Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 52, December 26, 2024
(a) Each licensee in possession of any sealed
source shall ensure that all of the following requirements are met:
(1) Each sealed source, except as specified
in subsection (b), shall be tested for leakage or contamination, and the test
results shall be received before the sealed source is put into use, unless the
licensee has a certificate from the transferor indicating that the sealed
source was tested within six months before transfer to the licensee.
(2) Each sealed source that is not designed
to emit alpha particles shall be tested for leakage or contamination at
intervals not to exceed six months or at alternative intervals approved by the
secretary, an agreement state, a licensing state, or the nuclear regulatory
commission.
(3) Each sealed source
designed to emit alpha particles shall be tested for leakage or contamination
at intervals not to exceed three months or at alternative intervals approved by
the secretary, an agreement state, a licensing state, or the nuclear regulatory
commission.
(4) For each sealed
source required to be tested for leakage or contamination, whenever there is
reason to suspect that the sealed source might have been damaged or might be
leaking, the licensee shall ensure that the sealed source is tested for leakage
or contamination before further use.
(5) Tests for leakage for all sealed sources
shall be capable of detecting the presence at 185 Bq (0.005 iJiCi) of
radioactive material on a test sample. Test samples shall be taken from the
sealed source or from the surfaces of the container in which the sealed source
is stored or mounted and on which one might expect contamination to accumulate.
For a sealed source contained in a device, test samples shall be obtained when
the source is in the "off" position.
(b) The following sealed sources shall be
exempt from testing for leakage and contamination:
(1) Sealed sources containing only
radioactive material with a half-life of fewer than 30 days;
(2) sealed sources containing only
radioactive material as a gas;
(3)
sealed sources containing 3.7 Mbq (100 iJiCi) or less of beta-emitting or
photon-emitting material or 370 kBq (10 iJiCi) or less of alpha-emitting
material;
(4) sealed sources
containing only hydrogen-3;
(5)
seeds of iridium-192 encased in nylon ribbon; and
(6) sealed sources, except sources used in
radiation therapy, that are stored, are not being used, and are identified as
being in storage. The sources exempted from this test shall be tested for
leakage before any use or transfer to another person, unless the source has
been leak-tested within six months before the date of the use or transfer. The
sources in storage shall be physically inventoried every six months and listed
in the radioactive materials inventory. Each source in storage shall be tested
for leakage at least every 10 years.
(c) Each test for leakage or contamination
from sealed sources shall be performed by a person specifically authorized by
the secretary, an agreement state, a licensing state, or the nuclear regulatory
commission to perform these services.
(d) All test results shall be recorded in
units of bec-querel or microcurie and maintained for inspection by the
department.
(e) If any test reveals
the presence of 0.005 microcurie or more of removable contamination, the
licensee shall immediately withdraw the sealed source from use and shall cause
the source to be decontaminated and repaired or to be disposed of in accordance
with these regulations. The licensee shall file a report within five days of
the test with the radiation control program, Kansas department of health and
environment, describing the equipment involved, the test results, and the
corrective action taken.
