Classification of laboratories

Radiation laboratories are classified for prescribing certain regulatory requirements.

Premises where unsealed radioactive substances are kept or used are treated as a unit of regulated material under a radiation management licence.

Premises (generally laboratories at hospitals and universities) are classified in the interests of radiation safety into three categories: low level laboratory, medium level laboratory or high level laboratory.

The Protection from Harmful Radiation Regulation 2025 prescribes that a laboratory is to be classified as a low, medium or high level laboratory in accordance with the methodology outlined in section 3.5 of the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 2243.4:2018 Safety in laboratories, Part 4: Ionizing radiations (other than Table 3.4).

Laboratory classification prescribes certain regulatory requirements, such as:

• the provision of personal monitoring devices
• the determination of radiation management licence fees (Schedule 3, Part 1 of the Regulation).

It is the responsibility of the licensee to correctly classify premises for which they are responsible.