Current staff

Radiation and laser safety

  1. Home
  2. Information and services
  3. Health, safety and wellbeing
  4. Health and safety in the workplace
  5. Biosafety, chemicals and radiation

Radiation sources and lasers are used in a number of research, teaching and clinical areas at UQ.

If you work with radioactive substances, radiation apparatus and lasers, you must follow the Radiation Safety - Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management Procedure.

The procedures and guidelines help to ensure we comply with Queensland's radiation licensing and regulation requirements. These include requirements for individuals, as well as for compliance certification of radiation laboratories, radiation-producing equipment and lasers.

Contact your area's Radiation Safety Officer or the University Radiation Protection Consultant for more information or advice about legislation, procedures or any other aspect of working with radiation and lasers.

Radiation and Laser Annual Audit

RSO, LSO, or competent individuals (if there is no LSO for non-therapeutic lasers) are required to complete an annual audit and return it to RPC. The audit checklists and forms are as follows:


1.    For radiation audit

2.    For therapeutic laser audit

3.    For non-therapeutic laser audit

Radioactive lab survey

The University requires surveys of areas where radioactive materials are used to detect contamination and measure radiation levels.

Routine surveys are an important part of the overall radiation safety program in a laboratory. Surveys provide a direct measure of spilled radioactive material and can indicate the radiation hazard of an experiment. It is vital that individuals working with radioactive materials are aware of accepted procedures for performing radiation surveys. 

Use the Radioactive Laboratory Survey Record (PDF, 335 KB) to document the results of each survey.

Radioisotope fact sheets

Radioisotope fact sheets provide information about commonly used radioisotopes, including maximum limits for laboratory work, licence requirements and safety procedures.

Go to the Radiation Safety - Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management Procedure to download radiation Radioisotope fact sheets.

For information on other radioisotopes, contact the University Radiation Protection Consultant.

Training

Before you work with radioactive substances, radiation apparatus, or lasers, you must complete training and may be required to obtain a licence. Some training courses are now available on Workday for specific radiation activities:

1. Unsealed Radioactive Substances

  • Radiation Safety with Unsealed Sources – Introduction
  • Radiation Safety with Unsealed Sources – Practical (for use licence applications; requires successful completion of “Radiation Safety with Unsealed Sources – Introduction” as a prerequisite)

2. Analytical X-rays (XRD, XRF)

  • Radiation Safety for Analytical X-rays

3. Diagnostic Radiology (Density, CT, BMD, Radiography…)

  • Radiation Safety for Diagnostic Radiology

4. Non-therapeutic Lasers

  • Laser Safety (non-therapeutic)

Non-therapeutic laser registration

All non-therapeutic lasers in classes 3, 3B, and 4 must be registered. Laser custodians must complete the non-therapeutic laser registration form (PDF, 252.3 KB) and return it to the RPC  and Local Laser Safety Officer (LSO), or RPC and Health Safety and Wellness Lead/ Manager/ Coordinator (if no LSO). This is a necessary part of the annual laser audit.

Project approval

Projects using ionising radiation and Class 4 lasers in medical cosmetic or related procedures must be conducted in accordance with the Radiation safety - regulatory compliance and risk management procedure.

  1. Complete an ionising radiation in research-project assessment form (PDF, 230.4 KB) or the laser radiation research-project assessment form (PDF, 155.6 KB). 
  2. Send the form to the appropriate local Radiation/Laser Safety Officer for initial review.
  3. The Radiation or Laser Safety Officer will forward the form to the University Radiation Protection Consultant for final approval. Don’t start work on the project until final approval is granted.

Human or animal exposure to radiation

If your project involves the exposure of human or animal subjects to radiation, you may need to meet additional requirements.

You must comply with the relevant Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) code of practice:

You may also require current ethics approval from the relevant research ethics committees for research with humans and animals. After reviewing your project assessment form, the University Radiation Protection Consultant can provide documentation to use in your application for ethics approval or advice on further actions if needed.

Non-ionizing radiation

Non-ionizing radiation refers to electromagnetic radiation that lacks the energy to ionize (remove electrons from) atoms or molecules. Instead, its energy is converted into heat, which, depending on exposure time and intensity, can cause burns.

At UQ, sources of non-ionizing radiation include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, microwave ovens, UV lamps, induction heaters, transmission generators, Wi-Fi, mobile phones, cell antennas, and more. Most of these sources pose minimal risk during normal use.

1. Magnetic fields

Static magnetic fields are created by fixed magnets or magnetic fluxes from electric currents. Strong static fields are common in instruments like NMR spectrometers and MRI scanners used in research labs.

Ferrous objects like keys, scissors, knives, or oxygen cylinders can become hazardous projectiles when pulled toward strong magnets, posing injury risks. To prevent accidents, ferromagnetic materials must be kept away from magnets, and individuals with cardiac pacemakers, metallic implants, or electronic prosthetics should avoid these areas.

Superconducting magnets, which rely on liquid nitrogen and helium to remain superconductive, require additional precautions for handling cryogenic liquids.

For more details, refer to the Magnetic Resonance Basic Safety Fact Sheet (PDF, 179.9 KB).

2. Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a non-ionizing medical imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of internal organs, tissues, and blood flow. It is widely used for diagnostics in areas like obstetrics and cardiology. Unlike X-rays, ultrasound does not expose patients to harmful radiation, making it a safe and routine tool in medical evaluations.

For more information, see the Ultrasound Fact Sheet (PDF, 159.7 KB).

Please contact uqradiationsafety@uq.edu.au for further information.