Virginia Administrative Code › Title 12 - HEALTH › Agency 5 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH › Chapter 481 - VIRGINIA RADIATION PROTECTION REGULATIONS › Part XII - Licensing and Radiation Safety Requirements for Irradiators › Article 4 - Operation of Irradiators › Section 12VAC5-481-2870 - Detection of leaking sources

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A.
					 Each dry-source-storage sealed source shall be tested for leakage at intervals
					 not to exceed six months using a leak test kit or method approved by the
					 agency, NRC, or another agreement state. In the absence of a certificate from a
					 transferor that a test has been made within the six months before the transfer,
					 the sealed source may not be used until tested. The test shall be capable of
					 detecting the presence of 0.005 µCi (200 Bq) of radioactive material and
					 shall be performed by a person approved by the agency, the NRC, or another
					 agreement state to perform the test.
B. For pool irradiators, sources may not be
					 put into the pool unless the licensee tests the sources for leaks or has a
					 certificate from a transferor that a leak test has been done within the six
					 months before the transfer. Water from the pool shall be checked for
					 contamination each day the irradiator operates. The check may be done either by
					 using a radiation monitor on a pool water circulating system or by analysis of
					 a sample of pool water. If a check for contamination is done by analysis of a
					 sample of pool water, the results of the analysis shall be available within 24
					 hours. If the licensee uses a radiation monitor on a pool water circulating
					 system, the detection of above normal radiation levels shall activate an alarm.
					 The alarm set-point shall be set as low as practical, but high enough to avoid
					 false alarms. The licensee may reset the alarm set-point to a higher level if
					 necessary to operate the pool water purification system to clean up
					 contamination in the pool if specifically provided for in written emergency
					 procedures.
C. If a leaking source
					 is detected, the licensee shall arrange to remove the leaking source from
					 service and have it decontaminated, repaired, or disposed of by an agency, the
					 NRC, or another agreement state licensee that is authorized to perform these
					 functions. The licensee shall promptly check its personnel, equipment,
					 facilities, and irradiated product for radioactive contamination. No product
					 may be shipped until the product has been checked and found free of
					 contamination. If a product has been shipped that may have been inadvertently
					 contaminated, the licensee shall arrange to locate and survey that product for
					 contamination. If any personnel are found to be contaminated, decontamination
					 shall be performed promptly. If contaminated equipment, facilities, or products
					 are found, the licensee shall arrange to have them decontaminated or disposed
					 of by an agency, the NRC, or another agreement state licensee that is
					 authorized to perform these functions. If a pool is contaminated, the licensee
					 shall arrange to clean the pool until the contamination levels do not exceed
					 the appropriate concentration in Table 2, Column 2 of Appendix B to 10 CFR Part
					 20. (See
					 12VAC5-481-1110
					 for reporting requirements.)
Statutory Authority: §
													32.1-229
						  of the Code of Virginia.