Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
RADIATION
Chapter 246-221 - Radiation protection standards
Section 246-221-080 - Leak tests

(1) Each sealed radioactive source possessed under the provisions of a specific license, other than hydrogen-3 (tritium), with a half-life greater than 30 days and in any form other than gas, shall be tested and results obtained for leakage or contamination prior to initial use and at six-month intervals or as specified by the license, except that each source designed for the purpose of emitting alpha particles shall be tested at intervals not to exceed three months. If at any other time there is reason to suspect that a sealed source might have been damaged, it shall be tested for leakage and results obtained before further use. In the absence of a certificate from a transferor indicating that a test for leakage has been made within six months prior to the transfer (three months for a source designed to emit alpha particles), the sealed source shall not be put into use until tested and the results received.

(2) Leak tests shall be capable of detecting the presence of 185 Bq (0.005 microcurie) of removable contamination. The results of leak tests made pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall be recorded in units of becquerel or microcuries and shall be maintained for inspection by the department. Any test conducted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section which reveals the presence of 185 Bq (0.005 microcurie) or more of removable contamination shall be considered evidence that the sealed source is leaking. The licensee shall immediately withdraw the source from use shall take action to prevent the spread of contamination and shall cause it to be decontaminated and repaired or to be disposed in accordance with WAC 246-232-080. If a sealed source shows evidence of leaking, a report shall be filed with the department within five days of the test, describing the equipment involved, the test results, and the corrective action taken.

(3) Test samples shall be taken from the sealed source or from the internal surfaces or the opening of the container in which the sealed source is stored or from surfaces of devices or equipment in which the sealed source is permanently mounted. Tests for contamination and leakage may be made by wiping appropriate accessible surfaces on which one might expect contamination to accumulate and measuring these wipes for transferred contamination. Test samples shall also be taken from the interior surfaces of the container in which a sealed source of radium is stored.

(4) Leak tests are required for sealed radioactive sources that are greater than 3.7 MBq (100 microcuries) for beta and gamma emitting sources and greater than 370 KBq (10 microcuries) for sources designed to emit alpha particles.

(5) Tests for leakage or contamination shall be performed by persons specifically authorized by the department, an agreement state, or the NRC to perform such services.