Radiation Safety

Use of Ionising Radiation for Research Purposes

Any research involving the exposure of humans to ionising radiation must follow the requirements of the Code of Practice for the Exposure of Humans to Ionizing Radiation for Research Purposes (2005) (ARPANSA Radiation Protection Series No. 8), which has been adopted by the New South Wales Radiation Control Act:

https://www.arpansa.gov.au/regulation-and-licensing/regulatory-publications/radiation-protection-series/codes-and-standards/rps8

An additional statement from ARPANSA containing important information about radiation assessments relating to clinical trials was released in February 2020:

https://www.arpansa.gov.au/about-us/advisory-council-and-committees/radiation-health-committee/trials-statement

  • A Radiation Safety Report is required in studies involving humans who are exposed to radiation which is in addition to that received as part of their normal clinical management.
  • A Radiation Safety Report is NOT required when the radiation administered is NOT in excess of standard of care. In these cases, a Letter of Declaration  must be provided by the PI/CPI stating that there are no radiation procedures conducted in the study that are not standard of care and it is the responsibility of the PI/CPI to ensure that this information is accurate. This letter must be signed by the PI/CPI.
  • Please note, either the Radiation Safety Report, or a Letter of Declaration from PI/CPI stating that all radiation exposure falls within the site’s standard of care must be submitted to the Research Governance Officer prior to commencement of the study at a site.

If you require a Radiation Safety Report for a research study please contact the Research Office directly via email at SVHS.research@svha.org.au for information on service providers.  

Please also refer to the following resources: