as laid down in Articles 3 and 4 of 
Directive 80/836/Euratom. 
Article 4 
When an outside undertaking is engaged to provide 
services in an installation in which ionizing radiation is 
used, the installation operator and the outside under­
taking shall be required to fulfil their obligations under 
this Directive without prejudice to the provisions of a 
general and permanent nature relating to the radiation 
protection of workers as laid down in Titles III to VI of 
Directive 80/836/Euratom. 
Article 5 
1. The operator of an installation in which ionizing 
radiation is used must inform the outside undertaking 
before it starts work of the safety and health risks arising 
from exposure to this type of radiation and of the 
protection and prevention measures and activities in 
respect both of his installation in general and of each 
type of workstation or job involved. 
2. The operator of an installation in which ionizing 
radiation is used and category A outside workers are 
performing activities shall be responsible for the oper­
ational aspects of their radiation protection which relate 
directly to the nature of the installation and the ac­
tivities, including operational dosimetric monitoring of 
the latter. 3. The operator shall be responsible for the following 
aspects of radiation protection in the case of each 
category A outside worker performing activities in a 
controlled area of the installation: 
(a) ensuring that the worker undergoes personal moni­
toring and is subject to appropriate medical super­
vision; 
(b) ensuring that he is classified as medically fit for the 
work to be assigned to him and that the dose limits 
laid down by his employer for that work are not 
exceeded, account being taken of all possible forms 
of exposure; 
(c) ascertaining that he has received basic training in 
radiation protection and that, where additional 
specific training relating to the characteristics of the 
installation and of the work is necessary, he receives 
such training; 
(d) ascertaining that the worker, when performing his 
activities, is always in possession of the dosimeters 
which the specific nature of the work requires and, 
in addition, of a direct-reading personal dosimeter. 
Where any of these dosimeters has not been 
provided by the employer, the operator shall make it 
available to the worker. 
TITLE III 
Acceptability certificate 
Article 6 
1. In order to enable the installation operator and the 
outside undertaking to coordinate satisfactorily their 
obligations under this Directive, the employer must 
provide the operator with a personal acceptability 
certificate for each category A outside worker who is to 
perform activities in a controlled area. 
2. The acceptability certificate forms must correspond 
to the specimen set out in the Annex. 
3. Before the work is started, page 1 of the certificate 
(front of the page) must be duly completed and signed 
by the employer and be verified by the operator and 
made available to him. 
4. On completion of the work, page 2 of the 
certificate (back of the page) must be completed by the 
operator and returned to the employer. 
21. 12.90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 321/5 
5. On receipt of the acceptability certificates, the 
employer must include them in the medical records of 
the workers concerned drawn up in accordance with 
Article 36 of Directive 80/836/Euratom. 
6. The personal medical or dosimetric monitoring 
charts or record sheets, where they exist, may be used 
simultaneously with the acceptability certificate, but shall 
not replace it. 
Article 6a 
The Commission will publish an annual report on the 
implementation of this Directive in the Member States. 
This report will be submitted to the European Parliament 
for examination, and discussion by the Social Affairs 
Committee which may decide to make a further report 
to the European Parliament as a whole. TITLE IV 
Final provisions 
Article 7 
Member States shall take the measures necessary to 
comply with this Directive no later than 31 December 
1992. 
The provisions adopted pursuant to the first paragraph 
shall make express reference to this Directive. 
Member States shall inform the Commission of the 
provisions which they have adopted pursuant to this 
Directive. 
Article 8 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
No C 321/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 12.90 
ANNEX 
Acceptability certificate for category A outside workers performing activities in controlled areas of 
installations in which ionizing radiation is used 
Page 1 (front of page) 
EMPLOYER'S DATA 
1. Nuclear installation: 
2. Worker's identity: 
2.1. Family name: 
2.2. Forename: 
2.3. Date of birth: 
2.4. National Radiation Protection No: 
3. Date of last medical examination: 
4. Accepted as a person professionally exposed to radiation: Q yES CI NO 
5. Permitted to wear a protective mask and suit: Q yES D NO 
6.1. Training or instruction in radiation protection provided by: 
Date: 
7. Cumulative effective dose in the current year: mSv 
8. Effective dose limit recommended for the work('): 
from to mSv 
9. Employer: 
10.1. Date: 10.2. Signature: 
(') NB: It is expected that the operator will ensure that exposure is kept as low as reasonably achievable. This recom­
mended dose limit should not therefore be taken as a licence to allow exposure to that level. 
21. 12. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 321/7 
Acceptability certificate 
Page 2 (back of page) 
OPERATOR'S DATA 
11. Additional training in radiation protection: 
Content and date: 
12.1. Start of work: 
12.2. Completion of work: 
13. Cumulative effective dose (mSv) received through professional exposure to external irradiation 
Effective dose 
Surveillance method X + 
gamma beta* n* Extr. * 
X + gamma: X + gamma irradiation 
beta: beta irradiation 
n: neutron irradiation 
Extr.: irradiation of extremities 
miscellaneous 
*: where measured 
14. Effective irradiation dose from internal contamination 
Date Monitoring method Incorporated activity or 
elimination rate Institute interpreting 
the results 
15. Comments: 
16. Date: 17. Seal and signature of the person in charge 
of the radiation protection service: