RPS 11 — Code of Practice for the Security of Radioactive Sources (2019)
1. Source documents
- Official PDF retained locally — ARPANSA, corrected edition 2019; retrieved 16 September 2026.
- Extracted text
- Provenance and SHA-256 metadata
2. Authority and jurisdiction
- National security code for radioactive sources. In Queensland it is a standard possession/use licence condition where the practice involves a security-enhanced source and a transport condition where such a source is transported (Act s 75; Regulation s 70).
- Applies to sealed radioactive sources within its scope, using a graded categorisation and threat-informed approach.
- This summary intentionally omits sensitive site-specific security and emergency-recovery details.
3. Key takeaways
- Security protects radioactive sources against unauthorised access, removal, sabotage or malicious use and complements radiation safety.
- Controls are graded by source category, aggregation and threat assessment rather than applied identically to every source.
- Effective security combines physical barriers, access control, detection, response, information protection, trustworthiness measures and source accountancy.
- Security responsibilities continue through use, storage and transport and require prompt management of breaches or discrepancies.
- In radiation therapy, the principal relevance is sealed sources such as HDR brachytherapy sources; the code does not apply to unsealed radioactive material.
4. Summary
4.1. 1 — Introduction
- Defines purpose, scope, application and the code's relationship to radiation safety and national security arrangements.
4.2. 2 — Responsibilities and duties
- Allocates responsibilities to the Responsible Person and others who possess, use, store or transport in-scope sources.
4.3. 3 — Physical security during use
- Requires graded access, control, detection and response arrangements while a source is in use.
4.4. 4 — Physical security during storage
- Requires secure storage and controls proportionate to source category and credible threats.
4.5. 5 — Physical security during transport
- Adds security measures to the safety controls applying to radioactive-material transport.
4.6. 6 — Procedural security
- Addresses authorised access, information control, trustworthiness, training, communication and response procedures.
4.7. 7 — Security management
- Covers security breaches, source accountancy, review, records and improvement of arrangements.
4.8. Schedules
- Schedule A
- Security-plan content.
- Schedule B
- Source categorisation.
- Schedule C
- Threat levels.
- Schedule D
- Procedural and administrative measures.
- Schedule E
- Identity and background checking.
5. Important definitions, roles, limits and records
- Security-enhanced source or categorised source
- A source for which graded security requirements apply under the relevant framework.
- Responsible Person
- Ensures appropriate security management and resources; individual users still follow access and reporting duties.
- Source accountancy
- Maintains timely knowledge of source identity, status and authorised location without exposing sensitive details.
- Records
- Authorisations, access, inventory/accountancy, checks, training, transport handover, breaches, investigations and reviews.
6. Practical relationship to the THHS RSPP
- Supports the RSPP's HDR source inventory, restricted access, storage, transport, discrepancy reporting and emergency preparedness controls.
- Security information should be available on a need-to-know basis and separated from public study material where disclosure would reduce protection.
- Exact THHS obligations must be traced to Queensland law, licence conditions, source categorisation and the approved security arrangements.