Management licences

Overview

These licences authorise the conduct of a radiation practice. They may authorise practices to occur at multiple sites across Victoria involving multiple radiation sources. The licences are issued for periods of one, two or three years. There are prescribed fees for licences which consist of an application fee and a licence fee. Licence fees vary depending on the nature of the radiation source involved and the length of the licence.

Further information about management licences:

• Do I need a management licence?

• What does a management licence authorise?

• Who should hold the licence?

• What do I need to include in my licence application?

• How do I apply for a management licence?

• How are applications assessed?

• When do I need to vary my management licence?

• Transfer of a management licence

• What am I required to do when I take possession of a radiation source that I have been authorised to possess through my management licence?

• What am I required to do when I dispose of a radiation source that I have been authorised to dispose of through my management licence?

• Replacing an existing radiation source?

• Minor changes to your licence

• Privacy Information

• Incident Reporting

Do I need a management licence?

You need a management licence prior to conducting a radiation practice. A radiation practice is any activity that involves:

• Possession or disposal of a radiation source
• Transport of radioactive material
• Sale of radiation sources
• Repairing, testing, or maintaining radiation sources
• Mining or processing radioactive material.

A management licence must be held by an individual or a company before they conduct the radiation practice (for example, before they take possession of the radiation source). Failure to hold the required management licence is a serious offence against the Radiation Act 2005.

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What does a management licence authorise?

Prior to 1 September 2007, individual radiation sources (e.g. X ray units) had to be individually registered. Since September 2007, the possession of many radiation sources at many different sites can be authorised by one management licence.

The management licence will identify and describe every radiation source or kinds of radiation sources in relation to which the management licence holder will conduct a radiation practice. This licence will also authorise the radiation practice and encompasses all practices on a site or in some cases multiple sites. The management licence is issued subject to certain conditions. Management licences are issued for a period of one, two or three years. The applicant can choose which period.

During the transition from the previous legislation to the current Act, it was decided to consolidate multiple authorities held by the same entity into a single licence. This consolidation served two purposes. First, it reduced the administrative burden on the licence holder by giving them one consolidated licence which listed all the sites and radiation practices conducted at those sites within Victoria. Second, it allowed the Department to have a single view of each licence holder to clearly show the sites and radiation practices and radiation sources involved.

As a result, the Department does not issue multiple licences to the same entity. Where multiple applications are lodged, and assuming the application is approved, only one licence will be issued.

These licences may authorise practices to occur at multiple sites across Victoria involving multiple radiation sources.
From late 2009, the management licence will consist of some or all of the following:

• Page 1: Cover sheet which lists the name of the licence holder, the licence number and the expiry date of the licence
• Schedule 1: The general conditions which apply to the entire licence. There is currently only one general condition which relates to the reporting of certain types of incidents to the Department
• Schedule 2: Radiation practices involving ionising radiation sources
• Schedule 3: Radiation practices involving sealed sources apparatus
• Schedule 4: Radiation practices involving sealed sources
• Schedule 5: Radiation practices involving radioactive material
• Schedule 6: Radiation practices involving procuring or arranging research involving the irradiation of persons
• Schedule 7: Radiation practices involving non-ionising radiation sources
• Schedule 8: Radiation practices involving sale of radiation sources
• Schedule 9: Radiation practices involving transport of radioactive material
• Schedule 10: List of radiation sources which the licence holder has notified as being in their possession.

The management licence for a particular radiation practice is unlikely to have all of these schedules but as a minimum, it will consist of Page 1, Page 2 and at least one schedule depending on the nature of the practice. Very large complex practices may involve most if not all of the schedules.

Conditions are applied to each specific radiation practice e.g. conditions relating to say dental radiography appear after the references to that practice. Typically many of these conditions require compliance with the relevant Code of Practice.

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Who should hold the licence?

The licence needs to be held by the legal entity that is conducting the radiation practice – in most cases this will be a company. Things such as who has authority to dispose of the source; who can decide not to use it etc are considerations in resolving who needs the licence.

In practice, with the exception of dentists, most existing management licences are issued to companies.

Historically, previous authorisations were often issued to individuals (e.g. 'John Smith') and progressively over time many of these authorisations are likely to be varied to reflect the correct entity that is actually conducting the radiation practice such as a company (e.g. 'John Smith Dentistry Pty. Ltd').

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What do I need to include in my licence application?

The detail depends on the nature of the proposed radiation practice:

• Medical practices
• Dental practices
• Sale of radiation sources
• Transport of radioactive material
• Industrial practices
• Veterinary practices
• Research involving the exposure of persons to ionising radiation for research purposes
• Education and research practices
• Solaria.

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How do I apply for a management licence?

You need to complete this application form on-line. Follow the instructions at the website to lodge your application. Please do not print the form out. The form changes as you complete it and so if you print it out your application will be incomplete and will result in a delay to the processing of your application. At the end of the process you simply need to click on the ‘submit’ button to send your application including any file attachments to the Department for processing. This form will then be automatically emailed to the Department.

Businesses which will need to regularly to vary their licences after the initial application process are strongly encouraged to create a Business Victoria Account. Such an account will allow you to build and store a profile for your business. This profile in your Business Victoria account will then save you time when you lodge an application to vary your licence.

Application for a Management Licence (574kb, smart form)

There are prescribed fees for licences which consist of an application fee and a licence fee. Licence fees vary depending on the nature of the radiation source involved and the length of the licence.

The licence fee is also dependant on the term chosen with a discount for longer terms. Unfortunately there are no refunds once a licence is issued so you may wish to consider whether a 1, 2 or 3 year licence is best for your situation.

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How are applications assessed?

All applications are initially checked for completeness and entered onto the licensing database before being allocated to an assessing officer in the Radiation Safety Team.

The Assessing Officer's responsibility is to assess the application on its merits against the assessment criteria. The assessment criteria consist of some generic matters but then vary significantly depending on the nature of the proposal.

When the Assessing Officer has recommended the application for approval an invoice will be generated and sent out to you for payment.

When payment has been received the Secretary's delegate will look at the application and make the final decision to approve or reject the application.

If the application is approved a licence will be sent. If the application is rejected a letter will be sent within 14 days of the decision giving a statement of reasons for refusing to issue the authority and advice on how the applicant may seek review of the Secretary's decision.

Most applications are assessed by the Department and a decision made on issue of a licence within approximately 4 weeks of lodgement. In some cases this assessment will also involve an inspection by one of our authorised officers to verify aspects of the application.

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When do I need to vary my management licence?

From time to time a management licence holder may wish to make changes to their licence to vary the scope including such matters as the number or types of radiation sources involved. For example, the company that runs a radiology practice may wish to:

• Expand their practice by setting up a radiology practice with X-ray units at a new location
• Acquire a different type of radiation source (e.g. a CT scanner) at an existing authorised location
• Acquire another X-ray unit of the same type as they already are authorised to possess at an existing authorised location
• Move from their current authorised location to another location.

In these cases the management licence holder must apply to the Department for a variation to their management licence before taking that action.

The information that you need to supply with your application is the same as required for a new radiation practice.

Most applications are assessed by the Department and a decision made on the variation to the licence within approximately 4 weeks of lodgement. In some cases this assessment will also involve an inspection by one of our authorised officers to verify aspects of the application.

There is a fixed fee for an application to vary a management licence.

An invoice will be mailed to you once your application has been assessed as meeting the required standards. You must pay this invoice. Your application will then be referred to the delegate to decide the application.

You will then be advised of the decision. If the decision is to vary your licence as requested you will be sent the varied licence. Until you receive this certificate you are not authorised to conduct the proposed radiation practice.

The licence must be varied by the Department before the proposed changes to the radiation practice take effect. The requirement to have the Department vary the licence means that it is an offence against the Radiation Act for a management licence holder to take possession of a new radiation source where that activity has not yet been authorised in their licence.

If you have any questions about variations, please contact the Registration and Licensing Hotline.To apply for a variation you need to complete this application form on-line. Follow the instructions at the website to lodge your application. Please do not print the form out. The form changes as you complete it and so if you print it out your application will be incomplete and will result in a delay to the processing of your application. At the end of the process you simply need to click on the ‘submit’ button to send your application including any file attachments to the Department for processing. This form will then be automatically emailed to the Department.

Businesses which will need to regularly to vary their licences after the initial application process are strongly encouraged to create a Business Victoria Account. Such an account will allow you to build and store a profile for your business. This profile in your Business Victoria account will then save you time when you lodge an application to vary your licence.

Application to Vary a Management Licence (583kb, smart form)

This form will be automatically emailed to the Department after you have completed it.

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Transfer of a management licence

A management licence holder may apply to the Department for approval to transfer the licence to another person e.g. a company which wishes to buy their business. A transfer can only be undertaken if the new owner does not already possess a management licence. The application to transfer must be made and approved and a new licence issued in the name of the new company prior to the change of ownership.

To apply to transfer a management licence you need to complete this application form on-line. Follow the instructions at the website to lodge your application. Please do not print the form out. The form changes as you complete it and so if you print it out your application will be incomplete and will result in a delay to the processing of your application. At the end of the process you simply need to click on the ‘submit’ button to send your application including any file attachments to the Department for processing. This form will then be automatically emailed to the Department.

Application for Transfer of a Management Licence (432kb, smart form)

This form will be automatically emailed to the Department after you have completed it.

Where an existing management licence holder (‘Business A’) acquires another business which also holds a management licence (‘Business B’), ‘Business A’ needs to apply to vary their management licence and ‘Business B’ needs to advise the Department in writing that it wishes to surrender its licence. For clarification please contact the Registration and Licensing Hotline.

What am I required to do when I take possession of a radiation source that I have been authorised to possess through my management licence?

Management licences which authorise the possession of a radiation source have a condition which requires the holder to notify the Department within 14 days of taking possession or disposing of a radiation source.

This means that management licence holders need to notify the Department when they take possession of a new piece of equipment – such as a new computed tomography scanner or a radiation gauge. This notification includes details such as serial numbers.

The notification must be made on the following form. Follow the instructions at the website to lodge your application. Please do not print the form out. The form changes as you complete it and so if you print it out your application will be incomplete and will result in a delay to the processing of your application. At the end of the process you simply need to click on the ‘submit’ button to send your application including any file attachments to the Department for processing. This form will then be automatically emailed to the Department.

Notification of the Acquisition or Disposal of a Radiation Source (363kb, smart form)

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What am I required to do when I dispose of a radiation source that I have been authorised to dispose of through my management licence?

Management licences which authorise the disposal of a radiation source have a condition which requires the holder to notify the Department within 14 days of taking possession or disposing of a radiation source.

The notification must be made on the following form. Follow the instructions at the website to lodge your application. Please do not print the form out. The form changes as you complete it and so if you print it out your application will be incomplete and will result in a delay to the processing of your application. At the end of the process you simply need to click on the ‘submit’ button to send your application including any file attachments to the Department for processing. This form will then be automatically emailed to the Department.

Notification of the Acquisition or Disposal of a Radiation Source (363kb, smart form)

Management licence holders should note that where their licence authorises disposal of a radiation source that their licence will have a condition which requires the licence holder to comply with the following requirements:

Radioactive Material Disposal Requirements (31kb, pdf)

The Department also provides advice to those management licence holders who from time to time need to dispose of a disused X-ray unit.

Advice on the disposal of X-ray equipment (41kb, pdf)

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Replacing an existing radiation source?

If a management licence holder intends to replace an existing authorised radiation source (e.g. replacing an X-ray unit with a newer model) you should review your existing shielding to ensure that it is sufficient to protect your staff and others. Since you are not altering the number of radiation sources you are authorised to possess, you do not have to apply to vary your licence.

However, you will need to submit to the Department both the notification of the acquisition of the new source and the notification of disposal of the old source.

Minor changes to your licence

You do not need to vary your licence but you are required to notify the Department if:

• You have changed your preferred mailing address
• You want to make changes to your preferred contact details
• In the case of companies, there are changes to the preferred contact person.

These types of changes need to be made in writing to the Department by the licence holder or in the case of companies from a representative of the company.

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Privacy Information

Due to our obligations under the Privacy Act, we are unable to disclose information relating to a persons licence to anyone other than the licence holder. For example, if a company wishes to view their employee licences, it is up to the company to request their employees to provide their licences. A company will not be provided information about an employee’s licence or information related to another person or company.

Incident Reporting

Most management licences contain a condition requiring the licence holder to comply with the following requirements regarding the reporting of incidents involving radiation sources to the Department of Human Services Radiation Safety Team:

Radiation Incident Reporting Requirements - September 2007 (28kb, pdf)

Radiation Incident Report form (393kb, MS word)

Prescribed fees and serious offence documents

Prescribed fees (33kb, pdf)

Serious offence (14kb, pdf)

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