ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) transferred responsibility for administration of the current Radiation Health Series publications to ARPANSA. NHMRC rescinded publications that are more than 10 years old.

In November 1999, the Radiation Health Committee considered a proposal that set out a process for the development of Radiation Protection Series (RPS) publications. The RPS series would be created by reviewing the NHMRC Radiation Health Series of 34 publications, and the Nuclear Codes developed under the Environment Protection (Nuclear Codes) Act 1978, and examining the need for new publications to complement the existing set. RHC also considered the priority for these reviews in developing the RPS series.

The Radiation Protection Series includes:

• standards (with fundamental requirements),
• codes of practice (which are regulatory in style, but more practice-specific than standards),
• safety guides (providing explanatory information to assist in meeting codes and standards),
• recommendations (providing advice on good practice).

In some cases a code and safety guide on the one topic are published jointly.

Publications are drafted by working groups reporting to RHC. The process for approval of publications is managed by the RHC, and when approved by RHC, the Radiation Health & Safety Advisory Council advises the CEO on adoption of the documents for publication. The first publication in the new ARPANSA Radiation Protection Series was completed during the year 2001.

All publications developed by ARPANSA that could potentially be used by regulators as conditions of licence or registration (primarily codes and standards) are subject to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Best Practice Regulation - A Guide for Ministerial Councils and National Standard Setting Bodies (Oct 2007). This means that such publications are treated as 'quasi-regulation' and are required to undergo a regulatory impact assessment process. This process must be conducted to the satisfaction of the Office of Best Practice Regulation.

The process includes a period of public comment (for a minimum of 1 month). Drafts are published in the Drafts for Public Comment section of this web site along with the regulatory impact statement. Publications that do not require regulatory impact statements are also released for a period of public comment at the draft stage. A wide range of interested groups and individuals are informed that the publication is available for comment, and for publications with a wide public interest, the comment period is advertised in relevant newspapers. Specific instructions for making submissions are released with each draft.

Codes and standards produced by ARPANSA also play a role in improving uniformity of radiation protection practices throughout Australia. They are referenced documents in the National Directory on Radiation Protection, which has been developed through the Radiation Health Committee as the means of creating uniformity across jurisdictions.

The following publications from the Radiation Health Series are currently being reviewed:

• No. 9, Code of practice for protection against ionizing radiation emitted from X- ray analysis equipment (1984)*
• No. 13, Code of practice for the disposal of radioactive wastes by the user (1985)*
• No. 30, Interim guidelines on limits of exposure to 50/60Hz electric and magnetic fields (1989)
• No. 35, Code of practice for the near-surface disposal of radioactive waste in Australia (1992)
• No. 36, Code of practice for the safe use of lasers in schools (1995).

The development of a Radiation Protection Standard on exposure to ELF fields has commenced to replace RHS 30. A consultative group has also been formed to give broader input into the development of the standard by providing comment on drafts prepared by the working group and on issues raised by the working group. The working group began meeting in December 2002. A draft was released for public comment in December 2006, and the working group has reviewed the submissions received. A final draft is currently in preparation.

A revision of RPS 1 to take account of the publication of international radiation protection recommendations by the ICRP [ICRP 103] and the revised IAEa Basic Safety Standards has also commenced. A Safety Guide on MRI will be considered when the ELF Standard has been finalised.

The following publications from the Radiation Health Series have also been identified for review in the near future:

• No. 15, Code of practice for the safe use of microwave diathermy units (1985)
• No. 16, Code of practice for the safe use of short wave (radiofrequency) diathermy units (1985)
• No. 21, Revised statement on cabinet X-ray equipment for examination of letters, packages, baggage, freight and other articles for security, quality control and other purposes (1987)*
• No. 22, Statement on enclosed X-ray equipment for special applications (1987)*
• No. 31 Code of practice for the safe use of industrial radiography equipment (1989).

* most likely to be replaced by a schedule in the National Directory for Radiation Protection.

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