Dental radiographs (x rays) are an important diagnostic tool used in the provision of quality dental care and services. Your dental practitioner will discuss the need for x rays with you and you may ask any questions or discuss any concerns you might have. CP Dental is fully committed to radiation safety for our team, patients and visitors to our practice.
Obligations of Radiation Health Qld:
Radiation Health is the Queensland government’s radiation safety agency. Radiation Health is a unit within the Division of the Chief Health Officer. The department has in place measures to promote safety and minimize health risks and protection of the environment when using ionising and non-ionising radiation equipment.
Radiation Health administers Queensland’s Radiation Safety Act 1999 and the Radiation Safety Regulation 1999.
CP Dental has registered with the Radiation Health:
- Intra – Oral Radiation Safety Plan
- Extra – Oral Radiation Safety Plan
Copies of these plans are located at each Practice.
Obligations of ARPANSA:
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is the Australian Government’s primary authority on radiation protection and nuclear safety. ARPANSA regulates Commonwealth entities using radiation with the objective of protecting people and the environment from the harmful effect of radiation. ARPANSA undertakes research, provides services, and promotes national uniformity and the implementation of international best practice across all jurisdictions (www.arpansa.gov.au, 2015).
ARPANSA will provide dose meter monitoring for extra oral radiography (OPG).
Obligations of the Directors / Management Team:
The Directors / Management team will adhere to the department’s policies, licensing and legislative requirements for radiation health standards and radiation safety. They have a duty to know, understand and implement at, CP Dental, the legal and ethical obligations placed upon owners and operators of radiation equipment.
The Directors / Management team will ensure the necessary licences are held and maintained. CP Dental currently holds the following licences; Possession Licence for Intra oral, Extra Oral and Laser equipment and Radiation Safety Officer Licence (currently Dr Esther Cheng). Current copies of all licences will be held and available at all sites. The original licences will be held in the General Manager’s office at Coopers Plains Dental Surgery, 52 Henley Street, Coopers Plains Qld 4108. We will ensure a copy of each person’s user licence is stored at each location.
The Directors / Management team will ensure that all premises are compliance tested by an approved person every 5 years and that equipment is compliance tested every 3 years in accordance with The Radiation Safety Act 1999.
Originals of compliance certificates will be kept at the site and copies will be stored in the General Manager’s office at Coopers Plains Dental Surgery, 52 Henley Street, Coopers Plains Qld 4108.
The Directors / Management team will ensure dose meters are maintained and sent for review to ARPANSA as per recommended guidelines. Results will be analysed and stored on site. Unsatisfactory results will be reported to the Radiation Safety Officer and remedial action undertaken as soon as practicably possible.
The Directors / Management team will ensure all staff, contractors, visitors, students and locums receive adequate training and instruction and operate within their scope of practice.
The Directors / Management Team will respond as soon as practicably possible to reports of breaches of radiation safety and report to the radiation safety officer and / or radiation Health as appropriate.
Obligations of Radiation Use Licence Holders:
All holders of a radiation use licence will maintain a current “Use Licence” with Radiation Health. It is the obligation of the licence holder to inform Radiation Health if there is a change to their contact details so licence renewals can be received in a timely manner.
All holders of a radiation use licence will read the Radiation Safety Plan(s) every 6 months and inform the Radiation Safety Officer if there is anything in the plan that is not fully understood. All holders of a radiation use licence will ensure radiation equipment is used in accordance with our safety plans and the Radiation Safety Act 1999 and the Radiation Safety Regulations 1999.
All holders of a radiation use licence will operate radiation equipment only within the scope of their own use licence.
All holders of a radiation use licence will report any breaches of radiation safety to the General Manager and / or Workplace Health & Safety Officer and / or the Radiation Safety Officer.
Obligations of Team Members:
All team members will read the Radiation Safety Plan(s) every 6 months and inform the Radiation Safety Officer if there is anything in the plan that is not fully understood. All team members will ensure radiation equipment is used in accordance with our safety plans and the Radiation Safety Act 1999 and the Radiation Safety Regulations 1999.
All team members will care for radiation equipment in accordance with instructions as recommended by the manufacturer and to report issues as soon as practicably possible to the Practice Manager or General Manager.
All team members will report any breaches of radiation safety to the General Manager and / or Workplace Health & Safety Officer and / or the Radiation Safety Officer.
Please feel free to speak with any team member if you would like more information or have any questions about this matter.
