New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 20 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chapter 3 - RADIATION PROTECTION
Part 5 - RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHIC OPERATIONS
Section 20.3.5.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "ALARA" (acronym for "as low as is reasonably achievable") means making every reasonable effort to maintain exposures to radiation as far below the dose limits specified in Part 4 of 20.3 NMAC as is practical consistent with the purpose for which the licensed activity is undertaken, taking into account the state of technology, the economics of improvements in relation to state of technology, the economics of improvements in relation to benefits to the public health and safety, and other societal and socioeconomic considerations, and in relation to utilization of radiation and licensed materials in the public interest;

B. "Annual refresher safety training" means a review conducted or provided by the licensee or registrant for its employees on radiation safety aspects of industrial radiography. The review may include, as appropriate, the results of internal inspections, new procedures or equipment, new or revised regulations, accidents or errors that have been observed, and should also provide opportunities for employees to ask safety questions;

C. "Associated equipment" means equipment that is used in conjunction with a radiographic exposure device to make radiographic exposures that drives, guides, or comes in contact with the source, (e.g., guide tube, control tube, control (drive) cable, removable source stop, "J" tube and collimator when it is used as an exposure head;

D. "Becquerel" (Bq) means one disintegration per second;

E. "Cabinet radiography" means industrial radiography conducted in an enclosure or cabinet shielded so that radiation levels at every location on the exterior meet the limitations specified in 20.3.4.406 NMAC;

F. "Cabinet x-ray system" means an x-ray system with the x-ray tube installed in an enclosure (hereinafter termed "Cabinet") which, independently of existing architectural structures except the floor on which it may be placed, is intended to contain at least that portion of a material thing irradiated, provide radiation attenuation, and exclude personnel from its interior during generation of x-radiation. Included are all x-ray systems designed primarily for the inspection of carry-on baggage at airline, railroad, and bus terminals, and in similar facilities. An x-ray tube used within a shielded part of a building, or x-ray equipment that may temporarily or occasionally incorporate portable shielding is not considered a cabinet x-ray system;

G. "Certified cabinet x-ray system" means an x-ray system which has been certified in accordance with 21 CFR 1010.2 as being manufactured and assembled pursuant to the provisions of 21 CFR 1020.40;

H. "Certifying Entity" means an independent certifying organization meeting the requirements in 20.3.5.12 NMAC or an Agreement State meeting the requirements in 20.3.5.12 NMAC;

I. "Collimator" means a radiation shield that is placed on the end of the guide tube or directly onto a radiographic exposure device to restrict the size of the radiation beam when the sealed source is cranked into position to make a radiographic exposure;

J. "Control (drive) cable" means the cable that is connected to the source assembly and used to drive the source to and from the exposure location;

K. "Control drive mechanism" means a device that enables the source assembly to be moved to and from the exposure device;

L. "Control tube" means a protective sheath for guiding the control cable. The control tube connects the control drive mechanism to the radiographic exposure device;

M. "Exposure head" means a device that locates the gamma radiography sealed source in the selected working position. (an exposure head is also known as a source stop);

N. "Field station" means a facility where licensed material or registered machines may be stored or used, and from which equipment is dispatched;

O. "Gray" means the SI unit of absorbed dose. One gray is equal to an absorbed dose of 1 Joule/kilogram. It is also equal to 100 rads;

P. "Guide tube" (Projection sheath) means a flexible or rigid tube (i.e., "J" tube) for guiding the source assembly and the attached control cable from the exposure device to the exposure head. The guide tube may also include the connections necessary for attachment to the exposure device and to the exposure head;

Q. "Hands-on experience" means experience in all of those areas considered to be directly involved in the radiography process;

R. "Independent certifying organization" means an independent organization that meets all of the criteria of 20.3.5.12 NMAC;

S. "Industrial radiography" means the examination of the macroscopic structure of materials by nondestructive methods using sources of ionizing radiation to produce radiographic images;

T. "Lixiscope" means a portable light-intensified imaging device using a sealed source;

U. "Permanent radiographic installation" means an enclosed shielded room, cell, or vault, not located at a temporary jobsite, in which radiography is performed;

V. "Personal supervision" means guidance and instruction to a radiographer trainee by a radiographer instructor who is present at the site, in visual contact with the trainee while the trainee is using sources of radiation, and in such proximity that immediate assistance can be given if required;

W. "Practical Examination" means a documented demonstration through practical application of the safety rules and principles in industrial radiography including use of all appropriate equipment and procedures;

X. "Radiation Safety Officer" (RSO) for industrial radiography means an individual with the responsibility for the overall radiation safety program on behalf of the licensee or registrant and who meets the requirements as specified in Subsection C of 20.3.5.11 NMAC;

Y. "Radiographer" means any individual who performs, or in attendance personally supervises, industrial radiographic operations and who is responsible to the licensee or registrant for assuring compliance with the requirements of these regulations and all license and/or certificate of registration conditions. This individual must meet the training requirements as specified in Subsection B of 20.3.5.11 NMAC;

Z. "Radiographer certification" means written approval received from a certifying entity stating that an individual has satisfactorily met certain established radiation safety, testing, and experience criteria;

AA. "Radiographer instructor" means any radiographer who provides on-the-job training to radiographer trainees in accordance with Subsection D of 20.3.5.11 NMAC;

AB. "Radiographer trainee" means any individual who, under the personal supervision of a radiographer instructor, uses sources of radiation, related handling tools, or radiation survey instruments during the course of his instruction;

AC. "Radiographer's assistant" means any individual who under the direct supervision of a radiographer, uses radiographic exposure devices, sealed sources or related handling tools, or radiation survey instruments in industrial radiography;

AD. "Radiographic exposure device" means any instrument containing a sealed source fastened or contained therein, in which the sealed source or shielding thereof may be moved, or otherwise changed, from a shielded to unshielded position for purposes of making a radiographic exposure;

AE. "Radiographic operations" means all activities performed with a radiographic device, or with a radiation machine. These include however are not limited to activities associated with the use of the device or machine, or transport (except when being transported by a common or contract transport), including surveys to confirm the adequacy of boundaries, setting up equipment and any activity inside restricted area boundaries;

AF. "Radiographic personnel" means any radiographer, radiographer's assistant, radiographer instructor, or radiographer trainee;

AG. "Residential location" means any area where structures in which people lodge or live are located, and the grounds on which structures are located including, but not limited to, houses, apartments, condominiums, and garages;

AH. "S-tube" means a tube through which the radioactive source travels when inside a radiographic exposure device;

AI. "Sealed source" means any byproduct material that is encased in a capsule designed to prevent leakage or escape of the byproduct material;

AJ. "Shielded position" means the location within the radiographic exposure device or source changer where the sealed source is secured and restricted from movement;

AK. "Shielded-room radiography" means industrial radiography conducted in an enclosed room, the interior of which is not occupied during radiographic operations, which is shielded so that radiation levels at every location on the exterior meet the limitations specified in 20.3.4.406 NMAC;

AL. "sievert" (Sv) means the SI unit of any of the quantities expressed as dose equivalent. The dose equivalent in sieverts is equal to the absorbed dose in grays multiplied by the quality factor (1 Sv = 100 rems);

AM. "Source assembly" means an assembly that consists of the sealed source and a connector that attaches the source to the control cable. The source assembly may also include a stop ball used to secure the source in the shielded position;

AN. "Source changer" means a device designed and used for replacement of sealed sources in radiographic exposure devices, including those source changers also used for transporting and storage of sealed sources;

AO. "Storage area" means any location, facility, or vehicle which is used to store, to transport, or to secure a radiographic exposure device, a storage container, or a sealed source when it is not in use and which is locked or has a physical barrier to prevent accidental exposure, tampering with, or unauthorized removal of the device, container, or source;

AP. "Storage container" means a shielded device in which sealed sources are secured and stored;

AQ. "Temporary job site" means any location where industrial radiography is performed and where licensed material or X-ray machines may be stored other than the location(s) listed in a specific license or certificate of registration; and

AR. "Transport container" means a package that is designed to provide radiation safety and security when sealed sources are transported and which meets all applicable requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation;

AS. "Underwater radiography" means industrial radiography performed when the radiographic exposure device and/or related equipment are beneath the surface of the water.