Matthew Penrose

Work Environment, Radiation and Gas Division

5S.G Redgrave Court

Merton Road

Bootle

L20 7HS

Tel: 0151 951 4909

Fax: 0151 951 3098

[email address]

Head of Division: Peter Brown

Dear Sir/Madam

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2010010104

Thank you for your request for information held by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) relating to airport body scanners.

Your request was received on 11^th January 2010 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act).

The Department for Transport is the lead government department for Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT - also known as body scanners) at airports.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974, the responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of those affected by AIT machines falls to employers. In this case, the airport operators will need to ensure the machines are correctly installed, operated and maintained.

I understand that there are two types of AIT machine commercially available, using either ionising or non-ionising radiation. The former involves backscatter X-rays and the latter involves tera-hertz electromagnetic radiation (which includes `millimetre wave' technologies).

Information already publically available

HSE has published guidance on both the general health and safety duties employers have to their workers and the public and specific duties under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (IRR).  Both of these are available as priced publications from HSE Books/Stationery Office or are free to download from HSE's website: http://www.hse.gov.uk

For backscatter X-ray technology, exposure limits are set out in Schedule 4 of IRR.

For the tera-hertz technology, exposure limits are set out by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and airport operators should take this into account. 

Information not held by the HSE

HSE has not developed any specific guidance on the use and application of AIT machines, nor do we have any safety data relating to their use. HSE has not commissioned any research on these machines. We expect the airport operators to work closely with the manufacturers and suppliers to develop a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to ensure the health and safety of all those affected.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me, quoting the reference number above.

If you are unhappy with the decisions made you may ask for an internal review within two calendar months of the date of this letter by writing to me.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

The Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545700

Fax: 01625 524510

Email: [email address]

Website: http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Yours faithfully

Matthew Penrose
Work Environment, Radiation and Gas Division

Management of Health and Safety at Work, L21, ISBN: 9780717624881

Work with Ionising Radiation, L121, ISBN: 9780717617463

Health and Safety Executive