XIP-POM Field Office releases another books

The Port of Manila X-ray Field Office has released its latest books about x-ray scanning operation and radiation safety during the X-ray Inspection Project Third Founding Anniversary Celebration held on May 31, 2010 at the POM Social Hall which was gracefully launched by the then Commissioner Napoleon Morales, Depcom Alexander Arevalo, and XIP Head Atty. Ma. Lourdes V. Mangaoang. The book launching also coincides with the start of XIP week-long celebration that includes a photo exhibit of accomplishments at the POM X-ray Satellite Office and a “boodlefight” or get-together meal of all customs stakeholders.

            According to POM Field Officer Renato D. Palgan, who is one of the co-authors of the x-ray manuals, the new reading materials of X-ray Inspection Project are entitled Customs Mobile Container X-ray Scanner Operations Training Manual, Customs Mobile Container X-ray Scanner Radiation Safety Training Manual, and the Compilation of Relevant Customs Memoranda and Other Issuances Affecting X-ray Inspection at the Port of Manila and Other Ports.

            “We realized that after the publication last year of the Customs Radiation Safety Manual and the Troubleshooting Manual on Most Common Problems of Container X-ray Scanner of the Bureau of Customs, these reading materials are insufficient or inadequate as we trained our fellow x-ray personnel at the POM X-ray Facility during their refresher training course with us as required by the XIP leadership. Because of this need, we decided to make a set of training manuals that are suitable to the trainees’ need at the POM X-ray Facility, which has now become a familiar training ground of x-ray personnel before their deployment to different x-ray facilities in the country”, Palgan said.

            He added that the publication of the comprehensive manuals was made possible through the combine efforts of the Bureau of Customs X-ray Operators Association, Inc. and the Bureau of Customs X-ray Operators Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which shouldered all the expenses of publication, with a vision of making the x-ray workers a world-class professional customs personnel.

            To give the readers an overview of the booklets, Palgan explained, the Customs Mobile Container X-ray Scanner Operations Training Manual discusses the history of x-ray unit in the Bureau of Customs, the procedures and guidelines in the conduct of x-ray inspection, a brief introduction of mobile container x-ray scanner, the methods of deployment  and retracting the machine, the actual scanning operation procedures, and image analysis techniques; while the Customs Mobile Container X-ray Scanner Radiation Safety Training Manual gives much emphasis on the practical application of radiation safety towards the x-ray personnel and the x-ray facility. It also tackles the standard lay-out of customs x-ray facility as approved by the Department of Health, the built-in radiation safety features of mobile container x-ray machine, the duties and responsibilities of x-ray personnel on radiation dose management, and the various radiation monitoring equipment being used by the POM X-ray Facility; and finally, the Compilation of Relevant Customs Memoranda and Other Issuances Affecting X-ray Inspection at the Port of Manila and Other Ports, as the title suggests, is a collection of past and present customs issuances affecting the conduct of x-ray inspection of shipments and can be thought about as the legal foundations of x-ray scanning operations. One chapter of this book delves on the internal policies and guidelines at the Port of Manila X-ray Field Office which are required to be followed by its personnel as it tries to adapt x-ray scanning operation in its peculiar condition and environment.