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If your research or teaching involves radioactive substances, high powered lasers, x-ray or neutron emitting apparatus and UV transilluminators, you must abide by the restrictions imposed by the Radiation Safety Act 1975 and associated regulations.
All such substances and instruments must be registered and most can only be used under the supervision of a suitably qualified individual with an appropriate WA government issued licence.
All Curtin projects using such materials and instruments must be approved by the University Radiation Safety Committee before work commences.
If you’re planning radiation related work or have questions about radiation safety, contact your local radiation safety supervisor (RSS). To comply with workplace procedures, you must report any accidents or incidents and raise any safety, health or security concerns with the RSS. Each individual is responsible for taking reasonably practicable steps to ensure their own safety when working with radiation.
Apply for radiation project approval
Before starting any work involving radioactive substances, high powered lasers (class 3B or 4), x-ray or neutron emitting apparatus or UV transilluminators, you must have approval from the Radiation Safety Officer or Committee. If your supervisor already has approval to cover your work, they can apply for an amendment to add your name to their project. If not, you must start a new application.
To apply, log into InfoEd using your Curtin credentials, create a new record, and go through the process for “InfoEd Radiation Project UserGuide – Create New Applicationâ€.
Note for students: In the Chief Investigator screen you must delete your name and add your supervisor’s name. Add yourself as co-investigator and click save to be able to go back into the system and see the form. If you are a staff member but submitting as a student make sure you use your student credentials.
The application will be reviewed by:
The Chief investigator for the project
The Radiation licence holder(s) for the substances or equipment
The local Radiation Safety Supervisor (or, if this role is vacant, the Head of School)
After review, the University Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) will triage your application as either Low-Risk or High-Risk. Low-Risk applications will be processed by the University RSO, whereas High-Risk applications will be assessed by the Radiation Safety Committee.
Licensing and training for radiation users
All projects involving radioactive substances, class 3B or 4 lasers, x-ray or neutron apparatus or UV transilluminators must be conducted under the supervision of a suitably qualified person with an appropriate WA Government issued licence.
The licence holder must ensure that all radiation users have an adequate level of information, instruction, training and supervision to carry out their duties in a safe manner on a day-to-day basis and that the radiation work is conducted in accordance with their licence conditions and local radiation working rules.
To get a licence, you must:
Pass an appropriate course accredited by the WA Regulatory body, the Radiological Council. (See the latest list of courses on the Radiological Council courses webpage).
Contact the University Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) to request a letter of support for your application (necessary for first time applicants only).
Send the application to the Radiological Council together with payment.
You can get a licence for one or three years, and the Radiological Council will send you a renewal notice just before your licence expires. If you plan to continue work, you must renew your licence and submit a copy of your new licence on InfoEd. Contact the University RSO for assistance or further advice.
Anyone working under the supervision of a licence holder must have a level of training appropriate to the work they are conducting. This training can be one of the WA Regulator accredited courses or an equivalent level qualification. The licence holder must retain documentary evidence of the training of each user under their supervision.
For projects involving quantities of radioactive substances below an exempt limit, lasers with power below class 3B, other sources of UV, infrared, microwaves, radiofrequencies, magnetic fields, infrasound or ultrasound, it isn’t necessary for anyone to have a licence. If the equipment is used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions then it’s sufficient to ensure users read the safe working procedures and risk assessments for the apparatus and undergo training on its use. The supervisor must retain documentary evidence of the training of each user under their supervision.
Acquisition, storage and disposal of radioactive materials
You must follow specific processes for acquiring, storing and disposing of radioactive material.
You must submit a radiation project application or amendment before you purchase any new radioactive material, class 3B or 4 laser, x-ray instrument or transilluminator. Some facilities may require modifications to accommodate certain radionuclide activity levels or types of equipment. For repeat orders of radioactive materials already covered by an existing project it is only necessary for you to inform the local Radiation Safety Supervisor (RSS) to ensure activity limits for the location are not exceeded.
If you’re ordering radioactive materials from overseas, you must obtain an import permit from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA). Failure to obtain a permit will result in the shipment being held by Customs. Complete the relevant form (leaving licensee name and licence number fields blank) and submit it to the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO). The RSO will provide the University licence details and submit the form to ARPANSA. Payment is to be made by the group/department ordering the radionuclide(s).
Every radiation laboratory is registered with the State regulatory authority to store or use a maximum activity of radioactive material or make use of a specific laser, x-ray or transilluminator. The RSS will have a copy of the registered limits and equipment. Inform the RSO and local RSS immediately if radioisotopes in excess of the registered activity limits or new equipment is to be stored, used or moved to another University area not already approved on an existing project. In such an instance you must submit a radiation project application or amendment.
You must keep and regularly update records following the movement of radioactive substances and radiation equipment. Records must detail the properties of the substances or equipment, supplier, arrival date, use details, disposal method and disposal date. You should include comments on the form of packaging and perhaps the quality of the packaging. Obtain signed receipts where possible.
Facility requirements
Laboratories containing radioactive materials, x-ray instruments or class 3B or 4 lasers must comply with legislative requirements. The requirements can be quite extensive and may depend upon the work conducted there. Contact the University Radiation Security Officer (RSO) before you establish any new facility. You must still gain approval for each project even if the project is within an established facility.
All laboratories using radioactive materials must be approved for use by the WA State Government Regulator before any work is conducted. The Regulator will assess the architectural, plumbing and ventilation plans for the laboratory to decide if the laboratory is suitable for radioactive materials work. Architectural, plumbing or ventilation changes can be time consuming and costly, so contact the RSO to begin the approval process many months before work commencing in case the Regulator requires changes.
Laser facility requirements are detailed in the Radiation Safety (General) Regulations 1983 and refer to Australian Standard AS/NZS 2211.1:2004 for specific items. Allow time before work commencing to ensure these requirements are met. In some cases it may take a few months to arrange for the laboratory to have the appropriate security and safety systems in place.
Rooms containing x-ray generating instruments, whether for analysis or diagnostic purposes, may require walls and windows to have appropriate shielding. The WA State Government Regulator must approve the plans for the facility prior to work commencing. The room where the apparatus is located and the surrounding area may also be required to undergo a three month radiation survey when work begins, or at any other time as specified by the Regulator, to confirm radiation levels are below the legislated limits.
Methods of disposal
If any radioactive material, class 3B or 4 laser, x-ray instrument or transilluminator is to be disposed of or moved to another organisation, you must inform the RSO and local RSS so they can update the registration details. The method of disposal depends on the type of material or equipment. For disposal of radioactive materials it may be necessary to store them to allow for radioactive decay. If so, Curtin has a Radiation Waste Storage facility for this purpose – contact the RSO for access. The group/department disposing of the radioactive materials or radiation equipment is responsible for the costs of disposal.
Final disposal of any irradiating apparatus or electronic product must be carried out by a licensed service person in accordance with the methods below:
X-ray equipment At minimum the x-ray tube must be disabled, by eliminating the vacuum inside the x-ray tube by physically breaking the glass envelope, and the high-tension cables must be severed, to render the equipment inoperable. It would also be preferable to remove the circuit board controlling the high voltage generator where possible.
Lasers
Removing the power supply (by severing the cord) and removing the critical optical components and the amplifying medium to render the equipment inoperable.
Transilluminators
Removing the power supply (by severing the cord) and removing the UV lights from the unit and destroying them will render the equipment inoperable.
Liquid radioactive waste is best disposed of via the sewer system. Such waste must only be disposed of via flushing sinks connected to approved radioactive drains provided for this purpose.
Ensure that the activity per flush is below the legal dilution concentration limit for each radionuclide and that the waste complies with the Water Corporation’s ‘Acceptance criteria for trade waste’.
Segregation
You must segregate waste according to the radionuclide and the type of waste. For example:
Sealed sources
Biological material (e.g. food, animal carcasses)
Sharps (e.g. syringes, broken glass)
Scintillation cocktail from counting tubes
General laboratory waste (e.g. gloves, paper towels)
Long-lived radionuclides must not exceed the following activity box limits:
Session
Key dates
Semester 1
20 to 24 February
O-Week
Monday 27 February
Teaching start date
Friday 3 March
Tuition payment due date
Saturday 4 March
Last enrolment via eStudent
Friday 24 March
SSAF payment due date
Friday 24 March
Census date
Saturday 25 March
SSAF incurral date
Friday 5 May
Last withdrawal via eStudent
5 to 16 June
Centrally scheduled exams
Friday 16 June
End date
Wednesday 5 July
Results publication date
Semester 2
17 to 21 July
O-Week
Monday 24 July
Teaching start date
Friday 28 July
Tuition payment due date
Saturday 29 July
Last enrolment via eStudent
Friday 18 August
SSAF payment due date
Friday 18 August
Census date
Saturday 19 August
SSAF incurral date
Friday 29 September
Last withdrawal via eStudent
30 October to 10 November
Centrally scheduled exams
Friday 10 November
End date
Wednesday 29 November
Results publication date
Packaging
Seal solid waste in a red plastic bag. Other liquid waste must be sealed in a screw top bottle or vial before being sealed in a red plastic bag. Any sharps, such as needles or broken glass, must be enclosed in a hard container (metal tin or plastic sharps container).
The red plastic bag or hard container must be placed in a cardboard box or multi-walled paper bag with the words ‘Radioactive material’ printed clearly on the outside.
The box or bag must then be sealed with tape that is suitable for storage (50 mm wide masking tape is commonly used).
Labelling
Label the waste box or bag with the type of waste it contains together with a contact name and location of where the waste comes from.
Write the radionuclide and provide an estimate of total activity. Only use units of activity (Bq, Ci and their derivatives). Do not use other units such as counts per second or Bq per mL.
Transportation
Confirm whether the activity of the waste is low enough to be transported as an ‘excepted package’.
Liaise with the University Radiation Safety Officer to arrange a time for delivery to the University radiation waste store and transport the waste at the designated time.
Ensure the waste is handed directly to staff at the store. Do not leave radioactive waste unattended at any time.
Radiation monitoring
The objective of radiation monitoring is to ensure that existing safety procedures are effective at keeping dosage and exposures from scattered or incidental radiation as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).
Required for users of radioactive substances and x-ray or neutron equipment.
If you work with ionising radiation, you’ll need to apply for a personal radiation monitoring badge. These badges are issued on a monthly or quarterly basis and monitor exposures from incidental and scattered radiation. The badges are not appropriate for low energy beta emitters such as 3H or 35S. To obtain a badge contact your local Radiation Safety Supervisor (RSS). When the badge arrives you can collect it from your RSS or nominated badge coordinator.
Required for users routinely handling equal or greater activities per procedure of the following radionuclides: 120 MBq 3H, 5 MBq 14C, 5 MBq 35S or 0.1 MBq 125I.
Urinalysis is required for users of 3H, 14C or 35S. Thyroid analysis is required for 125I. The frequency of monitoring will be determined by the University Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) for different categories of workers and submitted to the WA Radiological Council for approval.
Contact the Radiation Safety Officer for more information.
Required for users of low energy beta emitting unsealed radioactive substances or contamination testing in radioisotope areas with high level background fields.
Groups using unsealed radioisotopes are required to conduct monthly wipe tests of all radioisotope laboratories. A summary of the results of the wipe test must be forwarded to the local RSS and RSO.
Required for users of radioactive substances and x-ray equipment.
If you’re using beta and gamma emitting radionuclides, survey your area before and after any procedure involving radionuclides to ensure no contamination is present. A Geiger counter (preferable for betas) or Scintillation monitor (preferable for gammas) is normally used. Clean any contamination immediately.
If you’re using partially enclosed x-ray units, perform a radiation survey on a monthly basis to check for radiation leakage from the machine. For totally enclosed x-ray units, perform the radiation survey quarterly. The dose at any accessible point 5 cm from the surface must not exceed 25 µGy per hour whilst the instrument is operating at maximum power.
Radiation safety officer and supervisors
Radiation safety supervisors
If you’re planning to conduct radiation related work or you have questions about radiation safety, your local Radiation Safety Supervisor is your first point of contact.
The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) is a legislated role that coordinates radiation activities at Curtin to ensure compliance with the Radiation Safety Act 1975 and other regulations. The RSO is responsible for instituting and maintaining a system of radiation safety at Curtin and is monitored by the University Radiation Safety Committee, comprising members from across the University.
