RADIATION SAFETY (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 1983 - SCHEDULE 1
RADIATION SAFETY (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 1983 - SCHEDULE 1
[Regulations 3 and 24]
Dose limits and maximum permissible exposure levels
1. (1) The dose limits
for radiation workers are as follows —
(a) in
any period of 5 years, an average effective dose of 20 millisieverts
per year; and
(b) in
any period of 12 months, an effective dose of 50 millisieverts; and
(c) in
any period of less than 12 months but not less than one month, an
effective dose of the amount which is the product of 50 millisieverts and the
ratio of that period in weeks to 52 weeks; and
(d) in
any period of less than one month, an effective dose of 1/12th of 50
millisieverts.
(2) The dose limits
for a radiation worker who has notified her employer that she is pregnant
are —
(a) for
external radiation exposure, an equivalent dose to the surface of her abdomen
for the remainder of her pregnancy of 2 millisieverts; and
(b) for
internal radiation exposure, 1/20th of the Annual Limit on Intake (ALI)
determined by reference to the values set out in the publication entitled
“Dose Coefficients for Intakes of Radionuclides by Workers” being
ICRP Publication 68 published for the International Commission on Radiological
Protection.
(3) The dose limits
for persons other than radiation workers are as follows —
(a) in
any period of 5 years, an average effective dose of 1 millisievert
per year; and
(b) in
any period of 12 months, an effective dose of 5 millisieverts; and
(c) in
respect of an area which such persons might continuously occupy —
(i)
an effective dose of 20 microsieverts in any 1 hour; and
(ii)
an effective dose of 250 microsieverts in any period of
7 days.
(4) The dose limit in
a single planned special exposure referred to in regulation 24(2) is an
effective dose of 100 millisieverts.
(5) For the purposes
of determining the effective doses referred to in subitems (1), (3) and
(4), an effective dose from x‑rays or gamma rays shall be assumed to be
the absorbed dose in air measured by a properly calibrated instrument or
device at or near the surface of the body in the region of the highest
anticipated exposure rate and multiplied by the modifying factors.
(6) If it is known
that a part or parts only of the body has or have been exposed to ionising
radiation, or that the body was not uniformly exposed, the effective dose for
the person exposed may be determined from the equivalent doses received by the
organs or tissues exposed.
2. (1) Persons
occupationally or non‑occupationally exposed to the following radiations
shall not be exposed to —
(a)
50/60 Hz electric and magnetic fields which exceed the limits specified in the
publication entitled “Interim Guidelines on Limits of Exposure to 50/60
Hz Electric and Magnetic Fields (1989)” published by the NHMRC in
December 1989; or
(b)
radiofrequency fields with frequencies from 3 kHz to 300 GHz which exceed
the limits specified in the publication entitled “Maximum Exposure
Levels to Radiofrequency Fields — 3 kHz to 300 GHz”
published by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency in
May 2002; or
(c)
ultraviolet radiations with wavelengths from 180 nm to 400 nm which
exceed the limits specified in the publication entitled “Occupational
Standard for Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation (1989)” published by the
NHMRC in December 1989.
(2)
Subitem (1)(b) does not apply to exposure resulting from the normal
operation of microwave ovens which comply with the radiation emission limit
set out in item 32.1 of the microwave oven standard.
[Schedule I amended: Gazette 4 May 1993
p. 2301; 28 Jan 1994 p. 283; 4 Mar 1994
p. 837; 17 Mar 1995 p. 1027; 22 Jul 1997
p. 3823‑4; 19 Aug 1997 p. 4721;
17 Aug 2010 p. 4047‑8.]