Radiation Apparatus

Requirements for researchers using radiation apparatus at UNSW:

  • X-ray equipment used or intended to be used for medical, veterinary or dental purposes must be inspected and issued with a certificate of compliance by an EPA accredited Consulting Radiation Expert in accordance with the EPA Radiation Guideline 6.
  • X-ray equipment and its location must be assessed by the Radiation Safety Committee and recommended to the DVC(R) for registration with the EPA prior to starting work.
  • X-ray equipment may only be used by, or under the supervision of, a person with an appropriate EPA user licence and supervising condition attached.

 

Registration

In accordance with the NSW Radiation Control Regulations 2013, all radiation apparatus must be registered with the EPA under a Radiation Management Licence. At UNSW, custodians of X-ray equipment must submit the registration application to the Radiation Safety Committee for review and recommendation to the DVCRE for registration with the EPA. 

  • To apply for Radiation Apparatus Registration - log into iRECS to submit your application. You will receive a notification once your application has been assigned to a meeting. Please ensure you submit your application 2 weeks prior to the relevant RSC meeting date. 
Projects involving the use of already approved equipment do not require separate approval however X-ray machines may only be used by, or under the supervision of, a person with an appropriate user licence.
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Compliance certification for diagnostic imaging apparatus used in medical, veterinary or dental purposes

If your X-ray equipment is to be used or intended to be used for medical, veterinary or dental purposes, it must be inspected by an external EPA accredited Consulting Radiation Expert and issued with a certificate of compliance. A list of EPA accredited Consulting Radiation Expert can be found on the EPA website

Refer to the below documents for registration requirements & industry best practice.

The certificate of compliance must be obtained:

  • before the apparatus is registered with the Regulator, or
  • within 2 years of the anniversaryof initial compliance certification - for mammography apparatus, fluoroscopy apparatus, computed tomography apparatus, and for apparatus that may be used for both fluoroscopy and radiography, or
  • within 5 years of initial certification - for dental radiography apparatus, radiography apparatus, and bone mineral density apparatus, or
  • if modifications have been made that affect the compliance of the apparatus with the requirements of the EPA Radiation Guideline 6, or
  • if the apparatus has been relocated and reassembled, or
  • where the purpose for which the apparatus is used has changed, or
  • in addition, in the case of mammography apparatus, an annual certificate is required in relation to mean glandular dose requirements or following any service or modification that may affect patient dose.
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Training and Licensing
It is expected that each X-ray equipment has a dedicated custodian who:
  • holds an EPA user licence for the type of equipment that they're responsible for with GE1 conditions that would enable them to grant Exemption to non-licensed users.
  • is in the position to give induction training of safe work practices to new and non-licensed users.

Depending on which X-ray equipment you're working with, the EPA user licence type may vary. Some of the common licence types and their associated EPA-certified training course are:

 

How to apply for an EPA user licence

  1. Complete the online module Level 1: Introduction to Radiation Safety @ UNSW by following enrolment instructions below.

Staff

Go to myUNSW. Search by Course Number: RECSR1 in training registration. Click here for enrolment instructions

Student

Go to myUNSW. Search by Course Number: RECSR1 in training registration. Click here for enrolment instructions

             2. Attend an EPA-certified training course for the type of equipment
 
             3. Obtain an EPA user licence for the type of equipment. 

 

How to work with X-ray equipment under exemption:

  1. complete the online module Level 1: Introduction to Radiation Safety @ UNSW  by following enrolment instructions below

Staff

Go to myUNSW. Search by Course Number: RECSR1 in training registration. Click here for enrolment instructions

Student

 

Go to myUNSW. Search by Course Number: RECSR1 in training registration. Click here for enrolment instructions

           

        2. receive operational training by the apparatus' custodian

        3. receive an exemption written by a GE1 licence holder who either provides direct supervision or assigns supervision to another licensee who is deemed competent by the GE1 licence holder in accordance with the EPA exemption criteria.

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Monitoring

Personal monitoring

A personal monitoring device is designed to measure, over a specified period of time, the radiation dose received by a person who is occupationally exposed to radiation. The Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) monitor measures potential occupational doses from gamma radiation and X-rays. Depending on the specific work carried out, different types of monitors (extremity monitor, or  body) can be requested. Monitors can be collected for reading at various exposure periods (4 or 12 weeks).

OSLs are issued to individual wearers who are registered with the badge service. As it is used to determine the dose received by the wearer identified on the badge, never wear someone else's nor loan out yours. OSLs should be worn at chest or waist height and should be underneath protective equipment such as lead aprons when these are worn.

Outside of working hours, or when not in use, OSLs should not be worn, but placed in storage with the control. This is necessary to ensure environmental conditions do not adversely affect the monitor and control differently and to reduce the possibility of their loss. This procedure also avoids the delays that frequently arise in returning monitors to the Personal Radiation Monitoring Service due to an individual being on leave at the end of a wearing period and not having left the monitor in the appropriate storage place.       

At UNSW,  the local Radiation Safety Supervisor liaises directly with ARPANSA Personal Radiation Monitoring Service to register for new monitoring badge and monitor their readings. 

For further information please contact your local Radiation Safety Supervisor.

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Disposal, Receipt and Transfer
Custodian of X-ray equipment must contact radiationsafety@unsw.edu.au as soon as they want to:
  • dispose of
  • receive from another licensed user
  • transfer to another licensed user
an X-ray equipment. This enables the Radiation Safety Committee to notify the Authority changes to UNSW's Radiation Management Licence.
 
 
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