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Division of Radiological Health

This page has been automatically translated from English. MSDH has not reviewed this translation and is not responsible for any inaccuracies.

The Division of Radiological Health is responsible for protecting the public from unnecessary radiation exposure from sources such as industry, research, educational institutions, medical treatment, healing arts, and the environment.

Radiological Health coordinates with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) for drills, training activities, and response to radiological emergencies. The staff participates in graded exercises of the state's emergency response plan for the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS), conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency .

Important Opportunity to Dispose of Class A Radioactive Sources: The Source Collection and Threat Reduction (SCATR) Program provides financial support to dispose of stored, unused radioactive sources that pose a threat to public health and safety.

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Branches

The Division of Radiological Health addresses three main areas:

Radioactive Materials Branch
On July 1, 1962, the State of Mississippi entered into an agreement with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to assume responsibility for the regulation, licensing and inspection of all radioactive materials in our state not under federal jurisdiction. There are about 300 radioactive material licenses active in Mississippi.
X-ray Branch
The Division is responsible for the registration, inspection and certification of X-ray machines. There are approximately 7,500 X-ray machines registered. The division is under contract with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to inspect all Mississippi mammography facilities annually. Standards for these inspections are set in part by The Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 (MQSA).
Environmental Monitoring Branch
This branch collects and analyzes environmental samples in the vicinity of the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station and at the Salmon Test Site in Lamar County. Environmental samples including air, water, milk, soil, and vegetation are analyzed for the presence of radioactivity.