Alaska Administrative Code, Article 6, 7 AAC 18.990 - Definitions | Alaska Administrative Code

(1) "absorbed dose" means the energy imparted by ionizing radiation per unit mass of irradiated material, and a unit of which is the rad and the gray;

(2) "activity" means the rate of disintegration, transformation, or decay of radioactive material, and for which a unit of activity is the curie and the Becquerel;

(3) "airborne radioactive material" means radioactive material dispersed in the air in the form of a dust, fume, mist, vapor, or gas;

(4) "aluminum equivalent" means the thickness of aluminum allowing, under specific condition, the same attenuation as the material in question;

(5) "Becquerel" means a unit for the measurement of radioactivity that is equal to one disintegration per second;

(6) "bioassay" means the determination of kinds, quantities, concentrations, and locations of radioactive material in the human body, by direct measurement, in vivocounting, or by analysis and evaluation of materials excreted or removed from the human body;

(7) "C-arm" means a kind of mobile fluoroscope that allows for quick repositioning of the radiation tube during use;

(8) "cabinet radiography" means industrial radiography with the use of an ionizing radiation machine conducted in an enclosed, interlocked cabinet, in a manner that the

(A) radiation machine does not operate unless all openings are securely closed; and

(B) cabinet is shielded so that every location on the exterior meets conditions for an uncontrolled area;

(9) "collimator" means an adjustable beam-restricting device constructed of attenuating material used to confine a useful beam within a designated solid angle;

(10) "commissioner" means the commissioner of health and social services;

(11) "committed dose equivalent" means the dose equivalent to organs or tissues of reference that will be received from an intake of radioactive material by an individual during the 50-year period following the uptake;

(12) "committed dose equivalent maximally exposed organ" means the largest dose to any organ from the intake of radioactive material;

(13) "committed effective dose equivalent" means the sum of the products of the weighting factors applicable to each of the body organs or tissues that are irradiated and the committed dose equivalent to each of these organs or tissues;

(14) "cone" means a type of beam-restricting device that does not permit adjustment of the beam size;

(15) "controlled area"

(A) means an area that is outside of a restricted area, but inside the site boundary, and to which access is controlled by a registrant for purposes of protection of individuals from exposure to radiation and radioactivity;

(B) does not include residential quarters, except that a separate room or rooms in a residential building may be set apart as a controlled area;

(16) "curie" means that quantity of radioactive material that decays at the rate of 3.7 x 1010 disintegrations per second;

(17) "dead-man type switch" means a switch constructed in a manner that a circuit-closing contact can only be maintained by continuous pressure by the operator;

(18) "deep dose equivalent" means the dose equivalent at a tissue depth of one centimeter used as a measure of external whole body exposure;

(19) "department" means the Department of Health and Social Services;

(20) "diagnostic-type tube housing" means an x-ray tube housing constructed in a manner that the leakage X-radiation at a distance of one meter from the target cannot exceed 100 milliroentgens in one hour when the tube is operated at any of the tube's specified ratings;

(21) "diaphragm" means a beam restricting device that is made of a flat piece of attenuating material with an aperture that restricts the useful beam;

(22) "dose"

(A) means

(i) the quantity of radiation absorbed, per unit of mass, by the whole body or by any portion of the body;

(ii) in connection with a period of time, the total quantity of radiation absorbed, per unit of mass, during that period of time;

(B) includes

(i) absorbed dose;

(ii) committed dose equivalent;

(iii) committed effective dose equivalent;

(iv) dose equivalent;

(v) effective dose equivalent; and

(vi) total effective dose equivalent;

(23) "dose equivalent" means the product of the absorbed dose in tissue, quality factor, and all other necessary modifying factors at the location of interest, and a unit of which is the rem and sievert;

(24) "effective dose equivalent" means the sum of the products of the dose equivalent to the organ or tissue and the weighting factors applicable to each of the body organs or tissues that are irradiated;

(25) "enclosure" means a cabinet, box, or other container, provided by the manufacturer or user of a radiation machine, from which the source of the radiation cannot be removed without destroying the function of the source;

(26) "exposure" means being exposed to ionizing radiation or to radioactive material;

(27) "FDA" means the Food and Drug Administration;

(28) "field radiography" means industrial radiography using ionizing radiation machines, except for cabinet radiography and shielded room radiography;

(29) "filter" means material placed in a useful beam to preferentially absorb less penetrating radiations;

(30) "gray" means the SI unit of absorbed dose that is equal to an absorbed dose of one joule per kilogram (100 rads);

(31) "half-value layer" means the thickness of an absorbing material required in order to reduce a beam of radiation to one-half of the beam's incident exposure rate;

(32) "high ionizing radiation area" means an area that is accessible to an individual in which there exists ionizing radiation at a level that a major portion of the individual's body may receive a dose in excess of 100 millirems in a one hour period of time;

(33) "imaging" means the use of radiation of sufficient intensity to enable a photographic-like rendition of internal structures to be seen;

(34) "individual" means a natural person;

(35) "individual monitoring" means the assessment of

(A) dose equivalent by the use of devices designed to be worn by an individual;

(B) committed effective dose equivalent by bioassay or by determination of the time-weighted air concentrations to which an individual has been exposed; and

(C) dose equivalent by the use of survey data;

(36) "individual monitoring device" means a device designed to be worn by an individual for the assessment of dose equivalent, such as a film badge, thermoluminescence dosimeter, pocket ionization chamber, and personal air sampling device;

(37) "industrial radiography" means the examination of the internal structure of materials by nondestructive methods utilizing ionizing radiation sources;

(38) "internal dose" means that portion of the dose equivalent received from radioactive material taken into the body;

(39) "interlocked" means the use of a device to preclude exposure to a radiation hazard either by preventing entry to an area or by automatically removing the hazard;

(40) "ionizing radiation"

(A) means an electromagnetic or particulate radiation capable of producing ions, directly or indirectly, in the radiation's passage through matter;

(B) includes

(i) alpha and beta particles;

(ii) gamma rays;

(iii) high speed electrons;

(iv) neutrons;

(v) protons; and

(vi) x-rays;

(41) "ionizing radiation area" means an area that is accessible to an individual in which there exists ionizing radiation at a level that a major portion of the individual's body may receive a dose in excess of five millirems in an hour period of time or a dose in excess of 100 millirems in a five consecutive day period;

(42) "ionizing radiation source" means a device capable of producing ionizing radiation;

(43) "kilovolts peak" means the crest value of kilovolts of the potential of a pulsating potential generator and, when only one-half of the wave is used, the value refers to the useful half of the wave;

(44) "lens dose equivalent" means the external exposure to the lens of the eye, measured as the dose equivalent at a tissue depth of 0.3 centimeter;

(45) "lead equivalent" means the thickness of lead, under specified conditions, that allows the same attenuation as the material in question;

(46) "leakage radiation" means radiation emitted from an enclosure, except for the useful beam;

(47) "limits" or "dose limits" means the upper bounds of radiation doses permitted under this chapter;

(48) "medical" means related to a practice engaged in by a practitioner of the healing arts licensed by this state;

(49) "microcurie" means one millionth of a curie or 3.7 x 107 disintegrations per second;

(50) "millisievert" means one-thousandth of a sievert;

(51) "minor" means an individual less than 18 years of age;

(52) "NVLAP" means National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program; a sub-department of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Standard Services Division;

(53) "nonstochastic effect"

(A) means a health effect that occurs only after a minimum threshold exposure to radiation, the severity of which varies with the dose;

(B) includes radiation-induced cataract formation;

(54) "occupational dose"

(A) means the dose received by an individual in the course of employment in which the individual's assigned duties involve exposure to radiation or to radioactive material, whether in the possession of the registrant or other person;

(B) does not include doses received

(i) from background radiation;

(ii) from any medical administration the individual has received;

(iii) from exposure to individuals administered radioactive material from voluntary participation in medical research programs; or

(iv) as a member of the public;

(55) "operator" means an individual who conducts an activity resulting in the production of ionizing radiation, or that is intended or expected to cause the production of ionizing radiation;

(56) "person" includes

(A) a business;

(B) a health facility;

(C) an individual;

(D) an institution;

(E) a municipal corporation;

(F) a partnership;

(G) a political subdivision;

(H) a public or private corporation; and

(I) any other entity;

(57) "personnel monitoring equipment" means devices designed to be worn or carried by an individual for the purpose of measuring doses, such as a

(A) film badge;

(B) film ring;

(C) pocket chamber; or

(D) pocket dosimeters;

(58) "practitioner of the healing arts licensed by this state" includes the following practitioners licensed by this state:

(A) chiropractor;

(B) dentist;

(C) nurse practitioner;

(D) osteopath;

(E) physician, including a surgeon;

(F) physician assistant; and

(G) podiatrists;

(59) "primary protective barrier" means a barrier sufficient to attenuate a useful beam to a required degree;

(60) "protective apron" means an apron made of attenuating materials used to reduce radiation exposure;

(61) "protective barrier"

(A) means a barrier of attenuating materials used to reduce radiation exposure;

(B) includes a

(i) primary protective barrier; and

(ii) secondary protective barrier;

(62) "protective glove" means a glove made of attenuating materials used to reduce radiation exposure;

(63) "qualified expert" means an individual determined by the department to be qualified by education, training, and experience to evaluate radiation matters and make competent recommendations concerning a particular installation or application of a radiation machine;

(64) "rad" means a measure of the dose of an ionizing radiation to a material in terms of the energy absorbed per unit mass of material, and that is the dose corresponding to the absorption of 100 ergs per gram or 0.01 joule per kilogram;

(65) "radiation" means ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and sonic, infrasonic, and ultrasonic waves;

(66) "radiation machine"

(A) means a device capable of producing radiation;

(B) does not include a device that produces ionizing radiation only from radioactive material;

(67) "radiation sources"

(A) has the meaning given in AS 18.60.545; and

(B) includes a radiation machine and radioactive material;

(68) "radioactive material" means a material, solid, liquid, or gas that emits ionizing radiation spontaneously;

(69) "radiographer" means an individual who performs, or who, in attendance at a site where ionizing radiation sources are being used, personally supervises industrial radiographic operations;

(70) "radiographer's assistant" means an individual who uses ionizing radiation sources, related handling tools, or survey instruments in industrial radiography under the personal supervision of a radiographer;

(71) "radionuclide" has the meaning given in AS 18.60.545;

(72) registrant" means an individual who has registered a radiation source under this chapter;

(73) "rem" means the special unit of any of the quantities expressed as dose equivalent, and which the dose equivalent in rems is equal to the absorbed dose in rads multiplied by the quality factor;

(74) "roentgen" means an amount of X-radiation or gamma radiation in which the associated corpuscular emission per 0.001293 grams of air produces in air ions carrying one electrostatic unit of quantity of electricity of either sign;

(75) "restricted area"

(A) means an area that access is limited by the registrant for the purpose of protecting individuals against undue risks from exposure to radiation and radioactive materials;

(B) does not include an area used as residential quarters, except that separate rooms in a residential building may be set apart as a restricted area;

(76) "scattered radiation" means radiation that has been deviated in direction during passage through matter;

(77) Repealed 7/1/2015;

(78) "secondary protective barrier" means a barrier sufficient to attenuate stray radiation to a required degree;

(79) "shallow-dose equivalent" means the dose equivalent at a tissue depth of 0.007 centimeter and applies to the external exposure of the skin of the whole body or the skin of an extremity;

(80) "shallow-dose equivalent maximum extremity" means the dose equivalent at a tissue depth of 0.007 centimeter and applies to the maximum external exposure of the skin of an extremity;

(81) "shallow-dose equivalent whole body" means the dose equivalent at a tissue depth of 0.007 centimeter based on the external radiation exposure of the skin of the whole body;

(82) "shielded room radiography" means industrial radiography, with the use of ionizing radiation machines, that is conducted in an enclosed room, in which

(A) the interior is not occupied during radiographic operations;

(B) is shielded so that every location on the exterior meets conditions for an uncontrolled area as specified in 7 AAC 18.240; and

(C) the only access is through openings which are interlocked so that the ionizing radiation machine will not operate unless all openings are securely closed;

(83) "shutter" means an adjustable device, generally consisting of lead, fixed to an x-ray tube housing to intercept the useful beam;

(84) "sievert" means the SI unit of any of the quantities expressed as dose equivalent, in which the dose equivalent is equal to the absorbed dose in grays multiplied by the quality factor;

(85) "source material"

(A) means uranium or thorium, or any combination of uranium or thorium, in any physical or chemical form or ores which contain 0.05 percent or more of uranium, thorium, or any combination of them;

(B) does not include special nuclear material;

(86) "special nuclear material" means Uranium233, Uranium235, and plutonium;

(87) "stochastic effects" means health effects, including hereditary effects and cancer incidence, that occurs randomly and for which the probability of the effect occurring, rather than its severity, is assumed to be a linear function of dose without threshold;

(88) "stray radiation"

(A) means radiation not serving any useful purpose; and

(B) includes leakage radiation and scattered radiation;

(89) "survey"

(A) means an evaluation of radiation protection practices;

(B) includes

(i) a physical survey of the location of material and equipment; and

(ii) measurements of levels of radiation or concentration of radioactive materials present;

(90) "technique chart" means a paper or electronic based graph, such as a device-operational software, generated for the particular machine that establishes the optimal exposure by considering the essential variables of a radiographic examination, enabling an operator to select an exposure appropriate for each patient and procedure combination;

(91) "total effective dose equivalent" means the sum of the

(A) deep-dose equivalent for external exposures; and

(B) committed effective dose equivalent for internal exposures;

(92) "total organ dose equivalent" means the shallow-dose equivalent whole body dose plus the maximum organ dose for any internally deposited radionuclide, if applicable;

(93) "uncontrolled area" means an area to which access is not controlled by the registrant for purposes of protection of individuals from exposure to radiation and radioactive materials, and any area used for residential quarters;

(94) "useful beam" means that part of an ionizing radiation that passes through a window, aperture, cone, or other collimating device of a tube housing;

(95) "very high radiation area" means an area that is accessible to an individual in which radiation levels from radiation sources external to the body may result in an individual receiving an absorbed dose in excess of 500 rads (5 grays) in one hour at one meter from a radiation source or one meter from any surface that the radiation penetrates;

(96) "weighting factor" means the proportion of the risk of stochastic effects resulting from irradiation of that organ or tissue to the total risk of stochastic effects when the whole body is irradiated uniformly;

(97) "whole body" means, for purposes of external exposure, the

(A) head;

(B) trunk, including male gonads;

(C) arms above the elbow; and

(D) legs above the knee;

(98) "x-ray" means ionizing electromagnetic radiation emitted by an electrical device in the range of 0.01 nanometers to 20 nanometers.

Alaska Administrative CodeTitle 7 - Health and Social ServicesPart 2 - Public HealthChapter 18 - Radiation Sources and Radiation ProtectionArticle 6 - Definitions7 AAC 18.990 - Definitions

Alaska Administrative Code
Title 7 - Health and Social Services
Part 2 - Public Health
Chapter 18 - Radiation Sources and Radiation Protection
Article 6 - Definitions
7 AAC 18.990 - Definitions