Washington Administrative Code › Title 246 - Health, Department of › RADIATION › Chapter 246-243 - Radiation protection - Industrial radiography › Section 246-243-090 - Leak testing, repair, tagging, opening, modification, and replacement of sealed sources

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) The
				replacement of any sealed source fastened to or contained in a radiographic
				exposure device and leak testing, repair, tagging, opening, or any other
				modification of any sealed source shall be performed only by persons
				specifically authorized to do so by the department, the United States Nuclear
				Regulatory Commission, or any agreement state.
(2) Each sealed source shall be tested for
				leakage at intervals not to exceed six months. Sealed sources that are in
				storage and not in use do not require leak testing, but must be tested before
				use or transfer to another person if the interval of storage exceeds six
				months. In the absence of a certificate from a transferor that a test has been
				made within the six-month period prior to the transfer, the sealed source shall
				not be put into use until tested and results obtained.
(3) The leak test shall be capable of
				detecting the presence of 185 becquerels (0.005 microcurie) of removable
				contamination on the sealed source. An acceptable leak test for sealed sources
				in the possession of a radiography licensee would be to test at the nearest
				accessible point to the sealed source storage position, or other appropriate
				measuring point where contamination might accumulate, by a procedure
				specifically approved in a license condition. Records of leak test results
				shall be kept in units of becquerels (microcuries) and maintained for
				inspection by the department for three years after the leak test is
				performed.
(4) Any test conducted
				under subsections (2) and (3) of this section which reveals the presence of 185
				becquerels (0.005 microcurie) or more of removable radioactive material shall
				be considered evidence that the sealed source is leaking. The licensee shall
				immediately withdraw the equipment involved from use and shall cause it to be
				decontaminated and repaired or to be disposed in accordance with regulations of
				the department. Within five days after obtaining results of the test, the
				licensee shall file a report with the department describing the involved
				equipment, the test results, and the corrective action taken.
(5) Each exposure device using depleted
				uranium (DU) shielding and an "S" tube configuration must be tested for DU
				contamination at intervals not to exceed twelve months. The analysis must be
				capable of detecting the presence of 185 becquerels (0.005 microcuries) of
				radioactive material on the test sample and must be performed by a person
				specifically authorized by the department, the United States Nuclear Regulatory
				Commission or an agreement state to perform the analysis. If testing reveals
				the presence of 185 becquerels (0.005 microcuries) or more of removable DU
				contamination, the exposure device must be removed from use until an evaluation
				of the wear on the S-tube has been made. If the evaluation reveals that the
				S-tube is worn through, the device may not be used again. DU shielded devices
				do not have to be tested for DU contamination while in storage and not in use.
				Before using or transferring such a device however, the device must be tested
				for DU contamination if the interval of storage exceeded twelve months. A
				record of the DU leak-test results shall be kept in units of becquerels
				(microcuries) and maintained for inspection by the department for three years
				after the DU leak test is made or until the source in storage is removed.
				Licensees will have until January 1, 2001, to comply with the DU leak testing
				requirements of this section.
Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					 70.98.050. 00-08-013, § 246-243-090,
					 filed 3/24/00, effective 4/24/00; 99-05-012, § 246-243-090, filed 2/5/99,
					 effective 3/8/99; 94-01-073, § 246-243-090, filed 12/9/93, effective
					 1/9/94. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					    70.98.050 and
					 70.98.080. 91-15-112 (Order 184),
					 § 246-243-090, filed 7/24/91, effective 8/24/91. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					    43.70.040. 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified
					 as § 246-243-090, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					    70.98.080. 87-01-031 (Order 2450), §
					 402-36-070, filed 12/11/86; 83-19-050 (Order 2026), § 402-36-070, filed
					 9/16/83. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					 70.98.050. 81-01-011 (Order 1570), §
					 402-36-070, filed 12/8/80; Order 1084, § 402-36-070, filed 1/14/76; Order
					 1, § 402-36-070, filed 1/8/69; Rules (part), filed
					 10/26/66.