Our 2016-17 Annual Report was tabled in parliament on Wednesday 18 October 2017.
The Annual Report informs parliament, stakeholders and the community how we have enabled protection of the Australian people and environment from the harmful effects of radiation during the last financial year.

The 2016-17 year was a mammoth year for ARPANSA, which saw many changes and initiatives implemented, adding value to the Australian community.
We administered licences for radiation sources and facilities used and operated by Commonwealth entities, with ARPANSA's CEO, Carl-Magnus stating in his foreword, ‘we continue to promote good safety culture among our licence holders.’

ARPANSA also continued to deliver important radiation monitoring, testing, calibration, hire and training services to the Australian community, stakeholders and industry. Carl-Magnus stated, ‘over the course of the year we have successfully promoted radiation protection of workers and the public though our services.’

Highlights of ARPANSA's achievements include:

• Commenced a self-assessment against international standards
• Built on the Talk to a Scientist program
• Created a new brand and website
• Implemented a best practice consultation approach
• Transitioned the Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service (ACDS) to a new service model and compliance
• Recorded more workers’ radiation doses by expanding the Australian National Radiation Dose Register (ANRDR)
• Made the Personal Radiation Monitoring Service (PRMS) more efficient
• Improved the Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) services section

Read the full ARPANSA 2016–17 Annual Report for more details.

This week Melbourne hosts an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regional Workshop on the Revised Safety Requirements in Emergency Preparedness and Response.

The workshop brings technical expertise from Asia and Oceania IAEA member states to discuss how well we’ve gone in implementing our national emergency preparedness and response frameworks.

The workshop will also look at revised concepts and approaches recommended in the revised IAEA safety requirements set out in Preparedness and Response for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 7).

ARPANSA will also host a workshop on Friday 6 October at our Yallambie office to discuss the progress on the development of Australian guidance for emergency exposure situations. This guide will:

• help first responders and other workers preparing for and responding to a radiological or nuclear emergency 
• provide guidance on exposures to members of the public and the environment affected by a radiological or nuclear emergency.

For more information on emergency preparedness and response and ARPANSA’s role, visit Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Response.

ARPANSA is currently seeking to appoint nine part-time members of the Radiation Health and Safety Advisory Council (https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A00383RHSAC). Appointments are for the triennium (2018-2020) pursuant to subsection 21(2) of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the Act) and section 13 of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 1999.

Learn more about the functions of the RHSAC, the selection criteria for appointment and how to nominate via the following links:

• Radiation Health and Safety Advisory Council

Nominations close Tuesday 31 October 2017.

Our new charts help you find out what the ultraviolet radiation index is at our measurement sites and what time the ultraviolet radiation (UV) index will be at its highest.

The UV monitoring network has been upgraded to give you a more reliable service and provide a network that is capable of being expanded in the future.

What’s new?

• Interact with the chart to find out UV information in other locations in Australia using the location menu
• Find past data by using the date selector
• Download an image of the chart, or the dataset by clicking on the arrow on the top right.

Enable your location for a better experience

Our charts use the location settings on your device or browser to display information from your nearest location. When you visit the page, your browser will ask to use your location. If you do not allow the browser to use your location you will see Melbourne’s chart by default. If you continue to see Melbourne’s chart but want to see a chart closer to your location, enable the location settings of your browser or your device.

Session details

6 pm, Thursday 22 June 2017
Hall 1 East, Engadine Community Centre
1034–1036 Old Princes Highway, Engadine NSW

The CEO is hosting a Community Information Session on the ANSTO licence application for Nuclear Medicine Molybdenum-99 Facility. The purpose of this Community Information Session is to:

• outline the process ARPANSA will use to assess and decide the application including the way in which the Agency will seek and take into account public submissions
• inform you of the nature and details of the application
• address issues raised through public submissions
• record any further issues that may arise on the night as new submissions.

ARPANSA has measured radiofrequency (RF) exposure from Wi-fi and other sources across 23 schools in Victoria and New South Wales, Australia.

The measurements were conducted in two locations in the schools (a classroom or library inside and the school playground) during school times.

The study, which has been published in Radiation Protection Dosimetry showed that the typical RF exposure of children from Wi-fi in schools is extremely low and this study should provide reassurance to the public according to lead author Assistant Director, Dr Ken Karipidis.

The typical Wi-fi exposure levels in locations occupied by children were found to be much lower than the limits of the Australian Standard, for example the typical exposure from Wi-fi inside the classroom was 0.0002% of the Standard (out of 100% allowable).

“This study, alongside similar international ones, show that the levels of exposure to RF EME from Wi-fi are very low and are not expected to adversely affect the health of children or the general population,” said Assistant Director, Dr Ken Karipidis.

Wi-fi enables electronic devices to be connected to a computer network wirelessly using radio waves, or radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic energy (EME). There is some public concern about potential health effects associated with RF EME emissions from Wi-fi.

“We continue to receive enquiries as to whether Wi-fi should be allowed in schools or public places and we continue to review and conduct our own research which reaches the same conclusion, there is no established scientific evidence of Wi-fi causing harm”.

It is the assessment of ARPANSA and other national and international health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), that there is no established scientific evidence of adverse health effects below current exposure limits.

More about RF EME can be found on the ARPANSA fact sheet 'Wi-fi and Health'.

For further information please contact the Media Team on 0476 111 255.

Analysis of Public Submissions - Technical Report

Analysis of Public Submissions - Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement in the use of Intense Pulsed Light (IPLs) Sources and Lasers for Cosmetic or Beauty Therapy (Technical Report 177) was published on 17 March 2017.

Background

The regulation of the laser treatment industry is undertaken by the individual states and territories.

The Cosmetic and Beauty Therapy Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)/Lasers Working Group recently completed the analysis of public responses to the IPL/Laser Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) put forward in 2015. A report was tabled at the November Radiation Health Committee (RHC) meeting for consideration.

The RHC concluded that there was insufficient information to substantiate the cost versus benefit estimations that would be required for a Decision RIS to be developed and therefore the Committee agreed not to proceed with a Decision RIS.

The Committee agreed that there is an opportunity to develop a national uniform approach to key issues raised by the consultation process. The development of a guide would provide a common framework for terminology, education, training, equipment, patient care and injury reporting that would be available to all states and territories.

The Committee agreed that the guide would be developed as a matter of priority and ARPANSA will promote it within the industry throughout Australia.

Dr John Baldas passed away peacefully on 18 May 2017. A private funeral was held in Horsham, Victoria.

Dr Baldas was employed at the Australian Radiation Laboratory in 1974 and remained with the agency when it became the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, retiring as Branch Head, Medical Radiation Services in January 2014.

Dr Baldas was a world authority on technetium chemistry and his work impacted the clinical delivery of nuclear medicine in Australia and internationally. He made significant contributions to the Australian nuclear medicine and radiation protection communities.

John will be missed by ARPANSA staff and the wider radiation protection community.

On 13 May 2014, the delegate of the CEO of ARPANSA decided to issue a licence to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to prepare a site for, and construct a controlled facility (the ANSTO SyMo Facility) at the ANSTO Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre.

Download a copy of the delegate of the CEO’s decision:

In making his decision, the delegate took into consideration the documentation submitted by ANSTO in support of the application as well as:

• the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the Act) and Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 1999
• the Regulatory Assessment Report:
  
  SyMo Facility - Siting and construction licence - Regulatory Assessment Report
  
  
  SyMo Facility - Siting and construction licence - Regulatory Assessment Report
• regulatory guidance developed for applicants and ARPANSA assessors
• international best practice in radiation protection and nuclear safety as it relates to the applications
• the decision of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities on the proposed facility under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
• the Radiation Protection Series suite of documents, developed to support and promote national uniformity in radiation protection and nuclear safety across Australian jurisdictions
• consultations on the application held with the ARPANSA Nuclear Safety Committee, and
• public submissions received during the public consultation period including issues raised during the community information session held at the Engadine Community Centre, Sutherland, on 16 May 2013.

The licence is subject to conditions as specified in section 35 of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998.

The delegate of the CEO of ARPANSA has imposed the standard licence condition requiring quarterly reporting under section 35 (1) (c). The delegate of the CEO has also imposed a licence condition restricting ANSTO from undertaking any testing using radioactive material or full plant testing using non-radioactive material of the facility as part of the construction of the facility under this facility licence. ARPANSA proposes to authorise testing using radioactive material or full plant testing using non-radioactive material under the first phase of an operating licence authorisation, pending the results of a full scale trial.

The licence remains in force until it is cancelled or suspended under section 38 of the Act or until it is surrendered under section 39 of the Act.

On 27 June 2014, the CEO of ARPANSA decided to issue a licence to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to construct a controlled facility (the ANSTO ANM Facility) at the ANSTO Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre.

Download a copy of the CEO’s decision:

In making his decision, the CEO took into consideration the documentation submitted by ANSTO in support of the application as well as::

• the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the Act) and Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 1999
• Regulatory Assessment Report to Construct the ANM Facility:
  PDF 682 kb | Docx 223 kb
• regulatory guidance developed for applicants and ARPANSA assessors
• international best practice in radiation protection and nuclear safety as it relates to the applications
• the decision of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities on the proposed facility under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
• the Radiation Protection Series suite of documents, developed to support and promote national uniformity in radiation protection and nuclear safety across Australian jurisdictions, and
• consultations on the application held with the ARPANSA Nuclear Safety Committee.

The licence is subject to conditions as specified in section 35 of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998.

The CEO of ARPANSA has imposed the standard licence condition requiring quarterly reporting under section 35 (1) (c). The CEO has also imposed a licence condition stating that the Licence Holder must seek the approval for construction of any hot cells/cell containment, hydrogen gas and detection system and any cranes along with items identified as safety category 1 and safety category 2 in the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR).

The licence remains in force until it is cancelled or suspended under section 38 of the Act or until it is surrendered under section 39 of the Act.