Commonwealth Consolidated Regulations Commonwealth Consolidated RegulationsNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:
(a) controlled apparatus;
(b) controlled facility;
(c) controlled material;
(d) controlled person;
(e) deal with.
In this instrument:
absorbed dose means the energy absorbed per unit mass by matter from ionizing radiation that impinges upon it.
Note: See the Planned Exposure Code.
"Act" means the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 .
"action level" means an intervention level applied to exposure to radiation.
"activity concentration value steps" : the activity concentration value steps for a waste package are the following steps:
(a) first, divide the activity of each nuclide in the waste package by the mass of the waste package;
(b) secondly, divide the result of paragraph (a) for each nuclide by the activity concentration value set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 for the nuclide;
(c) thirdly, if there is more than one nuclide in the waste package, total the result of paragraph (b) for each nuclide.
Note: Section 5 affects how the activity of a parent nuclide mentioned in Part 2 of Schedule 1 (or marked a in Part 1 of Schedule 1) is worked out, by providing for inclusion of the activity of certain progeny nuclides that are included in secular equilibrium with the parent nuclide.
"activity value division steps" : the activity value division steps for sources or controlled materials are the following steps:
(a) first, divide the activity of each nuclide in the sources or controlled materials by the activity value set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 for the nuclide;
(b) secondly, if there is more than one nuclide in the sources or controlled materials, total the result of paragraph (a) for each nuclide.
Note: Section 5 affects how the activity of a parent nuclide mentioned in Part 2 of Schedule 1 (or marked a in Part 1 of Schedule 1) is worked out, by providing for inclusion of the activity of certain progeny nuclides that are included in secular equilibrium with the parent nuclide.
"appointed member" of the Council or a Committee means a member of the Council or Committee other than the CEO.
"AS/NZS IEC 60825.1:2014" means the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS IEC 60825.1:2014 Safety of laser products, Part 1: Equipment classification and requirements , published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand, as existing on 8 December 2018.
"AS/NZS IEC 60825.2:2011" means the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS IEC 60825.2:2011 Safety of laser products, Part 2: Safety of optical fibre communication systems (OFCS) , published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand, as existing on 8 December 2018.
"AS/NZS IEC 62471:2011" means the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS IEC 62471:2011 Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems , published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand, as existing on 8 December 2018.
"committed effective dose" means the effective dose that a person is committed to receive from an intake of radioactive material.
Note: See the Planned Exposure Code.
"Committee" means the Radiation Health Committee or the Nuclear Safety Committee.
"Disposal of Radioactive Waste Code" means the Code for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste by the User (Radiation Protection Series C - 6) , published by the CEO, as existing on 7 November 2019.
Note: The Disposal of Radioactive Waste Code could in 2021 be viewed on ARPANSA's website (https://www.arpansa.gov.au).
"dose" includes absorbed dose, equivalent dose and effective dose.
Note: See the Planned Exposure Code.
"effective dose" means a measure of dose that takes into account both the type of radiation involved and the radiological sensitivities of the organs and tissues irradiated.
Note: See the Planned Exposure Code.
"equivalent dose" means a measure of dose in organs and tissues that takes into account the type of radiation involved.
Note: See the Planned Exposure Code.
"excluded exposure" means the component of exposure that arises from natural background radiation, provided that:
(a) any relevant action level or levels for the workplace are not exceeded; and
(b) the CEO does not prohibit the exclusion of that component.
"exposure" means exposure to radiation.
"Group 1" : each controlled apparatus or controlled material described in the following table is in Group 1 .
Group 1 controlled apparatus and controlled materials | |
| Controlled apparatus or controlled material |
1 | Sealed source for calibration purposes of activity of 40 MBq or less |
2 | Sealed source in a fully enclosed analytical device |
3 | Sealed source with activity of 400 MBq or less in a fixed gauge |
4 | Sealed source in a blood irradiator |
5 | Sealed source in a bone densitometer |
6 | Sealed source that: (a) is in storage and awaiting disposal; and (b) has a nuclide with a maximum activity of not more than 10 9 times the activity value for that nuclide set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 |
7 | Unsealed source, or sources, in a laboratory or particular premises, having nuclides of one kind only with a maximum activity not more than 10 2 times the activity value for that nuclide set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 |
8 | Unsealed source, or sources, in a laboratory or particular premises, having nuclides such that, when the maximum activity of each nuclide in the source, or sources, is divided by the activity value for that nuclide set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1, the total of the results for all nuclides in the source, or sources, is not more than 10 2 |
9 | Mammographic X - ray unit |
10 | Conventional dental X - ray unit |
11 | X - ray unit used for bone densitometry |
12 | X - ray unit used for veterinary radiography |
13 | Fully enclosed X - ray analysis unit |
14 | Baggage inspection X - ray unit |
15 | Mobile or portable medical X - ray unit |
16 | Magnetic field non - destructive testing device |
17 | Induction heater or induction furnace |
18 | Industrial radiofrequency heater or welder |
19 | Radiofrequency plasma tube |
20 | Microwave or radiofrequency diathermy equipment |
21 | Industrial microwave or radiofrequency processing system |
22 | Optical source, other than a laser product, emitting ultraviolet radiation, infra - red or visible light |
23 | Laser product with an accessible emission that exceeds the accessible emission limits of a Class 3R laser product, as set out in AS/NZS IEC 60825.1:2014 |
24 | Optical fibre communication system exceeding Hazard Level 3R, as defined by AS/NZS IEC 60825.2:2011 |
25 | Sealed source not mentioned in another item of this table or in the definition of Group 2 or Group 3 , dealings with which do not have the potential for accidental exposure likely to exceed the dose limits mentioned in sections 77 and 79 |
26 | Controlled apparatus that produces ionizing radiation and is not mentioned in another item of this table or in the definition of Group 2 or Group 3 , dealings with which do not have the potential for accidental exposure likely to exceed the dose limits mentioned in sections 77 and 79 |
27 | Controlled apparatus that produces non - ionizing radiation and is not mentioned in another item of this table |
"Group 2" : each controlled apparatus or controlled material described in the following table is in Group 2 .
Group 2 controlled apparatus and controlled materials | |
| Controlled apparatus or controlled material |
1 | Sealed source for calibration purposes of activity of more than 40 MBq |
2 | Sealed source in a partially enclosed analytical device |
3 | Sealed source of activity of more than 400 MBq in a fixed gauge |
4 | Sealed source in a mobile gauge |
5 | Sealed source for medical or veterinary diagnostic nuclear medicine use |
6 | Unsealed source, or sources, in a laboratory or particular premises, having nuclides of one kind only with a maximum activity of more than 10 2 , but not more than 10 4 , times the activity value for that nuclide set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 |
7 | Unsealed source, or sources, in a laboratory or particular premises, having nuclides such that, when the maximum activity of each nuclide in the source, or sources, is divided by the activity value for that nuclide set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1, the total of the results for all nuclides in the source, or sources, is more than 10 2 but not more than 10 4 |
8 | Unsealed sources used for tracer studies in the environment |
9 | Industrial radiography X - ray unit |
10 | Fixed medical X - ray unit, including a unit used for fluoroscopy, tomography and chiropractic radiography |
11 | Partially enclosed X - ray analysis unit |
12 | Medical therapy simulator |
13 | CT scanner |
14 | Sealed source not mentioned in another item of this table or in the definition of Group 1 or Group 3 , dealings with which have the potential for accidental exposure likely to exceed a dose limit mentioned in sections 77 and 79 but unlikely to result in acute effects |
15 | Controlled apparatus that produces ionizing radiation not mentioned in another item of this table or in the definition of Group 1 or Group 3 , dealings with which have the potential for accidental exposure likely to exceed a dose limit mentioned in sections 77 and 79 but unlikely to result in acute effects |
"Group 3" : each controlled apparatus or controlled material described in the following table is in Group 3 .
Group 3 controlled apparatus and controlled materials | |
| Controlled apparatus or controlled material |
1 | Sealed source for industrial radiography |
2 | Sealed source for medical and veterinary radiotherapy |
3 | Sealed source in a borehole logger |
4 | Sealed source not mentioned in another item of this table or in the definition of Group 1 or Group 2 , dealings with which have the potential for accidental exposure likely to exceed a dose limit mentioned in sections 77 and 79 and likely to result in acute effects |
5 | Unsealed source, or sources, in a laboratory or particular premises, having nuclides of one kind only with a maximum activity of more than 10 4 , but not more than 10 6 , times the activity value for that nuclide set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 |
6 | Unsealed source, or sources, in a laboratory or particular premises, having nuclides such that, when the maximum activity of each nuclide in the source, or sources, is divided by the activity value for that nuclide set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1, the total of the results for all nuclides in the source, or sources, is more than 10 4 but not more than 10 6 |
7 | Veterinary or medical radiotherapy unit |
8 | Controlled apparatus that produces ionizing radiation not mentioned in another item of this table or in the definition of Group 1 or Group 2 , dealings with which have the potential for accidental exposure likely to exceed a dose limit mentioned in sections 77 and 79 and likely to result in acute effects |
"GSR Part 3" means Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards--IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3 , published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, as existing on 1 March 2022.
Note: GSR Part 3 could in 2022 be viewed on the International Atomic Energy Agency's website (https://www.iaea.org).
"holder" of a licence means the controlled person to whom the licence is issued.
"incident" means:
(a) any unintended event, including an operating error, equipment failure, initiating event, accident precursor, near miss or other mishap; or
(b) any unauthorised act, whether or not malicious;
the consequences or potential consequences of which are not negligible.
"irradiator" means a device that contains a controlled material and gives a controlled dose of radiation to any target material.
"Licence Charges Regulations" means the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (Licence Charges) Regulations 2018 .
"non-ionizing radiation exposure limits" means any of the following:
(a) the reference levels mentioned in the ICNIRP Guidelines For Limiting Exposure To Time - Varying Electric And Magnetic Fields (1 Hz--100 kHz) , published by the International Commission on Non - Ionizing Radiation Protection, as existing on 8 December 2018;
(b) the limiting exposure mentioned in the Radiation Protection Standard for Limiting Exposure to Radiofrequency Fields--100 kHz to 300 GHz (2021) (Radiation Protection Series S - 1 (Rev. 1)) , published by the CEO, as existing on 1 July 2021;
(c) the maximum permissible exposure limits mentioned in AS/NZS IEC 60825.1:2014;
(d) the exposure limits mentioned in AS/NZS IEC 62471:2011;
(e) the exposure limits mentioned in the Radiation Protection Standard for Occupational Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation (2006) (Radiation Protection Series No. 12) , published by the CEO, as existing on 8 December 2018;
(f) the exposure limits mentioned in the ICNIRP Guidelines On Limits Of Exposure To Static Magnetic Fields , published by the International Commission on Non - Ionizing Radiation Protection, as existing on 8 December 2018.
Note 1: The documents mentioned in paragraphs (a), (b), (e) and (f) could in 2021 be viewed on, or accessed from, ARPANSA's website (https://www.arpansa.gov.au).
Note 2: For guidance on the exposure limits mentioned in paragraph (d), see the ICNIRP Guidelines On Limits Of Exposure To Incoherent Visible And Infrared Radiation , published by the International Commission on Non - Ionizing Radiation Protection. The Guidelines could in 2021 be accessed from ARPANSA's website (https://www.arpansa.gov.au).
"notifiable incident" means any of the following:
(a) an incident that exposes a person to a dose of ionizing radiation that exceeds an effective dose limit mentioned in section 77 or an equivalent dose limit mentioned in section 79;
(b) an incident involving a diagnostic or interventional medical procedure resulting in an observable acute radiation effect;
(c) an incident involving exposure to non - ionizing radiation from controlled apparatus that:
(i) exceeds the non - ionizing radiation exposure limits; or
(ii) results in noticeable eye or skin damage;
(d) a theft or loss of controlled material or controlled apparatus, other than controlled material or controlled apparatus in Group 1;
(e) an incident involving the release of controlled material if the result of the activity value division steps for the controlled material is greater than 10 4 ;
(f) an incident involving transport of a package of controlled material if:
(i) the result of the activity value division steps for the controlled material is greater than 10 4 ; and
(ii) the package is damaged in such a way that safety provisions are degraded.
"occupational exposure" means exposure of a person that:
(a) occurs in the course of the person's work; and
(b) is not excluded exposure.
"Planned Exposure Code" means the Code for Radiation Protection in Planned Exposure Situations (2020) , published by the CEO, as existing at the commencement of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021 .
Note: The Planned Exposure Code could in 2021 be viewed on ARPANSA's website (https://www.arpansa.gov.au).
"public exposure" means exposure of a person that is none of the following:
(a) occupational exposure of the person;
(b) exposure of the person:
(i) as a patient undergoing medical diagnosis or therapy; or
(ii) as a volunteer in medical research;
(c) exposure, other than occupational exposure, received as a consequence of the person assisting an exposed patient.
"sealed source" means controlled material permanently contained in a capsule, or closely bound in a solid form, that is strong enough to be leak - tight for:
(a) the intended use of the controlled material; and
(b) any reasonably foreseeable abnormal events likely to affect the controlled material.
"Security Code of Practice" means the document Security of Radioactive Sources (2019) , published by the CEO, as existing at the commencement of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021 .
Note: The Security Code of Practice could in 2021 be viewed on ARPANSA's website (https://www.arpansa.gov.au).
"solid clearance material" : see subsection 65(7).
"solid clearance value" : see subsection 65(8).
"Transport Code" means the Code for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (2019) , published by the CEO, as existing at the commencement of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021 .
Note: The Transport Code could in 2021 be viewed on ARPANSA's website (https://www.arpansa.gov.au).
"unsealed source" means controlled material that is not a sealed source.
"waste package" means the waste form of controlled material and its container as prepared for handling, transport, storage or disposal.