Guide for Radiation Protection in Existing Exposure Situations (2017)
This Guide for Radiation Protection in Existing Exposure Situations (2017) establishes a framework in Australia for the protection of occupationally exposed persons, the public and the environment in existing exposure situations. This guide applies a risk based approach when considering the application, justification and optimisation of existing exposure strategies and remedial actions.
ARPANSA, jointly with state and territory regulators in the Radiation Health Committee (RHC), has developed this Guide based on the ‘requirements’ relating to existing exposure situations described in the Safety Requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards General Safety Requirements Part 3, GSR Part 3 (IAEA 2014).
This publication, together with Fundamentals for Protection Against Ionising Radiation (RPS F-1) and the Code for Radiation Protection in Planned Exposure Situations (RPS C-1), supersede the Recommendations for Limiting Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (1995) and National Standard for Limiting Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (republished 2002) (RPS 1). As RPS 1 was a joint publication with the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, the predecessor of Safe Work Australia (SWA), formal agreement was sought, and was received, from SWA to withdraw RPS 1.
Radiation Protection Series G-2 - Guide for Radiation Protection in Existing Exposure Situations (2017)
Public Consultation
The draft guide was released for public comment from 15 December 2016 to 10 March 2017:
Supplementary material
Advisory notes
Advisory Note - Exposure to Naturally Occurring Radon in the Workplace
International guidance on existing exposure situations
The following is a list of guidance documents for case–specific existing exposure:
- International Atomic Energy Agency (2007). Remediation Process for Areas Affected by Past Activities and Accidents. WS–G–3.1
- International Atomic Energy Agency (2015). Protection of the Public against Exposure Indoors due to Radon and Other Natural Sources of Radiation. SSG–32
- International Commission on Radiological Protection (2014). Radiological Protection against Radon Exposure. ICRP Publication 126.
- International Commission on Radiological Protection (2016). Radiological Protection from Cosmic Radiation in Aviation. ICRP Publication 132.
- World Health Organization, Guidelines for Drinking–water Quality — 4th edn, WHO, Geneva (2011).
- World Health Organization, WHO Handbook on Indoor Radon: A Public Health Perspective, WHO, Geneva (2009)
Case studies for existing exposure situations
Additional reference material will made available here in the near future.
