The Radiation Health Series was formerly published by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The Radiation Health Committee is progressively reviewing the series.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has advised that it does not intend to review the Radiation Health Series publications and has handed responsibility for review to ARPANSA. The Radiation Health Committee is progressively reviewing the series, and where appropriate republishing as part of ARPANSA's Radiation Protection Series. In some cases the publication has been withdrawn as the content has been covered in other document types (such as Australian Standards) and a revised version was not required.

The application of RHS publications is subject to the individual requirements of the relevant regulatory authority in each jurisdiction. The relevant authority should be consulted regarding the continued use of these publications.

Radiation Health Series publications that have been withdrawn or superseded can be accessed via the National Library of Australia (NLA) web archive.

RHS No. 1

Recommended radiation protection standards for individuals exposed to ionising radiation (1980)

[Superseded by Radiation Health Series No.39 and later by Radiation Protection Series No. 1]

RHS No. 2

Code of practice for the design of laboratories using radioactive substances for medical purposes (1980).

This code has been withdrawn as the material is covered by the relevant Australian Standard.

RHS No. 3

Code of practice for the safe use of ionizing radiation in veterinary radiology: Parts 1 and 2 (1982)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No.17]

RHS No. 4

Code of practice for the safe use of radiation gauges (1982)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No.13]

RHS No. 5

Recommendations relating to the discharge of patients undergoing treatment with radioactive substances (1983)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No.4]

RHS No. 6

Code of practice on the safe use of lasers in secondary schools (1983)

[Superseded by Radiation Health Series No.36]

RHS No. 7

Guidelines for the safe use of lasers in the entertainment industry (1983)

[Superseded by Radiation Health Series No.37]

RHS No. 8

Code of nursing practice for staff exposed to ionizing radiation (1984)

This publication has been withdrawn. Relevant information for nursing staff can now be found in:

and associated Safety Guides:

RHS No. 9

Code of practice for protection against ionizing radiation emitted from X-ray analysis equipment (1984)

RHS No. 10

Code of practice for safe use of ionizing radiation in veterinary radiology: part 3 - radiotherapy (1984)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No.17]

RHS No. 11

Code of practice for the safe use of soil density and moisture gauges containing radioactive sources (1984)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No.5]

RHS No. 12

Administration of ionizing radiation to human subjects in medical research (1984)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No. 8]

RHS No. 13

Code of practice for the disposal of radioactive wastes by the user (1985)

[Superseded by Amendment 7 to the National Directory for Radiation Protection (Radiation Protection Series No. 6) and by Radiation Protection Series C-6]

RHS No. 14

Recommendations for minimising radiological hazards to patients (1985)

This publication has been withdrawn. The optimisation provisions of RHS 14 have been superseded by:

and associated Safety Guides:

as well as ongoing work in the development of Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs).

The advice to referrers provisions of RHS 14 are being replaced by work undertaken in the Quality Use of Diagnostic Imaging (QUDI) Program of the RANZCR and will be published on web site Inside Radiology.

RHS No. 15

Code of practice for the safe use of microwave diathermy units (1985)

This code has been withdrawn.

RHS No. 16

Code of practice for the safe use of short wave (radiofrequency) diathermy units (1985)

This code has been withdrawn.

RHS No. 17

Procedure for testing microwave leakage from microwave ovens (1985)

This code has been withdrawn as the material is covered by the relevant Australian Standard.

RHS No. 18

Code of practice for the safe handling of corpses containing radioactive materials (1986) has been withdrawn. This Code has been replaced by information in RPS 14, Code of Practice for Radiation Protection in the Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiation, and relevant Safety Guides RPS 14.2 Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Nuclear Medicine and RPS 14.3 Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy. In addition, the Radiation Health Committee has published the statement Safe Handling of Deceased Persons Recently Treated with Radioactive Material. The statement provides information to persons who, in the course of their work, may be required to deal with deceased persons who had recently undergone procedures involving radioactive material.

RHS No. 19

Code of practice for the safe use of ionizing radiation in secondary schools (1986)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No. 18]

RHS No. 20

Code of practice for radiation protection in dentistry (1987)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No. 10]

RHS No. 21

Revised statement on cabinet X-ray equipment for examination of letters, packages, baggage, freight and other articles for security, quality control and other purposes (1987)

RHS No. 22

Statement on enclosed X-ray equipment for special applications (1987)

RHS No. 23

Code of practice for the control and safe handling of radioactive sources used for therapeutic purposes (1988)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No. 14 and Radiation Protection Series No. 14.3]

RHS No. 24

Code of practice for the design and safe operation of non-medical irradiation facilities (1988)

RHS No. 25

Recommendations for ionization chamber smoke detectors for commercial and industrial fire protection systems (1988)

This guideline has been withdrawn as the material is covered by the relevant Trusted International Standard: IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG-36: Radiation Safety for Consumer Products

RHS No. 26

Policy on stable iodine prophylaxis following nuclear reactor accidents (1989)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No.7]

RHS No. 27

Australia's radiation protection standards (1989)

[Superseded by Radiation Health Series No.39 and later by Radiation Protection Series No. 1]

RHS No. 28

Code of practice for the safe use of sealed radioactive sources in borehole logging (1989)

RHS No. 29

Occupational standard for exposure to ultraviolet radiation (1989)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No. 12]

RHS No. 30

Interim guidelines on limits of exposure to 50/60 Hz electric and magnetic fields (1989)

The Radiation Health Committee agreed at its 24 June 2015 meeting that it would withdraw the existing NHMRC RHS30 guidance on ELF exposure. The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has issued Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric and Magnetic Fields (1 Hz -100 kHz) which are aimed at preventing the established health effects resulting from exposure to ELF EMF. The ICNIRP ELF guidelines are consistent with ARPANSA’s and the RHC's understanding of the scientific basis for the protection of people from exposure to ELF EMF. Details about ICNIRP and a link to the ICNIRP ELF guidelines are available from the ARPANSA website at International Best Practice.

RHS No. 31

Code of practice for the safe use of industrial radiography equipment (1989)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series C-4]

RHS No. 32

Intervention in emergency situations involving radiation exposure (1990)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No.7]

RHS No. 33

Interim statement on Australia's radiation protection standards (1991)

[Superseded by Radiation Health Series No.39 and later by Radiation Protection Series No. 1]

RHS No. 34

Safety guidelines for magnetic resonance diagnostic facilities (1991)

This Guideline has been withdrawn as the material is covered by the relevant Trusted International Standard: ICNIRP Statement on Medical Magnetic Resonance (MR) Procedures: Protection of Patients (PDF 4.53mb)

RHS No. 35

Code of practice for the near-surface disposal of radioactive waste in Australia (1992)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series C-3]

RHS No. 36

Code of practice for the safe use of lasers in schools (1995)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No. 18]

RHS No. 37

Code of practice for the safe use of lasers in the entertainment industry (1995)

This code has been withdrawn as the material is covered by the relevant Australian Standard.

RHS No. 38

Recommended limits on radioactive contamination on surfaces in laboratories (1995)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No.7 and AS 2243.4-2018 Safety in laboratories - Ionizing radiations]

RHS No. 39

Recommendations for limiting exposure to ionizing radiation (1995), and National standard for limiting occupational exposure to ionizing radiation (1995)

[Superseded by Radiation Protection Series No. 1]

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