Environmental health - Public Health

The Radiation Protection work unit sits within the Public Health Directorate and aims to protect the health and safety of people in the Northern Territory and their environment from the harmful effects of radiation.

This protection is achieved through legislation that authorises the sale, acquisition, possession, use, storage, transport and disposal of radioactive materials and radiation apparatus.

Read about these authorities in the Radiation Protection Act and Regulations:

• Radiation Protection Act 2004
• Radiation Protection Regulations 2007

Radiation licence forms

Go to Radiation licence forms on the NT Government site for a list of all radiation forms. For more detailed information, read the below sections.

Licences

Licences are issued for the use of medical and industrial ionising radiation sources. In general, these sources and the place of use must be registered with the Radiation Protection work unit.

Non-ionising radiation sources can be registered only in specific areas listed in Schedule 2 of the National Directory for Radiation Protection on the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency website. Currently the only non-ionising radiation source in Schedule 2 is a tanning unit used for cosmetic purposes within a solarium. You can no longer register a tanning bed for commercial use, possession or sale in the NT.

Go to Radiation licences for health professionals on the NT Government website for information about:

• chiropractors
• dental practitioners
• diagnostic radiographers
• nuclear medicine technologists
• radiation therapists
• registered nurses
• general practitioners
• radiation safety training.

Accreditation and compliance

A certificate of accreditation authorises the installation, testing, repair, servicing and decommissioning of a radiation source. A radiation protection adviser is expected to apply for a certificate of accreditation to test a radiation source.

Go to Radiation compliance certificates and registrations on the NT Government website for information about:

• accredited NT radiation companies
• apply to be an accredited radiation company or individual
• certificate of compliance
• codes of practice
• licence to possess a radiation source
• radiation place
• radiation source or apparatus.

Training for remote practitioners

The Royal Darwin Hospital runs a course training health workers at remote clinics to take X-ray images.

For more information or to express your interest in the course call the X-ray Department at Royal Darwin Hospital on (08) 8922 8512.

Contact

Radiation Protection
2nd Floor Casuarina Plaza
258 Trower Road
Casuarina NT 0810

Phone:  (08) 8922 7152
radiationprotection@nt.gov.au

Mail

PO Box 40596
Casuarina NT 0811