IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

Regulations

Part II: Basic Concepts and Definitions

Day 8 – Lecture 5(2)

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To provide an understanding of the basic concepts and definitions used in radiation safety regulations.

Objectives

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• Scope of the regulations

• Exclusions

• Exemptions

• Clearance

• Definitions of terms

Contents

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Basic Concepts

Practices and / orSources

Regulatory control

Exclusions

Scope of the Regulations

Clearance

Exemptions

Authorization by licence or

registration

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The Scope of regulatory control will include:

• practices e.g. production or use of radiation sources;

Scope

• sources of radiation within practices;

• occupational, public and medical exposures caused by a practice or by a source within a practice, including both normal and potential exposures;

• certain occupational and public exposures to natural radiation.

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However, some sources are not amenable to control e.g.

Exclusions

• cosmic radiation at the surface of the earth;

• low concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in raw materials.

• 40K in the body;

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Some practices and radiation sources may be exempted:

• from regulatory control requirements including those of notification and authorization;

Exemption

• from procedural requirements of regulations to accommodate a specific situation, providing that the same level of protection and safety can be achieved by alternative methods.

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Exemption of practices and sources defined by:

• exemption levels (e.g. GSR Part 3 Schedule I);

• any exemption level defined by the Regulatory Body on the basis of the criteria for exemption (GSR Part 3 , Schedule I).

Exemption (cont)

Exemptions shall not be granted to practices deemed not to be justified.

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Exemption (cont)

Nuclide Activity ConcentrationBq g-1

ActivityBq

3H 1 x 106 1 x 109

7Be 1 x 103 1 x 107

14C 1 x 104 1 x 107

15O 1 x 102 1 x 109

Exemption applies if either the Activity Concentration or the Activity does not exceed the GSR Part 3 Schedule I table I-1

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Exemption criteria (GSR Part 3 , Schedule I)

• Where the expected effective dose incurred to a member of the public due to the practice or source is in the order of 10 microsievert per year.

Exemption (cont)

• Where the effective dose expected to be incurred by any member of the public for such low probability scenarios does not exceed 1 mSv in a year.

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Type approved sealed radioactive sources • ≤ 1 Sv h-1 at 0.1 m from any accessible surface of

the device;• the dose to members of the public ≤ 10 Sv a-1

Exempted Sources

Type approved electrical apparatus• ≤ 1 Sv h-1 at 0.1 m from any accessible surface of the

apparatus; or• the maximum radiation energy is 5 keV.

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i.e. radioactive sources, material and objects, which were the subject of an authorization, may be released from regulatory control subject to compliance with clearance levels approved by the Regulatory Body.

Clearance

Definition (BSS)The removal of regulatory control by the regulatory body from radioactive material or radioactive objects within notified or authorized practices.

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Clearance criteria and levels

• Clearance levels shall be approved by the Regulatory Body.

• Clearance levels exemption levels.

• For bulk amounts of materials,clearance levels << exemption levels.

Clearance (cont)

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Unconditional clearance

• No further control.

Conditional clearance

• First destination of the material is known (e.g. used for road construction) and after that no further control.

Clearance (cont)

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Various terms need to be interpreted and may be presented as a Glossary such as that in IAEA Safety Glossary and GSR Part 3.

Definitions

GLOSSARYaccident

Any unintended event, including operating errors, equipment failures or other mishaps, the consequences or potential consequences of which are not negligible from the point of view of protection or safety.

authorization

The granting by a regulatory body or other governmental body of written permission for aperson or organization to conduct specified activities.

registration

A form of authorization for practices of low or moderate risks whereby the person ororganization responsible for the practice has, as appropriate, prepared and submitted a safetyassessment of the facilities and equipment to the regulatory body. The practice or use is authorizedwith conditions or limitations as appropriate.