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Radiation Safety Risk Assessment

Radiation Safety Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • • Pre-filled Content – Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • • Customisable – Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Radiation Safety Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Radiation Safety through a structured, management-level Risk Assessment that supports strategic planning, policy development, and system-wide controls. This document helps demonstrate Due Diligence under the WHS Act, reduces organisational exposure to regulatory action, and protects your business from radiation-related operational liability.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, Legislative Compliance & Licensing: Assessment of organisational responsibilities, licensing obligations, registration of radiation sources, and alignment with state and Commonwealth radiation control requirements.
  • Radiation Risk Management & Strategic Planning: Management of radiation risk profiling, ALARA principles, organisational risk registers, and integration with broader WHS risk management frameworks.
  • Inventory, Classification & Source Security: Controls for classification of radiation sources, inventory accuracy, storage arrangements, access restriction, and security against unauthorised removal or misuse.
  • Engineering Controls & Facility Design: Evaluation of shielding, interlocks, warning systems, controlled areas, ventilation, and facility layout to minimise exposure pathways and contamination risks.
  • Radiation Monitoring, Dosimetry & Exposure Tracking: Protocols for personal dosimetry, area monitoring, exposure trend analysis, alarm thresholds, and investigation of dose exceedances.
  • Procurement, Selection & Maintenance of Radiation Equipment: Assessment of equipment suitability, safety features, commissioning, preventative maintenance, calibration, and decommissioning processes.
  • Training, Competency & Authorisation of Workers: Requirements for competency-based training, licensing of radiation users, refresher programs, and formal authorisation of personnel performing radiation-related tasks.
  • Work Authorisation, Access Control & Permit Systems: Management of radiation work permits, entry controls for controlled/supervised areas, supervision arrangements, and isolation of non-essential personnel.
  • Contractor, Supplier & Client Interface Management: Controls for engaging contractors, coordinating with suppliers and clients, sharing radiation safety information, and managing overlapping WHS duties.
  • Health Surveillance, Fitness for Work & Dose Management: Systems for medical monitoring of exposed workers, assessment of fitness for duty, dose constraints, and management of vulnerable or high-risk personnel.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Incident Response & Reporting: Planning for radiation spills, loss of source, over-exposure events, and clear procedures for notification, investigation, and regulatory reporting.
  • Information, Consultation & Worker Engagement: Processes for communicating radiation risks, consulting Health and Safety Representatives, and ensuring workers understand controls and their responsibilities.
  • Documentation, Records Management & Audit: Requirements for maintaining licences, permits, exposure records, training evidence, inspection reports, and conducting internal audits and management reviews.
  • Remote Operations, Transport & Field Work with Radiation Sources: Management of off-site use of radiation sources, transport compliance, vehicle security, emergency arrangements, and communication protocols for remote work.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Radiation Safety Officers, WHS Managers and senior decision makers responsible for planning, approving, and overseeing radiation-related operations within their organisation.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, Legislative Compliance & Licensing
  • • Failure to identify and comply with WHS Act 2011, WHS Regulation and state/territory radiation control legislation
  • • Absence of a formal radiation management plan covering ionising and non‑ionising radiation sources
  • • Inadequate or lapsed radiation licences for company, facilities, radiation safety officers and operators
  • • Unclear allocation of radiation safety roles, responsibilities and accountabilities at senior management level
  • • Failure to integrate radiation safety into the organisation’s WHS management system and due diligence processes
  • • Poor change‑management processes when new radiation technologies, nuclear density gauges or industrial radiography equipment are introduced
  • • Inadequate review of compliance following legislative or standards updates (ARPANSA codes, AS/NZS standards)
2. Radiation Risk Management & Planning
  • • Inadequate identification of tasks involving exposure to ionising and non‑ionising radiation (e.g. industrial radiography, nuclear density gauge utilisation, work in radiation areas)
  • • No documented radiation risk assessments for new projects, new equipment or changes to usage patterns
  • • Failure to consider cumulative radiation dose for workers undertaking multiple tasks or working near multiple sources
  • • Insufficient assessment of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) from non‑ionising radiation sources
  • • Over‑reliance on PPE rather than higher‑order controls for radiation exposure mitigation
  • • Poor integration of radiation controls with other high‑risk work (e.g. confined spaces, remote locations, construction activities)
3. Inventory, Classification & Source Security
  • • Incomplete or inaccurate inventory of radioactive sources, X‑ray equipment, nuclear density gauges and EMF‑emitting devices
  • • Unclear source ownership, custodianship and chain‑of‑responsibility, particularly for mobile industrial radiography units
  • • Loss, theft or unauthorised removal of sealed sources or gauges leading to uncontrolled public exposure
  • • Improper storage of radioactive substances, including inadequate shielding, segregation and security
  • • Failure to classify radiation areas and controlled zones based on potential exposure levels
  • • Inadequate control of temporary or hired radiation sources used on remote or client sites
4. Engineering Controls & Facility Design
  • • Inadequate shielding design for fixed radiography rooms, radiation laboratories or gauge installations
  • • Poor layout resulting in unnecessary occupancy or through‑traffic in higher dose‑rate areas
  • • Failure of interlocks, warning systems or shutters on X‑ray equipment and nuclear density gauges
  • • Insufficient segregation between radiation sources and general work areas or public access zones
  • • Lack of engineered controls for EMF exposure from non‑ionising radiation sources
  • • Inadequate provision for safe storage, transport and docking of mobile radiation sources
5. Radiation Monitoring, Dosimetry & Exposure Tracking
  • • Lack of systematic monitoring of ionising radiation levels in work areas and controlled zones
  • • Failure to issue or correctly manage personal dosimeters for workers who handle radioactive substances or perform industrial radiography work
  • • Inadequate monitoring of EMF for workers using or working near non‑ionising radiation sources
  • • Delayed or poor‑quality analysis of dosimetry results leading to unrecognised over‑exposures
  • • No formal process for investigating elevated or anomalous dose readings
  • • Inaccurate or incomplete dose records for employees, contractors and visiting workers
6. Procurement, Selection & Maintenance of Radiation Equipment
  • • Purchase of radiation equipment or radioactive sources without appropriate safety features or certification
  • • Inadequate technical specifications for shielding, interlocks and safety systems at the procurement stage
  • • Lack of preventative maintenance and calibration programs for nuclear density gauges, industrial radiography units and monitoring instruments
  • • Use of defective or out‑of‑calibration survey meters and dosimetry readers leading to incorrect exposure assessments
  • • Poor lifecycle management, including unsafe storage of obsolete sources or delayed decommissioning
7. Training, Competency & Authorisation of Workers
  • • Workers handling radioactive substances or operating industrial radiography equipment without appropriate training or licences
  • • Lack of competency assessment for personnel using nuclear density gauges, densometers or working in controlled radiation areas
  • • Inadequate awareness of EMF risks and controls for workers near non‑ionising radiation sources
  • • No formal authorisation process for radiation work, leading to unqualified personnel accessing radiation areas
  • • Failure to provide refresher training and updates following regulatory or procedural changes
8. Work Authorisation, Access Control & Permit Systems
  • • Uncontrolled access to radiation areas by untrained or unauthorised persons
  • • Commencement of industrial radiography work or high‑dose tasks without formal approval or coordination
  • • Failure to coordinate simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) where other workers are present near active radiation sources
  • • Inadequate lock‑out or tag‑out procedures for radiation‑emitting equipment during maintenance or non‑use
  • • Temporary works or construction activities altering shielding effectiveness or access pathways without review
9. Contractor, Supplier & Client Interface Management
  • • Contractor industrial radiography teams operating under inconsistent or lower radiation safety standards
  • • Suppliers of nuclear density gauges or other devices failing to provide adequate technical and safety information
  • • Misalignment between client site requirements and the organisation’s radiation management procedures
  • • Poor communication of radiation hazards, controlled areas and exposure limits to visiting workers
  • • Inadequate oversight of third‑party maintenance or calibration activities on radiation sources
10. Health Surveillance, Fitness for Work & Dose Management
  • • Lack of health surveillance for designated radiation workers with potential for significant exposure
  • • Failure to identify individual workers approaching dose constraints or regulatory dose limits
  • • Inadequate assessment of medical conditions, pregnancy or medications that may affect radiation risk
  • • Poor integration of fatigue management and roster design for workers undertaking industrial radiography at night or in remote areas
  • • Absence of procedures for temporary removal from radiation work following elevated dose or medical advice
11. Emergency Preparedness, Incident Response & Reporting
  • • Unpreparedness for radiation emergencies such as source loss, damage, fire, vehicle accidents involving gauges, or uncontrolled exposure events
  • • Lack of clear criteria for classifying and escalating radiation incidents and near misses
  • • Inadequate training and drills for emergency response teams regarding radiation hazards and contamination control
  • • Failure to notify regulators and affected persons in accordance with statutory requirements after a radiation incident
  • • Poor post‑incident investigation leading to recurrence of systemic failures
12. Information, Consultation & Worker Engagement
  • • Workers not adequately informed about radiation risks, exposure pathways and available control measures
  • • Limited consultation with health and safety representatives (HSRs) on radiation safety decisions and changes
  • • Lack of clear communication about radiation signage, area classifications and access restrictions
  • • Worker reluctance to report radiation concerns, near misses or early warning signs of system failure
  • • Inadequate involvement of workers in the review of radiation procedures and risk assessments
13. Documentation, Records Management & Audit
  • • Incomplete or outdated radiation procedures, manuals and work instructions
  • • Poor control of critical records such as licences, dosimetry reports, maintenance logs and calibration certificates
  • • Inconsistent document versions across multiple sites leading to confusion and non‑compliance
  • • Lack of systematic internal audit of radiation safety practices and records
  • • Inability to demonstrate compliance during regulatory inspections or client audits
14. Remote Operations, Transport & Field Work with Radiation Sources
  • • Inadequate control of radiation exposure when conducting industrial radiography or gauge use in remote or temporary locations
  • • Transport of radioactive sources without compliant packaging, labelling and security arrangements
  • • Loss or damage to nuclear density gauges or densometers during vehicle accidents or unsecured transport
  • • Limited communication and emergency support for field crews working with radiation sources in isolated areas
  • • Failure to conduct site‑specific assessments for EMF and radiation when deploying temporary equipment on client sites

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • ARPANSA Radiation Protection Series (RPS) documents: Including RPS C-1 and associated Codes of Practice for radiation protection and safety.
  • AS/NZS 2243.4: Safety in laboratories — Ionizing radiations.
  • AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements with guidance for use.
  • AS/NZS 4801 (superseded but referenced): Occupational health and safety management systems — Guidelines for integration with existing management frameworks.
  • Relevant State/Territory Radiation Safety Legislation: Including licensing, registration, and radiation control regulations applicable to the jurisdiction of operation.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

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