La. Admin. Code tit. 33 § XV-1743

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section XV-1743 - Detection of Leaking Sources

A. Each dry-source-storage sealed source shall be tested for leakage at intervals not to exceed six months using a leak test kit or method approved by the department, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, an agreement state, or a licensing state. In the absence of a certificate from a transferor that a test has been made within the six months before the transfer, the sealed source shall not be used until tested. The test shall be capable of detecting the presence of 200 becquerels (0.005 _[MICRO]Ci) of radioactive material and shall be performed by a person approved by the department, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, an agreement state, or a licensing state to perform the test.

B. For pool irradiators, sources shall not be put into the pool unless the licensee tests the sources for leaks or has a certificate from a transferor that a leak test has been done within the six months before the transfer. Water from the pool shall be checked for contamination each day the irradiator operates. The check may be done either by using a radiation monitor on a pool water circulating system or by analysis of a sample of pool water. If a check for contamination is done by analysis of a sample of pool water, the results of the analysis shall be available within 24 hours. If the licensee uses a radiation monitor on a pool water circulating system, the detection of above normal radiation levels shall activate an alarm. The alarm set-point shall be set as low as practical, but high enough to avoid false alarms. The licensee may reset the alarm set-point to a higher level if necessary to operate the pool water purification system to clear up contamination in the pool if specifically provided for in written emergency procedures.

C. If a leaking source is detected, the licensee shall arrange to remove the leaking source from service and have it decontaminated, repaired, or disposed of by a licensee that is authorized to perform these functions by the department, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, an agreement state, or a licensing state. The licensee shall promptly check its personnel, equipment, facilities, and irradiated product for radioactive contamination. No product shall be shipped until the product has been checked and found free of contamination. If a product has been shipped that may have been inadvertently contaminated, the licensee shall arrange to locate and survey that product for contamination. If any personnel are found to be contaminated, decontamination shall be performed promptly. If contaminated equipment, facilities, or products are found, the licensee shall arrange to have them decontaminated or disposed of by a licensee that is authorized to perform these functions by the department, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, an agreement state, or a licensing state. If a pool is contaminated, the licensee shall arrange to clean the pool until the contamination levels do not exceed the appropriate concentration in LAC 33:XV.499.Appendix B.Table II, Column 2. The licensee shall report all incidents in accordance with LAC 33:XV.486.

La. Admin. Code tit. 33, § XV-1743

Promulgated by the Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Air Quality and Radiation Protection, Radiation Protection Division, LR 24:2119 (November 1998), repromulgated LR 24:2243 (December 1998), amended by the Office of Environmental Assessment, Environmental Planning Division, LR 26:2603 (November 2000).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:2001 et seq.