Washington Administrative Code › Title 246 - Health, Department of › RADIATION › Chapter 246-221 - Radiation protection standards › Section 246-221-080 - Leak tests

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) Each sealed
				radioactive source possessed under the provisions of a specific license, other
				than hydrogen-3 (tritium), with a half-life greater than 30 days and in any
				form other than gas, shall be tested and results obtained for leakage or
				contamination prior to initial use and at six-month intervals or as specified
				by the license, except that each source designed for the purpose of emitting
				alpha particles shall be tested at intervals not to exceed three months. If at
				any other time there is reason to suspect that a sealed source might have been
				damaged, it shall be tested for leakage and results obtained before further
				use. In the absence of a certificate from a transferor indicating that a test
				for leakage has been made within six months prior to the transfer (three months
				for a source designed to emit alpha particles), the sealed source shall not be
				put into use until tested and the results received.
(2) Leak tests shall be capable of detecting
				the presence of 185 Bq (0.005 microcurie) of removable contamination. The
				results of leak tests made pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall be
				recorded in units of becquerel or microcuries and shall be maintained for
				inspection by the department. Any test conducted pursuant to subsection (1) of
				this section which reveals the presence of 185 Bq (0.005 microcurie) or more of
				removable contamination shall be considered evidence that the sealed source is
				leaking. The licensee shall immediately withdraw the source from use shall take
				action to prevent the spread of contamination and shall cause it to be
				decontaminated and repaired or to be disposed in accordance with WAC
				246-232-080. If a sealed source shows evidence of leaking, a report shall be
				filed with the department within five days of the test, describing the
				equipment involved, the test results, and the corrective action
				taken.
(3) Test samples shall be
				taken from the sealed source or from the internal surfaces or the opening of
				the container in which the sealed source is stored or from surfaces of devices
				or equipment in which the sealed source is permanently mounted. Tests for
				contamination and leakage may be made by wiping appropriate accessible surfaces
				on which one might expect contamination to accumulate and measuring these wipes
				for transferred contamination. Test samples shall also be taken from the
				interior surfaces of the container in which a sealed source of radium is
				stored.
(4) Leak tests are required
				for sealed radioactive sources that are greater than 3.7 MBq (100 microcuries)
				for beta and gamma emitting sources and greater than 370 KBq (10 microcuries)
				for sources designed to emit alpha particles.
(5) Tests for leakage or contamination shall
				be performed by persons specifically authorized by the department, an agreement
				state, or the NRC to perform such services.
Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					    70.98.050. 94-01-073, § 246-221-080,
					 filed 12/9/93, effective 1/9/94. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					    70.98.050 and
					 70.98.080. 91-15-112 (Order 184),
					 § 246-221-080, filed 7/24/91, effective 8/24/91. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					    43.70.040. 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified
					 as § 246-221-080, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					    70.98.080. 83-19-050 (Order 2026), §
					 402-24-060, filed 9/16/83. Statutory Authority:
					 RCW
					    70.98.050. 81-01-011 (Order 1570), §
					 402-24-060, filed 12/8/80; Order 1095, § 402-24-060, filed 2/6/76; Order
					 1, § 402-24-060, filed 1/8/69; Rules (part), filed
					 10/26/66.