Facilities with x-ray equipment are responsible for protecting their staff and the public from unnecessary radiation. MDH has requirements for the design of an x-ray room/area to ensure that facilities have met the minimum protection requirements.

Send shielding submissions to health.xray@state.mn.us
Shielding Plan Form (PDF)
Shielding Placard Requirements (PDF)

Rooms/areas constructed after February 2008

If you are a registrant that has x-ray rooms/areas that were constructed, structurally remodeled, or placed into use after to February 2008, you are required to complete and submit a shielding plan in accordance with Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4732.0360.

Rooms/areas constructed prior to February 2008

If you are a registrant that has x-ray rooms/areas that were constructed, structurally remodeled, or placed into use prior to February 2008, you are responsible for compliance with Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4732.0220, subpart 3.
If you are a new registrant that has purchased a facility with existing x-ray rooms/areas that were constructed, structurally remodeled, or placed into use prior to February 2008, you are responsible for maintaining radiation shielding documentation to ensure compliance with Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4732.0220, subpart 3.
The requirements for registrants that had x-ray rooms/areas that were constructed, structurally remodeled, or placed into use prior to February 2008 were regulated under Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4730.1670, subpart 1, adopted in 1993. Requirements for shielding under Minnesota Rules, 4730 state that a registrant needs to perform a radiation survey at the time of initial installation of x-ray equipment and after any change in the facility or equipment which might cause a change in radiation hazard.

NEW and REMODEL facilities only are required to submit a shielding plan for review:

The shielding plan must be submitted to MDH PRIOR to construction (see Shielding Plan Form above).
A placard will need to be posted upon completion of the project.
Turn-around time for review is approximately 30 days.
Low dose units (intraoral, mammography, podiatry, bone density) are exempt from submitting shielding plans for review.
Replacement tubes of like output are also exempt provided there is an existing shielding plan available to verify shielding.
The exempt facilities still need to have an overall shielding plan if they are making changes, but they will not need to submit it for review.