Licensing requirements for users of ionizing radiation sources in South Australia : training courses and assessment procedures

South Australia recently replaced its 1962 ionizing radiation legislation with a new Radiation Protection and Control Act. The new legislation does not include any transition provisions for licences. That is, the holder of a licence under the previous legislation does not receive any preferential treatment when his application for a licence is considered under the new legislation. In fact, the applicant cannot be granted a licence under the current legislation unless he has: a prescribed qualification such as a diploma in radiography for a radiographer; or appropriate knowledge of the principles and practices of radiation protection to carry on such activities. For any category of persons who do not have a prescribed qualification the only route by which a licence is granted is by formal assessment. It, therefore, has been necessary to provide training courses and formal assessments for various categories of professionals. Some of the features of the new legislation and the difficulties encountered in implementing it are described