(A) Each handler of non-medical
radiation-generating equipment will develop, implement and maintain a written
radiation protection program in the form of a readily
available manual or manuals, either in hard copy, printed format or electronic
format. For the purpose of this chapter, radiation protection program
means written policies and procedures such as testing, auditing and inspection
to assure compliance with applicable rules of the Administrative Code. The
written radiation protection program
will at
least address the following:
(1) The
evaluation and maintenance of non-medical radiation-generating equipment in
accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations;
(2) Radiation monitoring
obligations such as, surveys, occupational exposure
limits and procedures regarding the use of area and personnel
monitoring;
(3) Facility compliance
with occupational, pregnant worker and public exposure limits, to include
notifying the director when individuals are occupationally over-exposed to
radiation, pursuant to rule
3701:1-38-12 and rule
3701:1-38-21 of the
Administrative Code;
(4)
How radiation protection policies and
policy changes are made
available to the affected workers;
(5) Radiation safety training for ancillary
personnel, to include:
(a) Potential hazards
of being present in a restricted area;
(b) Location, boundaries, and purpose of restricted areas; and
(c) The identification of all radiation
areas, warning signs, and warning lights;
(6)
Banning
the use of non-medical radiation-generating equipment to intentionally
irradiate human beings for any purpose;
(7)
Banning
the operation of non-medical radiation-generating equipment if the provisions
set forth in this rule or any other applicable obligations of Chapter 3701:1-68 of the Administrative
Code are not met;
(8)
Obligating operators of permanent radiographic
installations and cabinet systems that are designed to admit humans to verify
no individual is present in the room during radiation exposure;
(9) A current listing of all non-medical
radiation-generating equipment, including the location and description of each
system;
(10) Data and test results
of the evaluation of the shielding and surroundings of all non-medical
radiation-generating equipment;
(11) Maintenance logs and incident reports
for each non-medical radiation-generating equipment system;
(12) Current copies of valid certification
identification cards, issued by the independent program referenced in paragraph
(C)(2)(a) of this rule, for each radiographer;
(13) Maintaining records
obligated by this chapter, according to the following
provisions:
(a) Determination of an
individual's radiation exposure following an event where that individual's
pocket dosimeter was found off-scale, or that individual's electronic personnel
dosimeter read greater than two millisieverts (two hundred millirem)
will be
maintained until the director terminates the registration;
(b) Calculation of an individual's radiation
exposure from the time of issuance to the time of damage or loss of a personnel
dosimeter will be maintained until the director terminates the
registration;
(c) In accordance
with rule
3701:1-38-20 of the
Administrative Code, dosimetry reports received from accredited NVLAP personnel
dosimeter processors will be kept until the director terminates the
registration;
(d) Area radiation
surveys conducted at any site other than a temporary job site
will be
maintained until the director terminates the registration;
(e) Operator training and refresher training
will be
maintained until the employment of the operator has been terminated or three
years, whichever is longer;
(f) All
other records generated pursuant to the obligations of this chapter will be
maintained for no less than three years;
(g) Check, test or evaluation records
will
include the date of the check or test, the name of the inspector, the equipment
involved, any problems found, and what repair and/or maintenance, if any, was
performed; and
(h) Each record
will be
legible throughout the specified retention period. The record may be the
original or a reproduced copy or a microform provided that the copy or
microform is authenticated by authorized personnel and that the microform is
capable of reproducing a clear copy throughout the obligated
retention period. The record may also be stored in electronic media with the
capability for producing legible, accurate, and complete records during the
obligated retention period. Records, such as letters,
drawings, and specifications, will include all pertinent information, such as
stamps, initials, and signatures. The registrant will maintain
adequate safeguards against tampering with and loss of records.
(14)
Obligating
non-medical radiation-generating equipment to be kept locked at all times, to
prevent tampering or removal by unauthorized personnel, except when under the
direct surveillance of the operator, or as may be otherwise authorized pursuant
to this rule.
(B) Survey
instruments and dosimeter obligations:
(1)
Radiation survey instruments will be calibrated:
(a) For the type of radiation to be
monitored;
(b) Within the preceding
six months for radiographic operations conducted at temporary job sites and
twelve months for all other operations;
(c) After each instrument servicing other
than battery replacement;
(d) Such
that accuracy within plus or minus twenty per cent can be
demonstrated;
(e) At two points
located approximately one third and two thirds of full-scale on each scale for
linear scale instruments;
(f) At
midrange of each decade, and at two points of at least one decade for
logarithmic scale instruments; and
(g) At appropriate points for digital
instruments.
(2) Direct
reading dosimeters will:
(a) Have a
range from zero to two millisieverts (two hundred millirem);
(b) Read within plus or minus twenty per cent
of the true radiation exposure; and
(c) Be checked for correct response to
radiation at periods not to exceed twelve months.
(3) Personnel dosimeters, except for direct
and indirect reading dosimeters used to measure the dose to any extremity, that
need
processing to determine the radiation dose will be
processed and evaluated by a dosimetry processor that holds a current personnel
dosimetry accreditation from the "National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation
Program" (NVLAP) of the national institute of standards and
technology.
(4) The results of all
survey instrument and direct reading dosimeter calibration
will be
recorded.
(C)
Radiographic systems will be operated by radiographers and radiographer's
assistants who meet the following:
(1) No
individual will act as a radiographer or radiographer's assistant
unless such individual has been instructed in, and has demonstrated understanding by
successful completion of a written examination and competency by successful
completion of a practical examination in the subjects identified in this
paragraph. Training will be presented on a formal basis and
will
include the following subjects:
(a)
Fundamentals of radiation safety and methods of controlling radiation;
(i) Time;
(ii) Distance;
(iii) Shielding; and
(iv) Collimation;
(b) Characteristics of radiation;
(c) Units of radiation dose;
(i) Significance of radiation dose;
and
(ii) Radiation protection
standards;
(d)
Biological effects of radiation;
(e) Levels of radiation from sources of
radiation;
(f) Applicable
obligations of state regulations;
(g) Registrant's written operating and
emergency procedures;
(h)
Operation, inspection, maintenance and control of non-medical
radiation-generating equipment to be used;
(i) Use of radiation survey instruments;
(i) Operation;
(ii) Calibration; and
(iii) Limitations;
(j) Survey techniques;
(k) Use of personnel monitoring equipment, to
include;
(i) Distribution, wearing and
exchange procedures;
(ii) Typically
expected exposure levels; and
(iii)
Methods to keep exposure levels as low as reasonably achievable; and
(l) Case histories of non-medical
radiation-generating equipment accidents.
(2) Certification obligations for radiographers:
(a) Radiographers will be
certified through an independent program approved by the United States nuclear
regulatory commission, the "Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors
Inc.," or equivalent certification approved by the director in accordance with
the obligations in the appendix to this rule;
and
(b) Prior to any individual
acting as a radiographer, he or she will demonstrate
one month of prior on-the-job experience.
(D) The handler will provide
refresher training for operators of radiographic systems at intervals not to
exceed twelve months.
(1) The training
will
include, as a minimum:
(a) Any results of
internal inspections;
(b) New
procedures or equipment;
(c) New or
revised regulations;
(d) Any
accidents or errors that have been observed; and
(e) Opportunities for attendees to ask safety
questions.
(2) The
training will be recorded and include, as a minimum:
(a) A list of the topics discussed during the
refresher training;
(b) The dates
the training was conducted; and
(c)
The names of the instructors and attendees.
(E)
The individual responsible for
radiation protection (IRRP) for radiographic systems will:
(1)
Be qualified as an industrial radiographer in accordance
with paragraphs (C)(1) and (C)(2) of this rule; or
(2)
Hold an associate's degree or higher in health physics,
radiologic science, nuclear medicine, nuclear engineering or other ionizing
radiation-related discipline.
(F) The specific duties and authorities of
the individual responsible for radiation protection (IRRP) include, but are not
limited to:
(1) Overseeing and approving all
phases of the training program for operators, ensuring that appropriate and
effective radiation protection practices are taught; and
(2) Ensuring that operations are conducted
safely and to assume control for instituting corrective actions when
necessary.
(G) In
addition to the obligations of paragraph (F) of this rule, the
specific duties and authorities of the individual responsible for radiation
protection (IRRP) of radiographic systems addressed in rule
3701:1-68-03 of the
Administrative Code include, but are not limited to:
(1) Establishing and overseeing all
operating, emergency, and ALARA procedures as obligated by
Chapter 3701:1-38 of the Administrative Code, and reviewing them regularly to
ensure that the procedures in use conform to current regulatory
obligations, and to the registration
conditions;
(2) Ensuring that
obligated radiation surveys are performed and recorded
in accordance with the Administrative Code, including any corrective measures
when levels of radiation exceed established limits;
(3) Ensuring that personnel monitoring
devices are calibrated and used properly by occupationally-exposed personnel,
that records are kept of the monitoring results, and that timely notifications
are made as obligated by paragraph (C) of rule
3701:1-38-21 of the
Administrative Code; and
(4)
Auditing each radiographer and radiographer's assistant at intervals not to
exceed six months to ensure that the applicable paragraphs of the Ohio
Administrative Code and the registrant's operating and emergency procedures are
followed.
(a) The audit
will:
(i) Include observation of the performance of
each radiographer and radiographer's assistant during an actual non-medical
radiographic operation, and
(ii)
Provide that, if a radiographer or a radiographer's assistant has not
participated in a non-medical radiographic operation for more than six months
since the last audit, the radiographer or radiographer's assistant
will
demonstrate knowledge of the training obligations of paragraphs (C)(1)(h), (C)(1)(i) and
(C)(1)(j) of this rule by a practical examination before the individual can
participate in a radiographic operation.
(b) The director may consider alternatives in
those situations where the individual serves as both radiographer and
individual responsible for radiation protection.
(c) In those operations where a single
individual serves as both radiographer and individual responsible for radiation
protection, and performs all radiographic operations, an audit program is not
needed.
(d) A record of the audit
will
include, as a minimum:
(i) The identity of the
radiographer or radiographer's assistant audited;
(ii) A list showing the items checked;
and
(iii) Any non-compliance
observed by the individual responsible for radiation protection.
(H)
Operators of analytical, cabinet, hand-held and miniature radioscopic systems
are exempt from the obligations of paragraphs (C), (D), and (E) of this
rule, and will be obligated to
receive training and demonstrated competence in the following:
(1) The safe operation procedures for the
equipment;
(2) Precautions and
measures to take to minimize radiation exposure;
(3) Significance of the various radiation
warning, safety devices, and interlocks incorporated into the systems, or the
reasons they have not been installed on certain parts of the systems and the
extra precautions needed in such cases;
(4) Recognition of the potential hazards of
use, biological effects of radiation, radiation risks, and recognition of signs
and symptoms of an acute localized exposure;
(5) Procedures for reporting an actual or
suspected accidental exposure or other radiation safety concerns, such as any
unusual occurrence or malfunction that may involve exposure to radiation;
and
(6) Performing surveys where
applicable.
(I)
Operators of permanent radiographic installations that meet the design
obligations of rule
3701:1-68-06 of the
Administrative Code and operators of radiographic particle accelerators, or
bomb detection systems are obligated to meet the training topics of paragraph
(C)(1) of this rule, but are exempt from the obligations of paragraphs (C)(2) and (E) of this
rule.
(J) The director may, upon
application thereof or upon his or her own initiative, grant a variance to the
obligations of this chapter as he or she determines is
authorized by law, provided that the registrant shows to the satisfaction of
the director that there is good cause for the variance, and that the variance
will not result in any undue hazard or effect on the public health and safety
or environment. The terms, conditions, and expiration of the variance
will be
set forth in writing by the director. Failure to comply with the terms of the
variance may result in immediate revocation of the variance.