10 May 2024
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) licence holders came together on 2-3 May to discuss proactive safety monitoring and improvements in regulatory practice.
ARPANSA regulates Commonwealth entities that use or produce radiation. The annual Licence Holder Forum provides an opportunity for ARPANSA to engage its licence holders and to share information with them about any regulatory changes.
ARPANSA’s Chief Regulatory Officer, Jim Scott, says they engage licence holders at all stages of the licensing process.
‘The forum featured an intensive workshop as part of the rollout of ARPANSA’s new licence administration portal’, Mr Scott said.
‘We are particularly proud to be launching the new licence holder portal, as it will improve safety outcomes by making it more efficient for licence holders to meet their obligations and communicate with us.’
In 2022, ARPANSA Regulation amendments were introduced requiring licence holders to address human and organisational factors that impact nuclear safety.
Forum keynote speaker and human factors expert, Associate Professor Gemma Read, discussed safety indicators and system thinking at the Melbourne event.
ARPANSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Gillian Hirth, says the keynote speech provided some excellent examples of how these considerations can be embedded into systems and processes to support safety and security.
‘Understanding human behaviours and capabilities is a critical part of safety and considering these human factors during planning and operations will help prevent safety incidents,’ Dr Hirth said.
‘Australia has a robust regulatory framework that helps protect communities from the harmful effects of radiation. These strong frameworks and a national commitment to radiation protection contribute to ARPANSA’s reputation as a leading authority internationally.
‘Collaborating with our licence holders to continuously improve is key to upholding a strong regulatory environment.’
The licence holder forum provides an opportunity for ARPANSA to assist its licence holders to meet their obligations to keep the people and the environment safe from the harmful effects of radiation.
Learn more about ARPANSA's regulatory services: https://www.arpansa.gov.au/regulation-and-licensing/regulation/about-regulatory-services
