Radiation & Laser Safety

^{For further information on policies and documents, including laser disposal, please follow the link below to the RSPhys WHS SharePoint: RSPhys Radiation and Laser Safety} 

Ionising and Non-Ionising Radiation

ANU procedure:  https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_000682

For advice on safety procedures contact the relevant safety officer in your department or the School's Radiation Safety Officer. Certain areas have restricted access due to ionising radiation hazards. These areas are appropriately labelled and warning notices MUST be heeded.

The radiation safety procedure can be found here.

It is mandatory for any person dealing with radiation to complete the ANU Radiation Safety course.

It is essential that you inform the local radiation safety officer when any new equipment, source etc is to be purchased or relocated. Be aware that there are legal requirements that must be adhered to. These are administered by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA). Your local Radiation Safety Officer can help with this.

When disposing of any ionising or non-ionising radiation sources, this MUST be organised in consultation with the Radiation Safety Officer.

Laser Safety

RSPE acknowledges that lasers are imporant to research and has several sources on site. Any person working with a laser must complete the laser safety training course prior to beginning work. 

To purchase or dispose of a laser, speak with the Laser Safety Officer.

Before use:

• Complete the Laser Safety Training Course
• Undertake an opthalmic examination, this is a part of health monitoring and is to ensure that work with lasers will not adversly affect you - this can be organised by contacting the department admin
• Complete a risk assessment of the activity and obtain approval from the supervisor. 
• Ensure the area is safe prior to use. If it is found that users are not wearing appropriate PPE, or is failing to comply with safety regulations, than RSPE maintains the right to lock down a space until further improvements are in place.

The following standards can be accessible via the WHS main page:-

AS/NZS 2211.1:2004 : Safety of laser products - Part 1: Equipment classification, requirements and user’s guide.

AS/NZS 2211.10:2004 : Safety of laser products – Application guidelines and explanatory notes to AS/NZS 2211.1 

Laser Pointers

Laser pointers are commercially available as Class I, II or III lasers. Laser pointers shall not exceed Class II for demonstration, display or entertainment in unsupervised areas, should be handled with respect and the beam should never be intentionally aimed at people. More information can be found in the Radiation Safety procedure.