Draft Radiation Control Amendment (Sun-Tanning Units) Regulation
Invitation to comment
The Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) is seeking comments on the draft Radiation Control Amendment (Sun-tanning Units) Regulation 2008 (RCAsuntanreg200.pdf, 260 KB)
The DECC, as the body responsible for administration of the Radiation Control Act (1990), has prepared the draft Regulation consistent with draft uniform requirements prepared by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and the Radiation Health Committee.The draft Regulation is also consistent with the Australian Standard AS/NZS 2635:2008: Solaria for Cosmetic Purposes. This standard outlines the requirements for installing, maintaining and operating commercial sun-tanning units in, for example, clubs, sporting establishments, beauty salons and various cosmetic institutions.
The draft Regulation responds to increasing public concerns about the health risks associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sun-tanning units.
Recent studies have found individuals who have used solaria have a 22% increased risk of developing melanoma compared to people who have never used solaria. There is also evidence that UV radiation exposure in the first 18 years of life is important in determining lifelong skin cancer risk and that there is a 75% increase risk in developing melanoma for people who used sun-tanning units in their teenage years.1
The draft Regulation covers a range of behavioural and technical issues including:
usage limited to persons over 18 years
appropriate training by operators consistent with the National Standard
assessment of skin type conducted by a trained operator and persons with type 1 (fair) skin (that burns and never tans) not permitted to use units
the use of written acknowledgment forms
restrictions on the amount of UV radiation exposure individuals are to receive in any one session and total combined sessions in an establishment
restrictions on the frequency of exposure sessions (not within 48 hours of a previous session)
the supervision of sessions
the display of warning notices
A copy of the draft Regulation can also be ordered from Environment Line on 131 555 (during business hours).
Closing date for submissions is Friday 6 February 2009.
Please send written comments to:
Draft Regulation (Sun-tanning units)DirectorSpecialised RegulationDepartment of Environment and Climate ChangePO A290 Sydney South NSW 1232or email: radiation@environment.nsw.gov.au
1http://www.iarc.fr/en/Media-Centre/IARC-Press-Releases/Archives-2006-2004/2006/Sunbed-use-in-youth-unequivocally-associated-with-skin-cancer
Page last updated: 26 February 2011
