The Ministry of Health’s Office of Radiation Safety (ORS) administers the Radiation Safety Act 2016 and the Radiation Safety Regulations 2016 on behalf of the New Zealand Government. This legislation places controls on all people who deal with ionising radiation. For information about non-ionising radiation and radiofrequency such as 5G, please visit the Non-ionising radiation page under Environmental Health.
News
3 May 2022
Public consultation on the proposed new fees and other amendments to the Radiation Safety Regulations 2016 closed at midnight Friday 29 April 2022. Submissions are now being considered. When this process has been completed, a summary statement will be posted at: Radiation Safety Fees and Regulations Review 2021
22 December 2021
A Compliance Guide for Dental Radiology has been published. This advisory Guide gives some practical guidance on some of the more common compliance issues arising for dental facilities operating traditional and CBCT dental X-ray units with meeting the requirements of radiation protection, in particular Code of Practice for Dental Radiology (ORS C4) and the Code of Practice for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (ORS C1). Additionally a compliance guide has been published for testing frequencies for a range of X-ray equipment used for diagnostic X-ray procedures covered by ORS C1 and ORS C4: Diagnostic X-ray Testing Frequency Guidelines.
02 November 2020
Frequently asked question (FAQs)
FAQs have been published in support of ORS’ Codes of Practice.
Key requirements of the Radiation Safety Act 2016
The legislation requires the following:
- Managing entities of radiation sources must hold a Source licence authorising them to manage and control those sources.
- Managing entities must register controlled radiation sources with the Office of Radiation Safety.
- Individual users of radiation sources must hold a Use licence unless their use is otherwise authorised by the Act or regulations.
- Consent is required for anyone who wishes to import or export radioactive material.