The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (ARPANS) Regulations provide a framework for ensuring Commonwealth Government bodies that use or produce radiation conduct their work in a safe and responsible manner.
These Regulations apply to all of our regulated entities, including the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Department of Defence and others.
The Regulations are updated each year, and the most recent amendments came into effect on 7 November 2019. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 2018 now incorporate the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Amendment Regulations 2019.
‘The updated Regulations include further safeguards and clarification of requirements for new licence applications,’ said Jim Scott, ARPANSA’s Chief Regulatory Officer.
‘They also establish separate dose limits for occupational exposure to ionising radiation for people aged 16 and 17’, said Mr Scott, ‘This is an important step in ensuring that the Regulations provide appropriate protection to people of all ages working with radiation’.
In addition to changes to fees and application requirements and licence conditions, the updated Regulations also reference new Codes that apply to licence holders including the Code for Disposal Facilities for Solid Radioactive Material (2018) and Code for Disposal of Radioactive Waste by the User (2018).
A full explanation of the amendments can be found in the Federal Register of Legislation.
The Regulations are an important tool to support ARPANSA’s work in protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation.
