Every healthcare facility in the UAE that operates ionising radiation equipment is required by FANR to designate a qualified Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) or Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) and to ensure that person holds a valid FANR-approved training certificate. This is not optional and it is not a technicality — FANR will refuse to issue or renew an operating licence to any facility that cannot demonstrate a qualified, certified RSO is in place. Yet across the UAE, many clinics either do not know this requirement exists, have an RSO whose certificate has expired, or have appointed someone who attended a training course that was not FANR-approved. This article clarifies exactly what the UAE requires and how to achieve compliance.
A Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) is the person within a healthcare facility who is responsible for implementing and overseeing the facility's radiation protection programme. Their duties under FANR regulations include:
• Ensuring all radiation equipment is registered and licensed with FANR • Maintaining staff dosimetry records and investigating doses above action levels • Conducting regular radiation safety inspections of X-ray rooms • Training new staff in radiation safety procedures • Maintaining radiation warning signs, area monitoring and access controls • Coordinating with FANR during inspections • Managing radiation incidents and near-misses • Ensuring the facility's radiation safety manual is current and accessible
In a small dental clinic, the RSO is often the radiographer or the clinic manager. In a large hospital, the RSO may be a full-time medical physicist. The title differs from the workload, but the regulatory requirement is the same.
In UAE regulatory language, both titles exist and are sometimes used interchangeably, but there is a formal distinction:
RSO (Radiation Safety Officer) — the designated person responsible for the overall radiation safety programme at a facility. Required for all facilities holding a FANR operating licence.
RPO (Radiation Protection Officer) — a person who supports the RSO in implementing radiation protection measures, typically in larger facilities with multiple X-ray rooms or departments.
Both roles require FANR-approved training. RevirzaMed provides training programmes for both RSO and RPO certification.
A FANR-approved RSO training course covers:
• Basic radiation physics — how X-rays are produced and how they interact with matter • Biological effects of ionising radiation — how radiation damages cells, dose-response relationships, deterministic and stochastic effects • UAE regulatory framework — FANR's mandate, the Federal Nuclear Law, licensing requirements, enforcement • Radiation protection principles — justification, optimisation (ALARA), dose limits • Practical radiation safety — area surveys, personal dosimetry, warning signs, access control • Radiation emergency procedures — recognising and responding to radiation incidents in a healthcare setting • RSO responsibilities and record-keeping requirements under FANR regulations
FANR-approved RSO certificates are valid for 3 years. Before expiry, the RSO must complete an approved refresher training programme to renew their certification. RevirzaMed notifies all RSOs trained by us three months before their certificate expiry date and schedules refresher training accordingly.
In a dental clinic operating X-ray equipment, FANR requires at least one designated RSO. This person must:
• Be employed at the facility (part-time RSOs are accepted in small facilities) • Hold a valid FANR-approved RSO training certificate • Have access to the radiation safety manual • Be named on the FANR licence
In practice, the RSO in a dental clinic is often the senior dental nurse, the office manager, or the principal dentist. Technical radiation physics knowledge is not required — the training course provides everything needed.
RevirzaMed offers both formats:
On-site training: Our certified trainer travels to your facility. Ideal for groups of 3 or more staff. Training can be scheduled around clinical hours including evenings and weekends.
Training centre: Individual participants attend at our Abu Dhabi training venue. Scheduled courses run throughout the year — contact us for the current schedule.
Both formats deliver the same FANR-approved curriculum and result in the same certification.
Beyond RSO/RPO certification, every staff member who works in or adjacent to X-ray rooms should receive basic radiation awareness training. This includes receptionists who work near X-ray waiting areas, clinical assistants who accompany patients into X-ray rooms, and housekeeping staff who clean X-ray rooms. This training does not require FANR approval but is a DOH and DHA expectation. RevirzaMed provides short radiation awareness sessions for non-radiation staff as part of our training portfolio.
FANR generally requires each licensed facility to have its own designated RSO. In some circumstances, a single RSO can be appointed for closely co-located facilities under the same ownership — contact FANR or RevirzaMed for guidance specific to your situation.
If your RSO resigns or leaves, you must appoint a replacement as quickly as possible and notify FANR. A facility without a designated RSO is in breach of its licence conditions. RevirzaMed can provide interim RSO support while a permanent replacement is trained and certified.
Yes. RevirzaMed offers RSO and RPO training in both English and Arabic. Our bilingual instructors deliver the full FANR-approved curriculum in both languages.
RevirzaMed Healthcare Solutions — Abu Dhabi's trusted FANR Approval and medical equipment specialists since 2015.