Changes to regulations expected to be implemented in August
Workers dealing with radiation in the workplace in Saskatchewan will find better safety precautions at work thanks to changes to The Radiation Health and Safety Regulations, 2005.
These changes will come into effect later this year.
"By reviewing the regulations and getting valuable feedback from industry stakeholders and the public we are improving worker safety, ensuring consistency and modernizing outdated provisions," said Don McMorris, minister of labour relations and workplace safety.
The changes will take effect starting Aug. 8 this year to provide employers with time to prepare for changes to the requirements, according to the provincial government.
Changes to radiation safety regulations
The amendments focus on the following:
- Requiring an owner/operator of radiation equipment to inform a worker of their designation as a radiation worker, the risks of radiation exposure and the risks of radiation exposure during pregnancy
- Reducing administrative burden to help reduce costs of owners and operators of radiation equipment without having an impact on the regulatory oversight
- Improving access to services
- Reducing fees for services that have been outsourced to the private sector
- Discontinuing the requirement to report routine worker doses to the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety
- Reducing the dose record keeping period from permanent to five years
- Simplifying the required preventive maintenance schedule of x-ray equipment
- Discontinuing the requirement to register laser light shows and medical ultrasound equipment
- Adding occupational therapists to the list of operators of class 3, 3B and 4 lasers and therapeutic ultrasound equipment to ensure easier patient access to a distinct set of services
- Eliminating the fees for registration of x-ray equipment, leak test analysis, radon measurement, calibration of radiation monitoring equipment, inspections and examinations
- Aligning the fee for consultation services to be reflective of the current cost of the service
Saskatchewan made changes to The Radiation Health and Safety Regulations, 2005 in 2021 “to address changes in technological advances, radiation practices and remove redundancies,” said the provincial government.
