No abstract available

No abstract available

[en] The principal purpose of the inspection was to assess all aspects of occupational health and safety at the Ranger Uranium Mine. A major objective was to identify actual and potential hazards under normal and abnormal conditions, particularly in relation to those topics about which the unions had expressed some concern. An assessment was made of current safety policies, procedures and practices at the site; and, as far as practicable, those tasks which involved risks to workers were identified. The results and recommendations of the inspection are contained in this report

No abstract available

[en] Radiation protection procedures are outlined and an account is given of radiation incidents during the year. Personnel monitoring and disposal of radioactive waste are briefly described. (R.L.)

[en] This paper describes the development and testing of a mathematical model which enabled the value of the average magnetic flux density occurring inside a house to be determined from non-intrusive measurements made outside the house. The contributing sources were power frequency electrical currents in transmission lines, distribution lines, service drops, grounding systems, household wiring and domestic appliances. By combining their individual predicted magnetic flux densities, a mathematical model was derived, whose input variables were the measured value of the net current at the service drop entry to the house, two distances, and the number of adjacent service drops. The output variable was the resultant measured magnetic flux density. A comprehensive companion study was made of an initial cohort of 14 typical Sydney houses in which spot and continuous measurements of magnetic flux density and electrical current were made using both commercially available and specially designed instrumentation. A total of 12,190 measurements of magnetic flux density were made inside houses, and 2,790 were made externally, revealing that contributions from household wiring and domestic appliances were minimal. The maximum measured internal and external magnetic flux densities were 2.814 μT (28.14 mG) and 3.314 μT (33.14 mG) respectively. These values were less than 2% of the ICNIRP public reference level. The maximum measured currents were 27.12 A in a service drop line, and 12.99 A in a ground system. By using non-linear regression analysis, the data accumulated from nine houses were used to evaluate the weighting factors for each of the input variables. In four other houses tested by the model, the correlation coefficient between the predicted and measured sets of data was 0.97, thus validating the model. The correlation coefficient for all 13 houses was 0.98. This coefficient was substantially higher than that that of other investigators, due mainly to the inclusion of the number of adjacent service drops in the model. The reliability of the model was improved by restricting its use to houses in which the magnetic flux density exceeded 0.07 μT (0.7 mG), and by averaging the results of several houses.

[en] In medical research radiation is sometimes used to obtain data from healthy individuals. To safeguard their welfare constraints are imposed on the dose to be received, on the selection of volunteer subjects, on ensuring their understanding of the procedures and risks, and on obtaining their free consent to participate. The first example describes the use of diagnostic radiography to obtain in vivo data on the femur bone. Conservative dosimetry indicates an expected dose-equivalent per film of 50 mrem in bone and 18 mrem in bone marrow and gonad tissue. The critical organ total dose-equivalent is estimated to be 7% of the m.p.d.e. for a volunteer. The second example involves the internal administration of radioactive tracers. Dosimetric calculaions indicate an expected whole-body dose-equivalent of 50 mrem in the case of C-14 and 37 mrem in the case of H-3; these values being 10% and 7% of the relevant m.p.d.e. Both proposals were given conditional approval

[en] The University of New South Wales proposes to offer two courses in safety science. Both contain a compulsory segment of radiation protection, and both offer radiation protection as an elective subject. The elective covers radiation physics, dosimetry, radiation biology, shielding and control of radiation, waste management, administration, emergency procedures, environmental impact, non-ionising radiation, laboratory work and a site visit

[en] In medical research radiation is sometimes used to obtain data from healthy individuals. These subjects gain no specific benefit from the research. To safeguard their welfare, constraints are imposed on the dose to be received, on the selection of volunteer subjects, on ensuring their understanding of the procedures and risks, and on obtaining their free consent to participate. The research proposals are assessed by peer review prior to being approved by the host institution. The first example presented describes the use of diagnostic radiography to obtain in vivo data on the femur bone. Conservative dosimetry indicates an expected dose-equivalent per film of 0.5 mSv in bone and 0.18 mSv in bone marrow and gonad tissue. The critical organ total dose-equivalent is estimated to be 7% of the dose-equivalent limit for a volunteer. The second example involves the internal administration of radioactive tracers. Dosimetric calculations indicate an expected whole-body dose-equivalent of 0.5 mSv in the case of C-14 and 0.37 mSv in the case of H-3, these values bejng 10% and 7% of the relevant dose-equivalent limit. Both proposals were given conditional approval. In the generalized research use of volunteer human subjects the rights of the subject, the investigator and the institution need to be protected. At the University of New South Wales procedures have been introduced to govern all experjmental procedures involving human subjects. Some interesting problems which have arisen are discussed. (author)

[en] The use of radiation on human volunteer subjects in medical research is discussed in relation to the recommendations of the ICRP and the code of practice drawn up at the University of New South Wales. The need to safeguard the interests of subject, investigator and institution simultaneously presents problems. Difficulties encountered include the wording of the consent form to satisfy lawyers (e.g. totally 'informed' consent may not only deter any subject, it may defeat the purpose of the research), and problems of insurance. Two examples are described, that came before the expert committee in Australia, a) Concerning the shortening of the femur, as part of a study of artificial hip joints b) Measurments needed as to rates of movement of various blood solutes between different compartments of the body, to improve renal dialysis. (U.K.)