Protection Quiz 3 Lecture 6 - Regulation of Ionizing Radiation

"Advisory" bodies vs "Government Agencies" translates to?

Recommendations vs Regulations

General Purpose of Advisory Groups

Perform and/or examine results of scientific literature and arrive a consensus to provide RECOMMENDATIONS on practices, procedures, and/or areas of regulations

What are the 5 advisory groups

NCRP, ICRP, CRCPT, IAEA, Professional Societies

NCRP stands for

National Council on Rad Protection and Measurements

ICRP stands for

International Commission on Rad Protection

CRCPD stands for

Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors

IAEA stands for

International Atomic Energy Agency

What are the 4 Professional Societies

Health Physics Society, Society of Nuc. Med., American Association of Physicists in Medicine, American College of Radiology

What do Regulatory Agencies do?

Enforce regulations

What are the 5 Regulatory Agencies?

US NRC, US FDA, US DOT, US EPA, State Agencies

PA is now regulated by?

The State Agency (the state does inspections)

Which regulatory agency was the guiding agency for the longest time?

US NRC

US NRC stands for

US Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The US NRC regulates?

Source material, special nuclear material, and Byproduct material (NARM)

Byproduct material covers

All medically useful radioisotopes

NARM includes

NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) and Acceleratory Produced Isotopes

What is the Agreement State Program?

The state enforces NRC standards

What does the US FDA regulate?

Manufacture of medical radiation producing machines (AND Non-rad producing equipment//drugs used in RT), basic research with radioactive drugs,

What does the US DOT regulate?

The transport of hazardous materials

What does the EPA regulate?

Radiation levels in the environment (water, air, soil). Includes man-made and naturally occurring sources

T/F: The EPA Directly addresses the use of radiation sources

FALSE

State Radiation Control Agencies have jurisdiction over?

All machine sources EXCEPT those in federal facilities, and radioactive material use

Does Homeland Security regulate the use of radioactive material?

NO

What 3 parts in the regulations are pertinent to this class?

19 (workers), 20 (standards), and 35 (medical use of materials)

Possession of radioactive materials must be under the authorization of a ___________ issued by the _____________

License, NRC (or state agency)

RAM stands for

Radioactive Material

Types of RAM licenses

General and Specific

General Licenses are issued for

certain uses/products involving byproducts

T/F: General Licenses involve paperwork

False

3 types of licenses of Broad Scope

Type A, B, & C

Medical facilities using radioisotopes will require which 2 types of Broad Scope license?

Type A or B

All medical licensees must meet 10 CFR Part ____?

35

Type A, B, C licenses refer to the?

Possession limits

What type of license you get depends on?

How much you requested and for what reason

For institutional licensing, the ______________/______________ holds the NRC and/or State issued license(s)

Institution/Facility

What type of license does Jefferson hold?

Broad Scope License

Type A Broad Scope License can?

Approve certain users (physicians/medicial physicists), specific locations of use, and programmatic changes W/OUT NOTIFYING THE AGENCY

Type B and C Broad Scope licenses

Must notify the agency of any changes, locations of use, and certain users (Type B)

Do all RAM require a license to possess?

No.

License exemptions are based on?

Quantities, Concentrations, or other device/item specific considerations

T/F: Amounts (activities) of licensed RAM possessed cannot exceed the possession limits authorized

True

Which Radioactive isotope has one of the largest limits?

Technetium

Possession limits includes RAM activity as?

Stock awaiting use, and Radioactive Waste

T/F: Once radioactive material leaves the facility through the pt, that material is considered to be no longer licensed

True

Inventory Control Outflow includes

Radioactive Decay, Sewer Disposal, Loss to atmosphere, Transfer to other licensees administration to pt

To demonstrate compliance with possession limits and other regulations, what must be maintained

A record

What is inventory control

Keeping track of what you have

Regulations and license conditions generally require that.......... be performed on a regular basis

detailed summary reports of all receipt, use, and disposal

T/F: Licensed UNSEALED sources don't have to be accounted for just as sealed sources

FALSE; sealed sources must be accounted for just as for unsealed sources

Sealed sources must be ___________ inventoried

physically

A physical inventory means

counting it by hand

How often are physical inventories required

within 6 months of previous

For Beta/Gamma emitters, Leak Testing of sealed sources greater than 100mCi are required within ___month intervals

6 months

For Alpha emitters, Leak Testing of sealed sources greater than 100mCi are required within ___month intervals

3 months

A leak test must be able to detect the presence of _______ mCi on the test sample

0.005mCi

How to take a leak test

Swipe a wet swab over the source to ensure nothing comes off

When should a lost/stolen source be reported to the RSO

AT ONCE

Loss/theft of RAM above certain activities must be reported to?

NRC or State Agency

For Lost/stolen RAM, notify NRC if above 1000x quantity,

- Call ASAP
- follow-up report in 30 days

For Lost/stolen RAM, notify NRC if above 10x quantity

- Call within 30 days
- Write report within 30 days of call

Reports of loss/theft MUST INCLUDE

- RAM description (type, quantitiy, etc.)
- Description of circumstances (What happened)
- Probable disposition of material
- Info about exposures to people
- What you did to find it
- What you'll do in the future to prevent it from happening again

PA incorporates NRC regulations by ___________

reference

Restricted Area

An area where access is limited by the licensee to protect people against undue rad risks. Similar to "Controlled Area" dictated by NCRP advisory

Unrestricted Area

An area where access is neither limited nor controlled by the licensee (i.e. hallways)

Dose Rate Limit in unrestricted areas

No more than 2mrem in 1 CONSECUTIVE FULL hour

Controlled Area

An area OUTSIDE a restricted area but INSIDE a site boundary where access CAN BE LIMITED by licensee for ANY REASON

Dose Limit for Adult Workers

- No more than 5rem TEDE
- No more than 15 rem to lens of eye
- No more than 50 rem to any single tissue/organ
- No more than 50 rem to whole body or extremity

The annual occupational dose limit for minors is ______% of the annual dose limits for adult workers

10%

Declared Pregnant Woman

VOLUNTARILY informed the licensee in WRITING the ESTIMATED DATE OF CONCEPTION

Can you withdraw your declared pregnancy?

Yeah

Dose limit for pregnant women

0.5rem for whole pregnancy

What is the dose limit for the embryo/fetus of a woman who does NOT declare pregnancy?

The same as the occupational dose limit for any worker

How does an employer respond to a declaration of pregnancy?

- Evaluate the potential to exceed 0.5rem (500mrem)
- Track subsequent dose
- Issue additional dosimeter
- Ensure she will be within limits
- Counsel employee
- Maintain records

Dose limits for Public

0.1rem per year

Annual limit for Occupational Exposure

No more than 50mSv (0.05Sv)
- Average 20mSv (0.02Sv)