regulation of nir at arpansa · panel can be taken off while uv lamp is on – no interlock...
TRANSCRIPT
ARPANSA Licence Holder Forum
Regulation of NIR at ARPANSA
19 November 2012
Claire Lyngå
Senior Regulatory Officer
Operation Services
Topics
• Update of standards • Regulation 4 of the ARPANS Regulations • Regulation of apparatus emitting RF
– new guidance
• Regulation of apparatus emitting UV – minor changes in guidance
– new guidance involving case studies
• Lasers – updated guidance on class 1M and 2M lasers – note on high-power laser pointers
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The electromagnetic spectrum
• Ionising radiation
– Gamma rays
– X-rays
– Radioactive sources
• Non-ionising radiation
– UV radiation
– Visible light
– Infrared radiation
– Lasers
– RF radiation
IR
NIR
10 nm
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Update of standards • Laser safety standard AS/NZS 2211.1:2004 Safety of Laser Products,
Part 1: Equipment Classification, Requirements and
User’s Guide
• Optical fibre communication systems AS/NZS 2211.2:2006 Safety of Laser Products,
Part 2: Safety of Optical Fibre Communications
Systems (OFCS)
• Incoherent optical radiation Guidelines on limits of exposure to broadband incoherent
optical radiation (0.38 to 3 m),
Health Physics (1997), 73, 539-553
• Static magnetic fields Guidelines on limits of exposure to static magnetic fields,
Health Physics (1994), 66, 100-106
AS/NZS IEC 60825.1:2011 Safety of Laser Products, Part 1: Equipment Classification and Requirements AS/NZS IEC 60825.14:2011 Safety of Laser Products, Part 14: A users guide AS/NZS IEC 60825.2:2011 Safety of Laser Products, Part 2: Safety of Optical Fibre Communications Systems (OFCS) AS/NZS IEC 62471:2011 Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems Guidelines on limits of exposure to static magnetic fields, Health Physics (2009), 96, 504-514
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Changes in laser safety standard
Now in two parts – Part 1: Equipment classification and requirements
Part 14: A user’s guide
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been removed from scope
Part 1 - Equipment classification and requirements • Added flexibility in labelling
• Tightened requirements for protective housings and manuals
• Revised measurement criteria
• Reduction of some required features
Part 14 - A user’s guide • Less prescriptive
• Based on concept of risk – less prescriptive in how to deal with hazards
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Regulation 4 of the ARPANS Regulations Three criteria:
1) What type of equipment and emission?
2) Is the emission in excess of exposure limits?
3) How accessible is the radiation? RF
Static magn. field
UV, visible, IR
laser
Type of apparatus
Type of emission
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Regulation of apparatus emitting RF
The following RF emitting apparatus are listed in Reg 4:
• Induction heater or induction furnace
• Industrial RF heater or welder
• RF plasma tube
• Microwave or RF diathermy equipment
• Industrial microwave processing system
• Industrial RF processing system
Regulatory guide: How to determine whether an RF source is a controlled
apparatus
http://www.arpansa.gov.au/Regulation/guides.cfm
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Induction heater Induction furnace
Definition: A heater that uses an induced
electric current to produce heat. Definition: A furnace that uses an induced electric current to heat a metal to its melting point.
Induction welders and induction solders are types of induction heaters.
Frequency range 50/60 Hz to > 1 MHz
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Industrial RF heater or welder
Industrial RF heater Definition: A heating device in which heat is
generated through a radiofrequency field. Industrial signifies that the apparatus is not used for domestic applications.
Frequency range 10 MHz – 100 MHz
Used to heat, melt, dry or cure dielectric materials (insulators or poor conductors)
Industrial RF welder Definition: A heating device in which heat is
generated through a radiofrequency field and the heat is used to weld the material. Industrial signifies that the apparatus is not used for domestic applications.
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RF plasma tube
Definition: A tube containing a
plasma which is created by a radiofrequency field.
Some Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometers (ICP-MP) have been examined and been classed as not controlled due to the inaccessibility of source
• Source completely enclosed • Interlocked Not controlled
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Microwave or RF diathermy equipment
Microwave diathermy equipment Definition: A device using electromagnetic energy in
the microwave frequency range (300 MHz to 300 GHz) for therapeutic purposes.
- In Australia only approved frequency is 2450 MHz
RF diathermy equipment Definition: A device using electromagnetic energy in
the frequency range (3-30 MHz) for therapeutic purposes.
- In Australia only approved frequency is 27.1 MHz
Note: Surgical diathermy is not included in the above definition 11
Industrial microwave processing system
• Definition: A system where energy in the form of microwaves is used for heating or drying. Industrial signifies that the apparatus is not used for domestic applications.
Common frequencies:
915 MHz
2.45 GHz
5.8 GHz
An industrial microwave is covered by the definition.
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Industrial RF processing system
• Definition: A system where energy in the form of radiofrequency waves is used for heating or drying. Industrial signifies that the apparatus is not used for domestic applications.
Common frequencies:
13.56 MHz
27.12 MHz
40.68 MHz
Typically used for large scale heating and drying of food, paper, ceramics and plastics.
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Regulation of UV emitting apparatus
UV Guidelines:
• Regulatory guide: How to determine whether a UV source is a controlled apparatus
Basically clarifies regulation 4
• UV emitting apparatus – Case studies
Collection of typical apparatus that have
been assessed by ARPANSA
http://www.arpansa.gov.au/Regulation/guides.cfm
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Controlled due to high
emission and accessibility
Not controlled due to low
emission and inaccessibility
Reasonably foreseeable:
- forgetting PPE
- exposure during normal
maintenance
- not using prescribed shielding
Reasonably foreseeable single
element failure:
- failing interlock
Take into account:
- distance to source
- time of exposure
- 3 x safety factor
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Transilluminators
Strong emission typically at 254, 312 or 366 nm - above exposure limits
Shielding can be removed
Relies on PPE
Controlled apparatus
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Biological safety cabinets
254 nm, germicidal – well above exposure limits
Panel can be taken off while UV lamp is on – no interlock
Controlled apparatus
254 nm, germicidal – well above exposure limits
UV light cannot be turned on while door is open
Interlock is failsafe and hard to override
Not controlled apparatus
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Water sterilisers
254 nm (UVC), germicidal – above exposure limits
Interlocked
UV light leaking from back of unit – unknown levels
Make conservative assumption that exposure limit can be exceeded
Controlled apparatus
254 nm (UVC), germicidal – above exposure limits
Fully enclosed – power has to be switched off to access lamp
Screwdriver needed to open housing
Not controlled apparatus 18
Spectrophotometer
UV source enclosed during operation
Low UV emission
Not controlled apparatus
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Regulation of lasers From Regulation 4:
Apparatus is controlled apparatus if...
‘a laser product with an accessible emission level more than the accessible emission limit of a Class 3R laser product, as set out in AS/NZS 2211.1:2004 Safety of Laser Products, Part 1: Equipment Classification, Requirements and User’s Guide’
Basically regulate class 3B and 4
Class 1M and 2M could in some cases be controlled apparatus – if there is a
possibility that the beam will be viewed with magnifying optics – refer to guidance
http://www.arpansa.gov.au/Regulation/guides.cfm
LASER CLASSES
1 1M 2
2M 3R 3B 4
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High-power laser pointers Laser pointers with emission > 1 mW (Class 2 in most cases)
• prohibited from importation without permission
• classed as prohibited/controlled weapon in most states and territories – need valid reason to possess
Incorrect labelling is a problem
Some lasers marked as class 2 can have > 100 mW output!!
Spectral sensitivity of the eye
5 mW green laser pointer
IR - 1064 nm
visible – 532 nm
Summary
• Changes in standards relating to NIR
• Regulation of UV, RF and lasers
• Case studies and examples of UV and RF emitting apparatus
• High-power laser pointers
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CONTACT ARPANSA
Email: [email protected] Website: www.arpansa.gov.au Telephone: +61 2 9541 8346 Freecall 1800 022 333 General Fax: +61 2 9541 8348
THANK YOU