Personal Radiation Monitoring is required for anyone who is likely to be exposed to ionizing radiation in excess of 1 mSv in any one year.
The ARPANSA Radiation Protection Series document RPS 1, Recommendation for Limiting Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (1995), states that “operators and employers are responsible for ensuring that a radiation monitoring program is developed and followed, as required by the appropriate authority”. This Code has now been withdrawn and replaced by the ARPANSA Code for Radiation Protection in Planned Exposure Situations (2016) RPS C-1 and Monitoring and Reporting is covered in section 3.3.3.
The ARPANSA Code of Practice for Radiation Protection in the Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiation (2008) states that:
- The Responsible Person must ensure that a personal radiation monitoring device supplied by a Personal Radiation Monitoring Service, approved in accordance with the criteria specified in the National Directory for Radiation Protection, is provided to each occupationally exposed person who is likely to be exposed to ionizing radiation in excess of 1mSv in any one year.
- The operator must wear:
- all personal protective equipment provided by the Responsible Person where applicable to the procedure; and
- a personal radiation monitoring device where provided by the Responsible Person.
In addition, the ARPANSA Planned Exposure Code (2006) states that the Responsible Person must arrange for appropriate radiation monitoring to the extent necessary to:
- demonstrate the effectiveness of the measures for protection and safety
- assess external radiation doses.
Further to these requirements, the Radiation Council has determined the following Personal Radiation Monitors and area monitoring is required:
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Dental practices which have OPG and/or CBCT units must have ongoing area monitoring at the operator position.
In addition to this requirement, dentists and dental assistants must be able to demonstrate that they have undertaken a minimum one year period of appropriate radiation monitoring at the practice.
In the case of intraoral units, a PRM ‘badge’ may be hung from each controller* instead of staff members having their own ‘badge’. After 12 months and provided the dose reports indicate a negligible dose received by each staff member, or the badge at the intraoral unit controller location, this aspect of the monitoring can be discontinued.
*Please note that using this method the dose will not be attributable to a particular member of staff.
- Veterinarians and Veterinarian Nurses/Veterinarian Assistants, who deal with a Radiation Source, require personal radiation monitoring (PRM).
- Ongoing Personal Radiation Monitoring (PRM) is required for medical imaging staff who are likely to be exposed person to ionizing radiation in excess of 1 mSv in any one year.
- Ongoing Personal Radiation Monitoring (PRM) is required for Radiation Oncology staff who are likely to be exposed person to ionizing radiation in excess of 1 mSv in any one year.
- Ongoing Personal Radiation Monitoring (PRM) is required for Soil Technicians and those involved in Industrial radiography.
- The operators of Baggage Scanners and Security Devices utilising X-rays do not require Personal Radiation Monitoring (PRM).
