Country Report: Australia

Keith BaldryDirector Radiation Protection

South Australian Environment Protection Authority

RAS/9/042 IAEA/RCA Regional Meeting to Establish a Regional ALARA Network Steering Committee

3 – 5 December 2007Deajeon, Republic of Korea

Keith Baldry

• BSc (Hons) Physics, Manchester UK

• Director Radiation Protection, EPA South Australia

• Chair, national Radiation Regulators Forum

• Contact details– PO Box 721

Kent Town, SA 5071Australia

– +61 8 8130 0701– www.epa.sa.gov.au/radiation– keith.baldry@epa.sa.gov.au

• 18 years in radiation safety• Current work:

– Uranium mining– Radioactive sources– Medical imaging and

radiotherapy– Radioactive waste– Policy

• Previous experience:– Nuclear fuel handling and

reprocessing– Reactor decommissioning– Plutonium and uranium

fuel manufacture– Site remediation

Nine jurisdictions in Australia

Legislation

ICRP 60

National Directory

9 Radiation Protection Acts

Regulations

Licences

Codes of Practice

ALARA principle

National Standard

IAEA BSS

ALARA requirement

9 Authorities

Codes and Standards

• www.arpansa.gov.au– RPS 1 National Standard (2002)– RPS 2 Transport (2001)– RPS 3 Radio Frequency Fields (2002)– RPS 4 Discharge of Patients (2002)– RPS 5 Portable Density/Moisture Gauges (2004) – RPS 6 NATIONAL DIRECTORY FOR RADIATION PROTECTION

(2004)– RPS 7 Intervention in Emergency Situations (2004)– RPS 8 Exposure of Humans for Research Purposes (2005)– RPS 9 Mining and Mineral Processing (2005)– RPS 10 Dentistry (2005)– RPS 11 Security of Sources (2007)– RPS 12 Occupational Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation

(2006)– RPS 13 Fixed Radiation Gauges (2007)

Codes and Standards – Draft

• www.arpansa.gov.au– Medical Uses of Radiation

• Radiology• Radiotherapy• Nuclear Medicine

– Veterinary – Lasers in the Entertainment Industry– X-ray Analysis Equipment– Limiting Exposure to Extremely Low Frequency Electric and

Magnetic Fields ( 0 Hz – 3 kHz)– Pre-disposal Management of Radioactive Waste.– Radioactive Waste Management Facilities– Cabinet X-ray Equipment– Decontamination after a Radiological Incident– Optimisation of Radiation Exposure

Coordination

• National Directory for Radiation Protection• Radiation Health Committee• Radiation Regulators Forum

ALARA in the work place

• Constraints used during design and construction

• Radiation Safety Officers• Regulators encouraging good practice• Regulatory licensing, inspection and

enforcement

Training

• Competency criteria• Licences to use radiation• Investigating National Qualifications and

Accreditation

ALARA initiatives

• Optimisation Working Group• Industry initiatives• Outcome based regulation with Key

Performance Indicators• Australian Radiation Incidents Register

Australian Radiation Incidents Register

• Highlight hazards to regulators and users• Sharing advice on incidents and accidents• Feedback and guidance to users • Data to analyse trends

Australia’s uranium

Ranger

Olympic Dam Beverley

Olympic Dam uranium mine

Olympic Dam uranium mine

HIFAR: Closed 30 Jan 2007

OPAL: Opened 20 April 2007

Expectations (hopes) from ARAN

• Opportunities for wider experience and skills• Spreading best practice• International trade issues

– Equipment design and manufacture– Uranium and source shipment

• Qualifications and accreditation• Influence within IAEA to highlight regional issues• Making it relevant at the local level

Web site

• Goal: primary ALARA resource• Useful at the local level• Interactive

– Forum to allow discussion– ‘Wiki’ style to allow direct contribution

• Structured by topic, and searchable

Thank you