XN000022-1990-07-11 — Page 23

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1990

21

MOTION ON RADIATION REGULATIONS PASSED

*

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY)

A PASSED

MOTION

APPROVING THE RADIATION (CONTROL OF IRRADIATING APPARATUS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1990 AND THE RADIATION (CONTROL OF RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES) ON JUNE 8 (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1990 MADE BY THE RADIATION BOARD THIS YEAR.

AND WELFARE, THE MOVING THE MOTION, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH

SECTION 13(1) OF THE RADIATION HON ELIZABETH WONG, EXPLAINED THAT ORDINANCE EMPOWERED THE RADIATION BOARD TO MAKE REGULATIONS SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MANY

OF

REGULATIONS AMENDMENTS TO THE THE EXERCISE WERE TECHNICAL IN NATURE, SHE SAID.

IN THE

CURRENT

FOR OF FINES

COUNCIL, MRS

THE RECENT INCREASE

LEVEL IN THE FOLLOWING OFFENCES UNDER THE RADIATION ORDINANCE APPROVED BY THE WONG SAID, THE TWO SETS OF AMENDMENT REGULATIONS SOUGHT TO INTRODUCE A THREE-FOLD INCREASE IN THE LEVEL OF FINES FOR VARIOUS OFFENCES

THE REGULATIONS.

"THESE FINES HAVE NOT BEEN REVISED SINCE THE REGULATIONS INTO FORCE IN 1965 BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF OFFENCES PROSECUTED WAS SMALL.

"HOWEVER, WE CONSIDER IT NECESSARY TO INCREASE THE ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR DETERRENT EFFECT," SHE SAID.

UNDER

CAME

VERY

FINES IN

MRS WONG SAID THAT UNDER THE RADIATION (CONTROL OF IRRADIATING APPARATUS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1990, REGULATION 2 SOUGHT TO UPDATE THE EXISTING TERMINOLOGY AND

WHICH DEFINITIONS

OUTMODED.

CHANGING "THESE INCLUDE

IRRADIATING

WERE CONSIDERED

1

APPARATUS'

* DENTAL THE TERM

AND THE

OF REFERENCE

X-RAY MACHINE'

+

+ DOSE' TO 'DOSE-EQUIVALENT LIMIT',

IRRADIATING APPARATUS' AND DEFINING

ΤΟ

* DENTAL

'MAXIMUM INTRODUCING THE TERMS PERMISSIBLE

AND ' THERAPEUTIC IRRADIATING 'DIAGNOSTIC

NEW THESE

TERMS APPARATUS '

IN ACCORDANCE

" SHE SAID. INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS,

IN

WITH

THE

ADDITION, REGULATION 7 AMENDED REGULATION 17 TO EXTEND

OF PROTECTIVE OFFENCES OF LICENSEES IN RELATION TO THE IMPROPER USE MATERIALS AND SAFETY PRACTICES IN CASE OF IRRADIATING APPARATUS TO ALL PERSONS SO AS TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROVISIONS COULD BE PROVIDE THE NECESSARY PROTECTION FROM RADIATION HAZARDS OF WHETHER A LICENCE WAS IN FORCE.

ENFORCED TO IRRESPECTIVE

"IN

PRACTICE,

THE

RADIATION

BOARD HAS

AT

TIMES FOUND IT

BEING APPLIED

DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY THE LICENSEE IN ENFORCING THIS REGULATION WHEN A LICENCE IS EITHER NOT RENEWED OR IS IN THE PROCESS OF FOR," SHE SAID.

/MRS WONG