October 2011 Page 1 of 2 www.nt.gov.au/health/radiationprotection
R ADIATION P ROTECTION – C ODE OF P RACTICE
A CQUIRING A R ADIATION S OURCE
This code of practice is read with the code of practice for disposal of a radiation source.
BACKGROUND
A radiation source may be either an ionising or a non-ionising source of radiation. Ionising radiation may be a radiation source of radioactive material or radiation apparatus. The latter is electrical equipment that may only produce radiation, using an electrical power source. Non- ionising radiation sources are radiation apparatus.
A radiation source must not be abandoned. Sufficient funds must be set aside to provide for the safe disposal of all radiation sources.
INTRODUCTION
A licensee to possess a radiation source may only acquire a radiation source with a current licence to do so. It is a breach of the Radiation Protection Act to acquire a radiation source without a licence that authorises the holder to possess and acquire the radiation source.
All certificates for special form design that is in accordance with the International Standard, ISO 2919:1999(E): Radiation protection – Sealed radioactive sources – General requirements and classification, must be retained until the source is returned or properly disposed of. It is recommended that all documents provided by the manufacturer or supplier be kept for as long as the source is retained.
LICENSING
Before acquiring a radiation source for the first time, you must ensure that there is a current licence to possess a radiation source. An application for a licence to possess is called a radiation protection plan. When applying for this principal licence, you must apply to register the radiation place, at which you intend for a radiation source to be used or stored. General requirements of the Radiation Protection Act are described in a fact sheet, which is available at the internet location: www.nt.gov.au/health/radiationprotection.
REGISTRATION
All sealed radiation sources and all radiation apparatus must be registered. You must obtain a certificate of compliance from a holder of a Northern Territory certificate of accreditation.
Without this certificate, you will not be able to register the source. If the source is in the Northern Territory, you may, possibly, be in breach of Section 16 of the Radiation Protection Act.
Before acquiring a radiation source, you should be aware that disposal, at the end of the working life, may be costly under some circumstances. You must not abandon a radiation source and safe disposal may be expensive, and must be approved, as part of the current radiation protection plan. Before acquiring a radiation source, please ensure that you can return it to the supplier or agent, when it is no longer useful.
Page 2 of 2
D E PA RT M E NT O F H E ALT H
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further information may be obtained from Radiation Protection
Northern Territory Department of Health PO Box 40596
CASUARINA 0811 phone: 08 89227489 fax: 08 89227334 Email: [email protected]
Web: www.nt.gov.au/health/radiationprotection
