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Radiation regulations
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in moving the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) (Amendment) Regulation 1995 and Radiation (Control of Radioactive Substances) (Amendment) Regulation 1995 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
I move that the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) (Amendment) Regulation 1995 and Radiation (Control of Radioactive Substances) (Amendment) Regulation 1995 as set out under my name in the paper circulated to Members be approved.
The Radiation Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation regulate, inter alia, exposure to ionizing radiation according to international standards so as to ensure effective protection of workers and the public as regards their health and safety.
Recently, international standards on this front have been updated by scaling down the limits of ionizing radiation exposure to radiation workers and the public, hence our Amendment Regulations. Technical amendments to terminology related to the regulations are also made.
The Amendment Regulations also seek to allow the use of irradiating apparatus for specified medical purposes under certain conditions by radiographers, who need to operate irradiating apparatus when delivering their services. Radiographers will be required to be statutorily registered under the recently made Radiographers (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulation.
The Amendment Regulations enhance radiological protection according to international standards and provide strict, but reasonable, conditions under which The certain persons may operate irradiating apparatus for specified purposes. Radiation Board, the licensing authority in respect of radioactive substances and irradiating apparatus set up under section 3 of the Radiation Ordinance, has been consulted and support the Amendment Regulations.
With these remarks, I move the motion.
End/Wednesday, April 26, 1995
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