Medical X-ray machines are the largest source of man-made radiation exposure to the public. In 1958, the State Board of Health launched a program to inspect radiation-emitting machines.

Today over 21,000 facilities, including hospitals, medical offices, universities, and corporations, have registered more than 64,000 X-ray machines registered with the Florida Department of Health.


Program Purpose

The Radiation Machine Program works to reduce exposure to workers and the public from machines used for medical, scientific, educational, and industrial purposes, by:

  • Preventing unauthorized use and users
  • Reducing accidental or unintended exposures
  • Eliminating ineffective or inappropriate use of radiation
  • Minimizing the amount of radiation needed to accomplish tasks

Inspections

One way these goals are met is through on-site inspections. The Department inspects each radiation machine on a schedule based on its use. This schedule ranges from annually for mammography and cancer therapy machines to every five years for dental and podiatry machines.

Last year, Department staff conducted more than 15,000 inspections. During these inspections, they:

  • Verify that machines operate as designed
  • Ensure operators are properly qualified
  • Confirm machines are used safely and appropriately

If a machine poses an immediate threat to the public health, the Department requires its removal from service. For less serious issues, owners have 90 days to correct deficiencies


inspections and compliance

The Radiation Machine Program ensures that all radiation-emitting machines in Florida meet safety and regulatory standards. Our responsibilities include:

  • Approving new radiation machines before they are placed into service
  • Reviewing and approving inspection procedures to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements
  • Ensuring violations identified during inspections are corrected within required timeframes
  • Managing the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) program under contract with the FDA to guarantee that all mammography units are inspected annually and meet federal quality standards

Through these efforts, we help maintain the highest level of safety for patients, workers, and the public.

Forms
Notices
Resources

Florida Radiation Laws and Regulations
Information pertaining to Florida Statutes (Chapter 404, F.S.) and Florida Administrative Code (Chapter 64E, F.A.C.)

Section 501.122, F.S.ย โ€“ Control of Laser Radiation

Radiation Machine Data

NVLAP Certified Dosimetry Vendorsย 
NIST directory of current NVLAP accredited labs. To find labs who are accredited to process personnel dosimeters used to monitor exposure to ionizing radiation, select ionizing radiation dosimetry.

Mammography Quality Informationย 
This FDA site contains the federal Mammography Quality Standards Act rules, a small business guide to implementing the rules, and GAO reports on the effectiveness of the MQSA program.