[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 10, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 10CFR36.59]

[Page 620-621]
 
                            TITLE 10--ENERGY
 
                CHAPTER I--NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
 
PART 36_LICENSES AND RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR IRRADIATORS
--Table of Contents
 
                   Subpart D_Operation of Irradiators
 
Sec. 36.59  Detection of leaking sources.

    (a) Each dry-source-storage sealed source must be tested for leakage 
at intervals not to exceed 6 months using a leak test kit or method 
approved by the Commission or an Agreement State. In the absence of a 
certificate from a transferor that a test has been made within the 6 
months before the transfer, the sealed source may not be used until 
tested. The test must be capable of detecting the presence of 200 
becquerels (0.005 microcurie) of radioactive material and must be 
performed by a person approved by the Commission or an Agreement State 
to perform the test.
    (b) For pool irradiators, sources may not be put into the pool 
unless the licensee tests the sources for leaks or has a certificate 
from a transferor that leak test has been done within the 6 months 
before the transfer. Water from the pool must 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 must 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 must activate an alarm. The alarm set-
point must 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 clean 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

[[Page 621]]

of by an NRC or Agreement State licensee that is authorized to perform 
these functions. The licensee shall promptly check its personnel, 
equipment, facilities, and irradiated product for radioactive 
contamination. No product may 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 must be 
performed promptly. If contaminated equipment, facilities, or products 
are found, the licensee shall arrange to have them decontaminated or 
disposed of by an NRC or Agreement State licensee that is authorized to 
perform these functions. If a pool is contaminated, the licensee shall 
arrange to clean the pool until the contamination levels do not exceed 
the appropriate concentration in table 2, column 2, appendix B to part 
20. (See 10 CFR 30.50 for reporting requirements.)

[58 FR 7728, Feb. 9, 1993, as amended at 58 FR 67660, Dec. 22, 1993]