New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 20 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Chapter 3 - RADIATION PROTECTION › Part 15 - LICENSES AND RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR IRRADIATORS › Section 20.3.15.1515 - DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
Irradiators whose construction begins after July 1, 1993,
				  must meet the design requirements of this section.
A.
Shielding.
For panoramic
				irradiators, the licensee shall design shielding walls to meet generally
				accepted building code requirements for reinforced concrete, and design the
				walls, wall penetrations and entrance ways to meet the radiation shielding
				requirements of
				20.3.15.1508
				NMAC. If the irradiator will use more than 2 x 1017
				becquerels (5 million curies) of activity, the licensee shall evaluate the
				effects of heating of the shielding walls by the irradiator sources.
B.
Foundations.
For panoramic
				irradiators, the licensee shall design the foundation, with consideration given
				to soil characteristics, to ensure it is adequate to support the weight of the
				facility shield walls.
C.
Pool integrity.
For pool irradiators, the licensee shall design
				the pool to assure that it is leak resistant, that is strong enough to bear the
				weight of the pool water and shipping casks, that a dropped cask would not fall
				on sealed sources, that all outlets or pipes meet the requirements of
				Subsection B of
				20.3.15.1512
				NMAC, and that metal components are metallurgically compatible with other
				components in the pool.
D.
Water handling system.
For pool irradiators, the licensee shall
				verify that the design of the water purification system is adequate to meet the
				requirements of Subsection E of
				20.3.15.1512
				NMAC. The system must be designed so that water leaking from the system does
				not drain to unrestricted areas without being monitored.
E.
Radiation monitors.
For all
				irradiators, the licensee shall evaluate the location and sensitivity of the
				monitor to detect sources carried by the product conveyor system as required by
				Subsection A of
				20.3.15.1510
				NMAC. The licensee shall verify that the product conveyor is designed to stop
				before a source on the product conveyor would cause a radiation overexposure to
				any person. For pool irradiators, if the licensee uses radiation monitors to
				detect contamination under Subsection B of
				20.3.15.1521
				NMAC, the licensee shall verify that the design of radiation monitoring systems
				to detect pool contamination includes sensitive detectors located close to
				where contamination is likely to concentrate.
F.
Source rack.
For pool
				irradiators, the licensee shall verify that there are no crevices on the source
				or between the source and source holder that would promote corrosion on a
				critical area of the source. For panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall
				determine that source rack drops due to loss of power will not damage the
				source rack and that source rack drops due to failure of cables (or alternate
				means of support) will not cause loss of integrity of sealed sources. For
				panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall review the design of the mechanism
				that moves the sources to assure that the likelihood of a stuck source is low
				and that, if the rack sticks, a means exists to free it with minimal risk to
				personnel.
G.
Access
				control.
For panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall verify from the
				design and logic diagram that the access control system will meet the
				requirements of
				20.3.15.1507
				NMAC.
H.
Fire
				protection.
For panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall verify that
				the number, location and spacing of the smoke and heat detectors are
				appropriate to detect fires, and that the detectors are protected from
				mechanical and radiation damage. The licensee shall verify that the design of
				the fire extinguishing system provides the necessary discharge patterns,
				densities and flow characteristics for complete coverage of the radiation room,
				and that the system is protected from mechanical and radiation
				damage.
I.
Source
				return.
For panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall verify that the
				source rack will automatically return to the fully shielded position if
				off-site power is lost for more than 10 seconds.
J.
Seismic.
For panoramic
				irradiators to be built in seismic areas, the licensee shall design the
				reinforced concrete radiation shields to retain their integrity in the event of
				an earthquake by designing to the seismic requirements of an appropriate source
				such as American concrete institute standard ACI 318-89, "Building Code
				Requirements for Reinforced Concrete," Chapter 21, "Special Provisions for
				Seismic Design," or local building codes, if current.
K.
Wiring.
For panoramic
				irradiators, the licensee shall verify that electrical wiring and electrical
				equipment in the radiation room are selected to minimize failures due to
				prolonged exposure to radiation.