Approved testers

Overview

A tester's approval allows an individual to issue certificates of compliance for prescribed medical X-ray equipment. It is an offence for a person other than an approved tester to issue a certificate if compliance.

This page details the information and the form required for a person to apply for or vary an existing tester's approval.

Applicants seeking a tester's approval must meet certain prerequisites prior to being issued with a tester's approval.

The certificate of compliance indicates that the medical X-ray unit complies with the relevant safety standards.

The safety standards for the prescribed radiation source types are:

• plain film X-ray equipment
• fluoroscopic X-ray equipment
• computed tomography scanners
• mammography X-ray equipment.

Prerequisites: what information do I include with my application?

There are certain requirements that must be met and information that must be provided with an approved testers application. Before applying you must ensure that you meet the assessment criteria for approved testers.

Mutual recognition

A person who is registered in an equivalent occupation in another state or territory or New Zealand may be entitled to apply to the department under the Commonwealth Mutual Recognition Act 1992 for a tester’s approval in Victoria.

See the mutual recognition arrangements page for more information.

Conditions of approval and other relevant documents

A tester's approval specifies the type of prescribed radiation sources for which the approved tester has been authorised to test and issue certificates of compliance.

The approved tester's authority is subject to limitations and conditions. The schedule issued with the approved tester's authority contains the conditions that have been placed on the approval.

It is a condition of the approved tester's authority to comply with the department's requirements for approved testers.

Applying to become an approved tester

Once you have familiarised yourself with the requirements for approved testers you will then need to apply using the licencing portal. You will be asked to upload the required prerequisites and pay the fee with either credit card (preferred) or by BPay.

Approval duration

Tester's approvals are issued for periods of one, two or three years. The applicant can choose which period they wish to apply for.

Assessment process and timeframe

Applications are initially checked for completeness, and that documented evidence of the relevant prerequisites have been submitted. The application is then entered onto the department's licensing system before being allocated to an officer in the department's Radiation Team for assessment.

The prescribed fees for tester's approvals consist of:

1. one-off application fee (for new applications)
2. tester's approval fee.

Tester's approval fees vary depending on the duration, with a discount for longer terms. There are no refunds once an approval is issued, so you may wish to consider whether a 1-, 2- or 3-year duration is best for your situation. Fees are automatically scheduled to increase on 1 July each year.

You must pay this prescribed fee before your application can be assessed. If the application is approved, you will be notified by email and then you can download your licence certificate from the licensing portal.

If the application is rejected, a letter will be sent within 14 days of the decision giving a statement of reasons for refusing to issue the approval and advice on how you may seek review of the Secretary's decision.

Variation to an existing approved tester authority

From time to time, an approved tester may wish to make changes to their authority to vary the types of medical X-ray equipment that they wish to be authorised to test. In these cases, the authority holder must apply to the department for a variation to the approval through the licensing portal. There is no fee associated with an application to vary an existing approval.

The authority must be varied by the department before the holder can start testing the medical X-ray equipment. It is an offence under the Radiation Act 2005 for an approved tester to test a prescribed radiation source and issue a certificate of compliance for a type of source that is not authorised by their authority.

Compliance testing of prescribed medical equipment

Management licensees with prescribed medical equipment must arrange for the X-ray equipment to be periodically tested to ensure the medical equipment comply with the relevant safety standards. Regular testing ensures prescribed medical X-ray equipment produce optimum quality images, with minimum necessary dose to the patient.

Search for an approved tester

The department maintains a list of the approved testers who are available to test radiation sources on a fee for service basis.