Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-7-1715

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R9-7-1715 - Leak Testing of Sealed Sources

A. A licensee that uses a sealed source shall ensure that the source is tested for leakage according to subsection (C). The licensee shall maintain a record of leak test results in units of Becquer-els (Bq) or microcuries, for inspection by the Department for three years after the leak test is performed.

B. A person authorized under R9-7-417(C) shall wipe a sealed source using a leak test kit or a similar method approved by the Department, the NRC, or another Agreement State. The authorized person shall take the wipe sample from the nearest accessible point to the sealed source where contamination might accumulate, and ensure the wipe sample is analyzed for radioactive contamination. The authorized person shall use a method of analysis capable of detecting the presence of 185 Bq (0.005 microcuries) of radioactive material on the test sample.

C. Test frequency.

1. A licensee shall ensure that each sealed source (except an energy compensation source (ECS)) is tested in accordance with R9-7-417. In the absence of a certificate from a transferor that a test has been performed within six months before transfer, a licensee shall not use the sealed source until it is tested.

2. A licensee shall ensure that each ECS that is not exempt from testing under subsection (E) is tested at intervals that do not exceed three years. In the absence of a certificate from a transfer or that a test has been performed within three years before transfer, a licensee shall not use the ECS until it is tested.

D. Removal of leaking source from service.

1. If a test conducted according to this Section reveals the presence of 185 Bq (0.005 microcuries) or more of removable radioactive material, a licensee shall remove the sealed source from service immediately and have it decontaminated, repaired, or disposed of by a Department, a NRC, or an Agreement State licensee that is authorized to perform these functions. The licensee shall check the equipment associated with the leaking source for radioactive contamination and, if the equipment is contaminated, have it decontaminated or disposed of by a Department, a NRC, or an Agreement State licensee that is authorized to perform the chosen function.

2. A licensee shall submit a report to the Department, within five days of receiving positive test results. The report shall describe the equipment involved in the leak, the test results, any contamination that resulted from the leaking source, and each corrective action taken up to the date on the report.

E. The following sealed sources are exempt from the periodic leak test requirements in subsections (A) through (D):

1. Hydrogen-3 (tritium) sources;

2. Sources that contain licensed material with a half-life of 30 days or less;

3. Sealed sources that contain licensed material in gaseous form;

4. Sources of beta- or gamma-emitting radioactive material with an activity of 3.7 MBq [100 microcuries] or less; and

5. Sources of alpha- or neutron-emitting radioactive material with an activity of 0.37 MBq [10 microcuries] or less.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-7-1715

New Section R9-7-1715 recodified from R12-1-1715 at 24 A.A.R. 813, effective March 22, 2018 (Supp. 18-1).