Section 157.44. Operational radiation safety requirements.

 

(1)   Conducting industrial radiographic operations.

(a) Whenever radiography is performed at a location other than a permanent radiographic installation, the radiographer shall be accompanied by at least one other certified radiographer or radiographer's assistant. The additional individual shall observe the operations and be capable of providing immediate assistance to prevent unauthorized entry. Radiography may not be performed if only one individual is present.

(b) Except when physically impossible, collimators shall be used in industrial radiographic operations that use radiographic exposure devices that allow the source to be moved out of the device.

(c) A licensee may conduct lay-barge, offshore platform or underwater radiography only if procedures have been approved by the department, the NRC or by another agreement state.

(2)   Radiation safety officer.

(a) The radiation safety officer shall ensure that radiation safety activities are being performed under approved procedures and regulatory requirements in the daily operation of the licensee's or registrant's program.

(b) Except as allowed in par. (c) , the minimum qualifications, training and experience for radiation safety officers for industrial radiography are as follows:

1. Completion of the training and testing requirements of sub. (3) (a) and (b) .

2. 2000 hours of hands-on experience as a qualified radiographer in industrial radiographic operations.

3. Formal training in the establishment and maintenance of a radiation protection program.

(c) The department may consider alternatives to the requirements of par. (b) when the radiation safety officer has appropriate training and experience in the field of ionizing radiation and has adequate formal training with respect to the establishment and maintenance of a radiation safety protection program.

(d) The specific duties and authorities of the radiation safety officer shall include all the following:

1. Establishing and overseeing all operating, emergency and ALARA procedures as required by subch. III and reviewing the procedures regularly to ensure that the procedures conform to department rules and to the license conditions.

2. Overseeing and approving the training program for radiographic personnel to ensure that appropriate and effective radiation protection practices are taught.

3. Ensuring that required radiation surveys and leak tests are performed and documented under the rules, including any corrective measures when levels of radiation exceed established limits.

4. Ensuring that personnel monitoring devices are calibrated, if applicable, and used properly; that records are kept of the monitoring results; and that timely notifications are made as required by subch. III .

5. Ensuring that operations are conducted safely and implementing corrective actions including terminating operations at the work sites or upon license termination.

(3)   Training.

(a) In addition to the requirements in par. (b) , a licensee or registrant may not permit any individual to act as a radiographer until the individual has completed a minimum of 40 hours of training in the subjects outlined in this paragraph, hands-on experience under the supervision of a radiographer and is certified through a radiographer certification program meeting the requirements of 10 CFR 34 Appendix A. The hands-on experience for radioactive materials shall include a minimum of 320 hours of active participation in the performance of industrial radiography utilizing radioactive material or 160 hours of active participation in the performance of industrial radiography if utilizing only radiation machines. Individuals performing industrial radiography utilizing radioactive materials and radiation machines shall complete both segments of the hands-on experience for a minimum of 480 hours. A licensee or registrant shall include all the following subjects in training:

1. Fundamentals of radiation safety that includes all of the following:

a. Characteristics of gamma and x-ray radiation.

b. Units of radiation dose and quantity of radioactivity.

c. Hazards of exposure to radiation.

d. Levels of radiation from sources of radiation.

e. Methods of controlling radiation dose via time, distance and shielding.

2. Radiation detection instruments that includes all of the following:

a. Use, operation, calibration and limitations of radiation survey instruments.

b. Survey techniques.

c. Use of personnel monitoring equipment.

3. Equipment to be used that includes all of the following:

a. Operation and control of radiographic exposure equipment, remote handling equipment and storage containers, including pictures or models of source assemblies.

b. Operation and control of radiation machines.

c. Storage, control and disposal of sources of radiation.

d. Inspection and maintenance of equipment.

4. The requirements of pertinent state and federal regulations.

5. Case histories of accidents in industrial radiography.

(b) A licensee or registrant may not permit any individual to act as a radiographer until the individual has accomplished all the following:

1. Received copies of and instruction in the requirements described in this subchapter and applicable sections of subchs. III , X and XIII , the license under which the radiographer will perform industrial radiography and the licensee's or registrant's operating and emergency procedures.

2. Demonstrated an understanding of the licensee's license and operating and emergency procedures by successful completion of a written or oral examination covering this material.

3. Received training in the use of the registrant's radiation machines or the licensee's radiographic exposure devices, sealed sources, in the daily inspection of devices and associated equipment and in the use of radiation survey instruments.

4. Demonstrated understanding of the use of the equipment described in subd. 3. by successful completion of a practical examination.

(c) A licensee or registrant may not permit any individual to act as a radiographer's assistant until the individual has accomplished all the following:

1. Received copies of and instruction in the requirements described in this subchapter and applicable sections of subchs. III , X and XIII , the license under which the radiographer's assistant will perform industrial radiography and the licensee's or registrant's operating and emergency procedures.

2. Demonstrated an understanding of items in subd. 1. by successful completion of a written or oral examination.

3. Under the personal supervision of a radiographer, received training in the use of the registrant's radiation machines or the licensee's radiographic exposure devices and sealed sources, in the daily inspection of devices and associated equipment and in the use of radiation survey instruments.

4. Demonstrated an understanding of the use of the equipment described in subd. 3. by successful completion of a practical examination.

(d) A licensee or registrant shall provide annual refresher safety training for each radiographer and radiographer's assistant at intervals not to exceed 12 months.

(e) The radiation safety officer or designee shall conduct an inspection program of the job performance of each radiographer and radiographer's assistant to ensure that the department's rules, license requirements and operating and emergency procedures are followed. The department may consider alternatives in those situations where the individual serves as both radiographer and radiation safety officer. An inspection program is not required when a single individual serves as both radiographer and radiation safety officer and performs all radiography operations. The inspection program shall include all the following:

1. Observation of the performance of each radiographer and radiographer's assistant at intervals not to exceed 6 months during an actual industrial radiographic operation.

2. Provide that, if a radiographer or a radiographer's assistant has not participated in an industrial radiographic operation for more than 6 months since the last inspection, the radiographer shall demonstrate knowledge of the training requirements of par. (b) 3. and the radiographer's assistant shall demonstrate knowledge of the training requirements of par. (c) 3. by a practical examination before these individuals may next participate in a radiographic operation.

(f) A licensee or registrant shall maintain records under s. DHS 157.45 (9) of the training specified in this section to include certification documents, written oral and practical examinations, refresher safety training and inspections of job performance.

(4)   Operating and emergency procedures.

(a) Operating and emergency procedures shall include instructions in all the following:

1. Appropriate handling and use of sources of radiation so that no person is likely to be exposed to radiation doses in excess of the limits established in subch. III .

2. Methods and occasions for conducting radiation surveys.

3. Methods for posting signs in and controlling access to radiographic areas.

4. Methods and occasions for locking and securing sources of radiation.

5. Personnel monitoring and the use of personnel monitoring equipment.

6. Transporting equipment to field locations, including packing of radiographic exposure devices and storage containers in the vehicles, placarding of vehicles when required and control of the equipment during transportation as described in subch. XIII .

7. The inspection, maintenance and operability checks of radiographic exposure devices, radiation machines, survey instruments, alarming ratemeters, transport containers and storage containers.

8. Measures to be taken immediately by radiography personnel in the event a pocket dosimeter is found to be off-scale or an alarming ratemeter alarms unexpectedly.

9. The procedure or procedures for identifying and reporting defects and noncompliance as required by s. DHS 157.46 .

10. The procedure for notifying the proper persons in the event of an accident or radiation incident.

11. Minimizing exposure of persons in the event of an accident or radiation incident, including a source disconnect, a transport accident or loss of a source of radiation.

12. Source recovery procedure if licensee will perform source recoveries.

13. Maintenance of records.

(b) The licensee or registrant shall maintain copies of current operating and emergency procedures under s. DHS 157.45 (10) and (14) .

(5)   Supervision of radiographer's assistants.

(a) A radiographer's assistant shall be personally supervised by a radiographer when the assistant is using radiographic exposure devices, associated equipment or a sealed source or while conducting radiation surveys required by sub. (7) (b) to determine that the sealed source has returned to the shielded position or the radiation machine is off after an exposure. The personal supervision shall include all the following:

1. The radiographer's physical presence at the site where the sources of radiation are being used.

2. The availability of the radiographer to give immediate assistance if required.

3. The radiographer's direct observation of the assistant's performance of the operations referred to in this section.

(6)   Personnel monitoring.

(a) A licensee or registrant may not permit any individual to act as a radiographer or a radiographer's assistant unless, at all times during radiographic operations, each individual wears on the trunk of his or her body a combination of direct reading dosimeter, an alarming ratemeter and a personnel dosimeter that is processed and evaluated by an accredited National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program processor. At permanent radiographic installations where other appropriate alarming or warning devices are in routine use or during radiographic operations using radiation machines, the use of an alarming ratemeter is not required.

1. Pocket dosimeters shall have a range from zero to 2 millisieverts (200 mrem) and shall be recharged at the start of each shift. Electronic personal dosimeters may only be used in place of ion-chamber pocket dosimeters.

2. Each personnel dosimeter shall be assigned to and worn by only one individual.

3. Personnel dosimeters shall be exchanged at periods not to exceed one month.

4. After replacement, each personnel dosimeter shall be returned to the supplier for processing within 14 calendar days of the end of the monitoring period or as soon as practicable. In circumstances that make it impossible to return each personnel dosimeter in 14 calendar days, the circumstances shall be documented and available for review by the department.

(b) Direct reading dosimeters such as pocket dosimeters or electronic personal dosimeters, shall be read and the exposures recorded at the beginning and end of each shift and records shall be maintained as specified under s. DHS 157.45 (11)

(c) Pocket dosimeters or electronic personal dosimeters shall be checked at periods not to exceed 12 months for correct response to radiation and records shall be maintained as specified under s. DHS 157.45 (11) . Acceptable dosimeters shall read within plus or minus 20% of the true radiation exposure.

(d) If an individual's pocket dosimeter is determined to be off-scale or the electronic personal dosimeter reads greater than 2 millisieverts (200 mrem), the individual's film badge, TLD or similar approved device shall be sent for processing within 24 hours. In addition, the individual may not resume work associated with the use of sources of radiation until a determination of the individual's radiation exposure has been made. The determination shall be made by the radiation safety officer or the radiation safety officer's designee. The results of the determination shall be included in the records maintained under s. DHS 157.45 (11) .

(e) If a personnel dosimeter is lost or damaged, the worker shall cease work immediately until a replacement personnel dosimeter is provided and the exposure is calculated for the time period from issuance to loss or damage. The results of the calculated exposure and the time period for which the personnel dosimeter was lost or damaged shall be included in the records maintained as specified under s. DHS 157.45 (11) .

(f) Dosimetry reports received from the accredited National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program personnel dosimeter processor shall be retained as specified under s. DHS 157.45 (11) .

(g) Each alarming ratemeter shall meet all the following criteria:

1. Checked to ensure that the alarm functions properly before using at the start of each shift.

2. Set to give an alarm signal at a preset dose rate of 5 millisieverts (500 mrem) per hour; with an accuracy of plus or minus 20% of the true radiation dose rate.

3. Require special means to change the preset alarm function.

4. Calibrated at periods not to exceed 12 months for correct response to radiation. A licensee shall maintain records of alarming ratemeter calibrations as specified under s. DHS 157.45 (11) .

(7)   Radiation surveys. A licensee or registrant shall do all the following:

(a) Conduct all surveys with a calibrated and operable radiation survey instrument that meets the requirements of s. DHS 157.38 .

(b) Conduct a survey of the radiographic exposure device and the guide tube after each exposure when approaching the device or the guide tube. The survey shall determine that the sealed source has returned to its shielded position before exchanging films, repositioning the exposure head or dismantling equipment. Radiation machines shall be surveyed after each exposure to determine that the machine is off.

(c) Conduct a survey of the radiographic exposure device whenever the source is exchanged and whenever a radiographic exposure device is placed in a storage area to ensure that the sealed source is in its shielded position.

(d) Maintain records as specified under s. DHS 157.45 (12) .

(8)   Surveillance. During each radiographic operation, the radiographer shall ensure continuous direct visual surveillance of the operation to protect against unauthorized entry into a radiation area or a high radiation area as defined in subchapter I , except at permanent radiographic installations where all entryways are locked and the other requirements of this subchapter are met.

(9)   Posting. All areas in which industrial radiography is being performed shall have conspicuous signs posted as required under s. DHS 157.29 (2) . The exceptions listed in s. DHS 157.29 (3) do not apply to industrial radiographic operations.

CR 01-108 : cr. Register July 2002 No. 559 , eff. 8-1-02; correction in (3) (a) (intro.) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register July 2002 No. 559 ; CR 06-021 : am. (3) (b) 2., (6) (a) (intro.), 2. to 4., (e), (f), (g) 3. Register October 2006 No. 610 , eff. 11-1-06.

Note

A current list of state and national organizations administering the certification examination may be obtained by writing the Department at: Department of Health Services, Radiation Protection Section, P.O. Box 2659, Madison, WI 53701-2659 or from the following website: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/radiation/protection/IRCerts.htm . Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1