Customs officials act to protect operators of new x-ray equipment

Border security officials are developing new health and safety rules for radiation exposure of Customs workers, port staff, and the public.

The Customs Service is preparing to deploy $19 million of new x-ray equipment to screen cargo on its way out of the country, as well as imports.

"We will develop and enforce operating practices that ensure no one is exposed to unsafe radiation levels," acting chief executive John Secker said.

These practices would be monitored internally and by the National Radiation Laboratory.

Customs will recruit 92 new staff, who will be trained to use the new equipment, and a further 32 new officers in areas such as export audit, intelligence, and explosives detector dogs.

The new equipment includes three x-ray trucks capable of scanning an entire sea container, two stationary x-ray units capable of scanning the largest aircraft freight containers, and motor vehicles, and five x-ray trailers.

The trucks will be based in Auckland, Tauranga and Dunedin, and the fixed units will be at Auckland and Christchurch international airports.

Customs will spend a further $1 million on other equipment.

Once operators were trained they would be able to identify contraband by using computer software that provided high definition images of organic materials such as drugs and explosives.

The x-ray trailer units will start arriving in July and the first x-ray truck is expected to arrive before the end of the year.

Customs Minister Rick Barker said New Zealand had to take responsibility for ensuring it did not export risk, and show that to key trading partners.

- NZPA