The Radiological Health Program (RHP) is mandated by Title 8: "Radiation" of the Annotated Code of Maryland, Environment Article, to control the uses of radiation and to protect public health and safety and the environment from inadvertent and unnecessary radiation exposure. This is accomplished through registration and certification of radiation (x-ray) machines, licensing of radioactive materials, inspections, and enforcement actions, where required, to ensure regulatory compliance.

The RHP regulates the use of both radiation machines and radioactive materials. Radiation machines are used by dentists and veterinarians, and in hospitals, mammography facilities, and other medical, academic and industrial facilities. Radioactive materials are used primarily by radiologists in hospital nuclear medicine units, but also by other qualified physicians and radiographers and qualified radioisotope users in the manufacturing and construction industries, academia and other authorized locations. There are more than 5,100 radiation machine ​facilities housing 15,000 x-ray tubes, and nearly 550 radioactive material licensees in Maryland. Additionally, more than 150 Out of State radioactive materials users (on average) may work in Maryland for limited periods of time under reciprocal recognition of their Agreement State or NRC license after applying for and receiving approval from the RHP.

Additionally, RHP staff health physicists assume the responsibility of Radiation Accident Assessment coordination, analysis, communication, and field team surveyors in response to any actual or staged em​ergencies at either the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (Maryland) or Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (Pennsylvania). Designated radiation staff health physicists also respond to any industrial, medical or transportation radiation accident or serious incidents involving​​​ radiation​​.

The RHP is charged with ensuring that the public as well as radiation workers are protected from unnecessary levels of radiation. The general public and the environment are at risk if the users and handlers of radioactive materials and radiation ​producing electronic devices fail to recognize potential radiation hazards or follow proper radiation safety practices and procedures.

To prevent unnecessary exposures to radiation, the RHP inspects x-ray machines at dental and veterinary facilities every three years to determine whether the machines are performing according to rigid specifications and whether the machine operators are following proper safety procedures. The RHP also certifies the performance of medical, industrial and academic electronic radiation machines following inspection by State-licensed inspectors, and performs inspections of State mammography facilities under contract with the federal Food and Drug Administration. Facilities that use radioactive materials are issued licenses and are inspected on set schedules by the RHP to determine whether the facility is using proper safety procedures. Inspections are also performed on selected out of state radioactive materials users operating under reciprocity.

Contact Info

This section contains information on the Radiological Health Program (RHP)'s regulations, general guidance documents, and downloadable online forms and instructions. Prior to submitting forms, please call the RHP at (410) 537-3193 so that we may direct you to the correct unit or staff member. Forms are available in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. To view the Adobe Acrobat forms, users will need to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Additional Links

• Radiation Control Advisory Board

• Information on Incidents, Accidents, Dirty Bombs, etc.

• Effects of Radiation (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)

Related Information

• RADON Information(Environmental Protection Agency)​
  

• Additional Information on RADON with a Live Map​
  

• Information about MOLD (Centers for Disease Control)​

Radon Stakeholders Meeting 2019

• Digital Marketing Basics - Aaron Fisher

• Worker Hazards and Worker Exposure - Bruce Snead

• Communicating Risk About Radon - Cliff Mitchell

• Pennsylvania Radon Program - Denise Bleiler

• Who is CR3? - Jackie Nixon

• Running a Successful Radon Business Panel - John Mallon

• National Radon Safety Board - K Kekoa

• D.C. Radon Program - Keith Keemer

• Delaware Radon Program - Kurt Olinger

• EPA Region 3 Program Update - Michelle Moyer

• Ground Level Exhaust Study - Bob Lewis

• Radon Induced Lung Cancer in Pennsylvania - Nate Burdon

• Residential Radon Mitigation Systems - Nate Burdon

• Radon Research at Johns Hopkins - Paul Locke

Mid-Atlantic State Radiation Conference 2018

• Targeted Survey leads to HIGH HOMES

• PA Bureau of Radiation Protection - Targeted Survey leads to HIGH HOMES

• N. S. Savannah - Decommissioning

• Delaware Health and Social Services - Delaware’s ArcGIS App for REP using FirstMap

• John Crapo Office of Nuclear Incident National Nuclear Security Administration U. S. Department of Energy - DOE/NNSA Response to a Nuclear/Radiological Incident

• University of Maryland Medical System - The Maryland Proton Treatment Center (MPTC)

• National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School - Radiation Protection and Your National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP)

• The Preventive Response - Left of Boom

• Monica Ford Regional State Agreements Officer US NRC Region I - NRC Update on Regulatory Activities AffectingIndustrial Radiography

• Bob Lewis - PA DEP/BRP, Radon Division

• Mahadevappa Mahesh, Professor of Radiology and Cardiology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine - Managing Radiation Risk in Pediatric CT Imaging

• MCPS Department of Facilities Management Division of Maintenance - Radon Testing and Mitigation Program in MCPS

• PA Bureau of Radiation Protection - Rich Janati, M.S. Chief, Division of Nuclear Safety Administrator, Appalachian Compact Commission

• Ray Johnson, MS, PSE, PE, DAAHP. FHPS, CHP Director. Radiation Safety Counseling Institute - Is Your Radiation Instrument Telling You What You Think it Is?

• EPA - 2017 PAG Manual

• Ground Level Exhaust Study

   

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