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: Claire.Lynga@arpansa.gov.au Website: www.arpansa.gov.au Telephone: +61 2 9541 8346 Freecall 1800 022 333 General Fax: +61 2 9541 8348

THANK YOU