Regulating devices that give off radiation

Learn how Health Canada protects you against unsafe levels of radiation given off from some devices.

People use and are exposed to radiation sources every day.

Some manufactured devices generate radiation, including:

medical or clinical devices, such as:
- CT scanners
- x-ray machines
- ultrasound devices
household or personal products, such as:
- laser products
- microwave ovens
- household power tools
industrial or commercial equipment, such as:
- tanning beds and equipment
- cell phone towers
- analytical x-ray machines, which are used to examine materials

The Radiation Emitting Devices Act sets the requirements for all devices that give off radiation, except those subject to the:

In Canada, all devices must comply with the standards outlined in the Radiation Emitting Devices Act if they will be:

Companies are required to comply with federal requirements concerning aspects such as:

Radiation-emitting devices classed as consumer products must meet additional requirements of the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act. Medical devices must meet the regulations in the Food and Drugs Act.

Monitoring safety and quality

Health Canada manages the health and safety risks posed by radiation-emitting devices by:

staying updated on the latest science
conducting reviews and risk assessments
sharing information with other regulators
researching the safety and risks of devices
inspecting and testing devices in our laboratories
collecting and analyzing complaints and incident reports from:
- the public
- companies
- health professionals
providing radiation safety guidance to federally regulated facilities containing radiation-emitting devices

We also require companies that manufacture radiation-emitting devices to notify us if:

devices are not compliant with the standards of the Radiation Emitting Devices Act
radiation from a device is causing a health risk because:
- it's not working as it's supposed to
- it's giving off more radiation than is needed

If data suggest a possible new safety concern with a product, we review available evidence to:

Depending on the severity of the concern, we may:

Health Canada develops regulations, guidelines, standards and safety codes to reduce risks posed by radiation-emitting devices to:

To help companies understand the requirements and their responsibilities more clearly, we produce:

We make sure companies and products are meeting Canada's high safety and quality standards by:

conducting planned reviews of products
working with partner organizations, such as the Canada Border Services Agency, to make informed recommendations regarding entry of products into Canada

If a company fails to comply, we have a range of options to obtain compliance.

Health Canada helps to protect your health and safety by working with a range of partners and stakeholders. We provide radiation advice to:

We work with these groups to:

share information
seek independent expert advice
collaborate to help address shared issues that present risks to public health and safety