RPS11 @ hospitals and universities - update since 2010

In April 2010 the ARPANSA Code of Practice: Radiation Protection Series 11 for the Security of Radioactive Sources, known as RPS11 to its friends, was gazetted in NSW. This meant that the compliance with the stated required level of physical security surrounding high activity level sealed sources of radiation became mandatory. During the ARPS 2010 Conference in Adelaide I delivered a presentation outlining the methods being used by RSO's from various Hospitals, Area Health services and Universities in order to address the compliance issues being faced. The 2010 presentation was followed up with a raft of enquiries from various other industry representatives, The discussions surrounded their experiences with site assessments, consultant services and. the actual application of security measures. Some of these actions have since been determined as possibly beyond the necessary upgrades. Since October 2010, the observable differences in interpretation of the COP have led to several further in-depth site assessments by the ARPANSA security expert. The original group of HURSOG (Hospital and University Radiation Safety Officers Group) members have been consulting with the ARPANSA security expert with regards to the level of upgrades which are actually required for satisfactory compliance with the COP. The small group of RSOs accompanied the ARPANSA representative on a site visit to a company who manufacture security equipment in Sydney. Discussions and demonstrations were streamlined throughout the visit narrowing down the required equipment features which, when constructed and installed, would offer the level of required source equipment security to comply with RPS11 A brief outline of the design features decided on will be displayed in the 'RPS11, Hospitals and Universities - Update since 2010' presentation. The issue of area or room security has been discussed but not fully addressed. These issues will be the source of another set of negotiations dependant on site and the existing level of in-built security measures.