X-Ray Compliance Branch

The X-Ray Compliance Branch of the Office of Radiation Control is responsible for all regulatory activities that affect x-ray machine use at energies less than 0.9 MeV for healing arts purposes, as well as the servicing of these machines. Healing Arts use includes medical, podiatric, dental, chiropractic, and veterinary practices. There are currently about 3200 registrations for using x-ray machines on file with this office. These registrations authorize the use of over 8500 x-ray machines with approximately 10,600 x-ray tubes. There are almost 100 active radiation service provider registrations filed with this office. There is also an x-ray compliance program that operates within the Jefferson County Department of Public Health. That program regulates all x-ray machine use (<0.9 MeV) within the boundaries of Jefferson County (Birmingham, AL). Questions concerning that program should be directed to LaMonte J. Augustus at (205) 930-1057.

The X-Ray Compliance Branch is currently staffed by seven persons. This staff is responsible for all inspection activities for x-ray use in the healing arts and the service of these x-ray machines. This same staff also evaluates shielding plans (over 200 plans evaluated annually), performs special research such as Nationwide Evaluation of X-Ray Trends (NEXT) in cooperation with several other government agencies, and participates as part of emergency response teams trained and dispatched for emergencies involving radioactive material and radiation exposure. In addition, several of our staff members are certified MQSA inspectors. These persons perform about 145 MQSA inspections each year under a contractual agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.