Virginia Law

Any person desiring designation as a private inspector for diagnostic x-ray, mammographic or therapeutic x-ray and teletherapy machines must be qualified by training and experience to perform inspections or calibrations according to the following criteria and must submit to the agency a statement on the appropriate form certifying his specific qualifications. In order to maintain designation as a private inspector, the individual must maintain satisfactory performance of work performed in that capacity. The agency shall disqualify any individual from this designation if the agency has determined that the individual has demonstrated unsatisfactory performance as a private inspector. The individual may request an informal hearing.

A. Private inspector, diagnostic x-ray (except mammography). The person must have adequate knowledge, training and experience to measure ionizing radiation, evaluate safety techniques, and advise regarding radiation protection needs to assure compliance with Virginia Rules and Regulations for Ionizing Radiation as evidenced by all of the following:

1. Initial qualifications: evidenced by one or more of the following:

a. Certification by one of the following: American Board of Radiology either in diagnostic or radiological physics, American Board of Health Physics in comprehensive practice, or the American Board of Medical Physics in diagnostic imaging physics.

b. Bachelor's degree in one of the physical sciences or engineering and three years of full-time experience in radiation safety including at least one year in diagnostic x-ray safety. Advanced degrees in related areas may be substituted for experience on an equal time basis, except that no substitution shall be allowed for the required one year of experience in diagnostic x-ray safety.

c. Those individuals listed as private inspectors immediately prior to September 20, 2006, shall be considered grandfathered.

2. Continuing qualifications:

a. Continuing education. Private inspectors must participate in continuing education programs relating to diagnostic x-ray, either by teaching or completing at least 15 continuing education units (CMEs) every three years.

b. Continuing experience. The private inspector must have inspected at least 10 diagnostic x-ray machines within the preceding 12 months.

3. Reestablishing qualifications. Private inspectors who fail to maintain the required continuing qualifications of this section may not perform the inspections without the supervision of a qualified private inspector. Before independently inspecting another facility, private inspectors must reestablish their qualifications, as follows:

a. Private inspectors who fail to meet the continuing educational requirements of this section shall obtain a sufficient number of continuing education units to bring their total units up to five continuing education units during the preceding 12 months.

b. Private inspectors who fail to meet the continuing experience requirement of this section shall complete a satisfactory inspection of a sufficient number of facilities and machines under the direct supervision of a private inspector who meets the qualifications of this section to bring the number to the required level.

B. Private inspector, therapeutic x-ray and teletherapy machines. The person must have adequate knowledge, training, and experience to calibrate a therapeutic x-ray machine or teletherapy machine, perform inspections and to establish procedures for (and review the results of) spot-check measurements as evidenced by all of the following:

1. Initial qualifications: evidenced by one or more of the following:

a. Be certified by the American Board of Radiology in:

(1) Therapeutic radiological physics or therapeutic medical physics;

(2) Roentgen-ray and gamma-ray physics;

(3) X-ray and radium physics;

(4) Radiological physics;

b. Be certified by the American Board of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology Physics;

c. Be certified by the Canadian College of Medical Physics; or

d. Hold a master's or doctor's degree in physics, biophysics, radiological physics, or health physics, and have completed one year of full time training in therapeutic radiological physics and also one year of full time work experience under the supervision of a radiation therapy physicist at a medical institution. To meet this requirement, the individual shall have performed the tasks listed in 12VAC5-481-3400 A, 12VAC5-481-3420 P, 12VAC5-481-3420 Q, 12VAC5-481-3430 T, and 12VAC5-481-3430 U under the supervision of a radiation therapy physicist during the year of work experience.

Notwithstanding the provisions of 12VAC5-481-3390 D, certification pursuant to subdivisions B 1 a, b, or c of this section shall be required on or before July 1, 2007, for all persons currently qualifying as a radiation therapy physicist pursuant to subdivision B 1 d of this section.

2. Continuing qualifications.

a. Private inspectors must participate in continuing education programs relating to therapeutic x-ray and teletherapy machines, either by teaching or completing at least 15 continuing education units (CEUs) every three years.

b. The private inspector must have inspected at least one therapeutic x-ray or teletherapy facilities and at least one therapeutic x-ray or teletherapy machine within the preceding 12 months.

3. Reestablishing qualifications. Private inspectors who fail to maintain the required continuing qualifications of this section may not perform an inspection without the supervision of a qualified private inspector. Before independently inspecting another facility, private inspectors must reestablish their qualifications, as follows:

a. Private inspectors who fail to meet the continuing educational requirements of this section shall obtain a sufficient number of continuing education units to bring their total units up to five continuing education units during the preceding 12 months.

b. Private inspectors who fail to meet the continuing experience requirement of this section shall complete a satisfactory inspection of a sufficient number of facilities and machines under the direct supervision of a private inspector who meets the qualifications of this section to bring the number to the required level.

C. Private inspector, mammography. The person must have adequate knowledge, training, and experience to inspect mammography x-ray machines and facilities. All mammography private inspector conducting inspections of mammography facilities and providing oversight of the facility quality assurance program must meet one of the following tracks, either through the initial master's degree of higher route or the alternative initial bachelor's degree route:

1. Initial qualifications:

Master Route:

a. Be certified by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) or the American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP) in:

(1) Diagnostic radiological physics;

(2) Radiological physics; or

(3) Diagnostic imaging physics;

b. A master's degree or higher in a physical science with at least 20 semester hours or equivalent of graduate or undergraduate physics; and

c. Twenty contact hours of mammography facility training; and

d. The experience of conducting inspections of at least one mammography facility and a total of at least 10 mammography units.

Bachelor Route (must have been qualified before April 28, 1999):

a. A bachelor's degree in a physical science with at least 10 semester hours or equivalent of college level physics;

b. Forty contact hours of documented specialized training in conducting inspections of mammography facilities; and

c. The experience of conducting inspections of at least one mammography facility and a total of at least 20 mammography units. The training and experience requirements must be met after fulfilling the degree requirement.

2. Continuing qualifications.

a. At all times after the third anniversary of completion of the initial requirements of this section, the private inspector shall have taught or completed at least 15 continuing education units in mammography during the preceding three years.

b. At all times after the first anniversary of the completion of the initial requirements of this section, the private inspector shall have inspected at least two mammography facilities and six machines in 24 months.

c. Before a private inspector may begin independently performing mammographic examinations using a new modality, that is, a modality other than one for which the physicist received training to qualify under this section, the inspector must receive at least eight hours of training in inspecting units with the new modality.

3. Reestablishing qualifications. Private inspectors who fail to maintain the required continuing qualifications of this section may not perform the mammography inspections without the supervision of a qualified private inspector. Before independently inspecting another facility, private inspectors must reestablish their qualifications as follows:

a. Private inspectors who fail to meet the continuing educational requirements of this section shall obtain a sufficient number of continuing education units to bring their total units up to the required 15 in the previous three years.

b. Private inspectors who fail to meet the continuing experience requirement of this section shall complete a satisfactory inspection of three mammography facilities under the direct supervision of a private inspector who meets the qualifications of this section.