Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
RADIATION
Chapter 246-243 - Radiation protection - Industrial radiography
Section 246-243-020 - Definitions, abbreviations, and acronyms

(1) "Annual refresher safety training" means a review conducted or provided by the licensee 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.

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

(3) "Certifying entity" means an independent certifying organization meeting the requirements in WAC 246-243-250 Appendix C or an agreement state meeting the requirements in WAC 246-243-250 Appendix C, subsections (2) and (3).

(4) "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.

(5) "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.

(6) "Control drive mechanism" means a device that enables the source assembly to be moved to and from the exposure device.

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

(8) "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.)

(9) "Field station" means a facility where licensed material may be stored or used and from which equipment is dispatched.

(10) "Guide tube (projection sheath)" means a flexible or rigid 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.

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

(12) "Independent certifying organization" means an independent organization that meets all of the criteria of WAC 246-243-250 Appendix C.

(13) "Industrial radiography" means the examination of the macroscopic structure of materials by nondestructive methods utilizing sources of radiation to make radiographic images. Industrial radiography as used in this chapter does not include well logging operations.

(14) "Lay-barge radiography" means industrial radiography performed on any water vessel used for laying pipe.

(15) "Offshore platform radiography" means industrial radiography conducted from a platform over a body of water.

(16) "Permanent radiographic installation" means an enclosed shielded room, cell or vault, not located at a temporary job site, in which radiography is performed, regardless of ownership.

(17) "Practical examination" means a demonstration through practical application of the safety rules and principles in industrial radiography including use of all appropriate equipment and procedures.

(18) "Radiation safety officer for industrial radiography" means an individual with the responsibility for the overall radiation safety program on behalf of the licensee and who meets the requirements of WAC 246-243-047.

(19) "Radiographer" means any individual who performs or who, in attendance at the site where sources of radiation are being used, personally supervises industrial radio-graphic operations and who is responsible to the licensee for assuring compliance with the requirements of these regulations and all license conditions.

(20) "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.

(21) "Radiographer's assistant" means any individual who, under the personal supervision of a radiographer, uses sources of radiation, related handling tools, or radiation survey instruments in industrial radiography.

(22) "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.

(23) "Radiographic operations" means all activities associated with the presence of radioactive sources in a radio-graphic exposure device during use of the device or transport (except when being transported by a common or contract carrier), to include surveys to confirm the adequacy of boundaries, setting up equipment and any activity inside restricted area boundaries.

(24) "S-tube" means a tube through which the radioactive source travels when inside a radiographic exposure device.

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

(26) "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.

(27) "Source changer" means a device designed and used for replacement of sealed sources in radiographic exposure devices, including those also used for transporting and storage of sealed sources.

(28) "Storage area" means any location, facility, or vehicle which is used to store 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.

(29) "Storage container" means a container in which sealed sources are secured and stored.

(30) "Temporary job site" means a location where radiographic operations are conducted and where licensed material may be stored other than those locations of use authorized on the license.

(31) "Underwater radiography" means industrial radiography performed when the radiographic exposure device or related equipment are beneath the surface of the water.