Important message for ALL REGIONAL QUEENSLAND Clinic Owners

It has been brought to the attention of ABIC that Clinic Owners in Regional QLD are being hit with additional costs to have their devices certified annually by Radiation Health QLD.

In addition to a Possession License, in QLD clinics are also required to obtain a Certificate of Compliance before using a radiation source for the first time, and every year thereafter they require their devices to be certified for output to ensure that safety requirements are still being met.

Radiation Health QLD only accepts Certificates of Compliance issued by Accredited Persons listed on the Public Register.

List of Equipment and Premises Compliance Tester - QLD

There are currently NO Approved Equipment & Premises Compliance Testers in Regional area such as in Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns.

Therefore, clinic Owners are incurring additional costs to have accredited companies travel to their region to have their equipment tested and a certificate of compliance issued.

Due to travel expenses, some clinics in Northern Regional Queensland are paying over $2,000 to have their equipment certified by an accredited compliance tester in order to obtain their Certificate of Compliance.

Current estimated costs are as follows:

**+ travel costs to Regional QLD.

How can we help?

The ABIC is supporting our Supplier Member, Karen Geiszler of KG Beauty and Modality Training in her efforts to pursue a proposal with Nerang Laser Services (an Approved Equipment & Premises Compliance Tester) to arrange one of their Compliance Testers travel to specific regional locations to service and certify a groups of clinics at the same time each year, thus saving in travel costs.

We are developing a database of Regional QLD clinics to help facilitate this project.

Expressions of Interest

If you wish to be added to our database and to share in the costs of bringing an Equipment and Premises Compliance Tester to your location each year to tag and test your device/s and issue your annual Certificate of Compliance, please complete the form below.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE

Your form submissions will be directed to:

Karen Geiszler

KG Beauty and Modality Training

If you have any enquiries please contact Karen Geiszler by email at [email protected]

If you cannot reach Karen, please contact one of our ABIC Facilitators on 1800 692 242 or email us at [email protected] who can help you get in touch with her.

GUIDELINES FOR RE-ASSESSING RADIATION SOURCES AND PREMISES IN QLD

Radiation sources and premises need to be reassessed periodically depending on the type of radiation source and purpose.

Premises

Every 5 years:

• premises in which a radiation source is used to carry out a radiation practice
• premises in which radioactive substances are stored

Ionising radiation equipment

Every year for:

• diagnostic or therapeutic procedures (excluding intra-oral dental radiography and plain-film diagnostic radiography)
• research projects
• equipment used at an educational institute for students to train or study (excluding diagnostic radiography equipment used by undergraduates in their supervised clinical placement)

Every 3 years for:

• dental radiography or plain-film diagnostic radiography
• all other ionising radiation equipment not covered in the above section

Sealed source devices

Every year for:

• diagnostic or therapeutic procedures
• research projects
• devices used at an educational institute for students to train or study

All other sealed radioactive substances incorporated in a sealed source device need to be reassessed every 3 years.

Laser equipment

Every year for:

• cosmetic services
• diagnostic or therapeutic procedures

All Possession Licensees must use the services of an Accredited Person (Equipment and Premises Compliance Tester) to assess if your radiation source and premises are compliant with the relevant safety standards. Reassessment needs to occur periodically to verify continued compliance with the safety standards as per the legislation and your Plan.

Who issues a Certificate of Compliance?

Certificates of Compliance are provided by an Accredited Person (Equipment and Premises Compliance Tester) to certify that a radiation source or premises complies with the relevant Radiation Safety Standard. Accredited Persons have expert skills, knowledge and experience in assessing particular radiation sources or premises for compliance against the relevant safety standard.

Search the public register for a list of Accredited Persons

You can search the public register for a list of individuals who are able to assess if your type of radiation source or premises complies with the relevant safety standard.

Radiation source or premises assessment process

To issue a Certificate of Compliance and Accredited Person will need to:

1. receive a request from a Possession Licensee for a Certificate of Compliance

2. assess the radiation equipment, substance or premises against the relevant radiation safety standard

3. complete an assessment report and provide to the Possession Licensee and Radiation Health

AND

4. if the radiation equipment, substance or premises is compliant with the relevant safety standard:

1. issue the Certificate of Compliance to Possession Licensee and a copy to Radiation Health

OR

5. If the radiation equipment, substance or premises is not compliant with the relevant safety standard:

1. state what action is required to be compliant

2. allow the Possession Licensee 30 days to complete required actions

3. revise the assessment report, stating what requirements have or have not been met and provide to the Possession Licensee and Radiation Health

4. if the requirements have been met, issue a Certificate of Compliance.