[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 10, Volume 2]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 10CFR73.46]



[Page 420-429]

 

                            TITLE 10--ENERGY

 

          CHAPTER I--NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED)

 

PART 73_PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF PLANTS AND MATERIALS--Table of Contents

 

Sec. 73.46  Fixed site physical protection systems, subsystems, 

components, and procedures.



    (a) A licensee physical protection system established pursuant to 

the general performance objective and requirements of Sec. 73.20(a) and 

the performance capability requirements of Sec. 73.45 shall include, 

but are not necessarily limited to, the measures specified in paragraphs 

(b) through (h) of this section. The Commission may require, depending 

on individual facility and site conditions, alternate or additional 

measures deemed necessary to meet the general performance objective and 

requirements of Sec. 73.20. The Commission also may authorize 

protection measures other than those required by this section if, in its 

opinion, the overall level of performance meets the general performance 

objective and requirements of Sec. 73.20 and the performance capability 

requirements of Sec. 73.45.

    (b) Security organization. (1) The licensee shall establish a 

security organization, including guards. If a contract guard force is 

utilized for site security, the licensee's written agreement with the 

contractor will clearly show that (i) the licensee is responsible to the 

Commission for maintaining safeguards in accordance with Commission 

regulations and the licensee's security plan, (ii) the NRC may inspect, 

copy, and take away copies of all reports and documents required to be 

kept by Commission regulations, orders, or applicable license conditions 

whether such reports and documents are kept by the licensee or the 

contractor, (iii) the requirement, in Sec. 73.46(b)(4) of this section 

that the licensee demonstrate the ability of physical security personnel 

to perform their assigned duties and responsibilities, include 

demonstration of the ability of the contractor's physical security 

personnel to perform their assigned duties and responsibilities in 

carrying out the provisions of the Security Plan and these regulations, 

and (iv) the contractor will not assign any personnel to the site who 

have not first been made aware of these responsibilities.

    (2) The licensee shall have onsite at all times at least one full 

time member of the security organization with authority to direct the 

physical protection activities of the security organization.

    (3) The licensee shall have a management system to provide for the 

development, revision, implementation, and enforcement of security 

procedures. The system shall include:

    (i) Written security procedures which document the structure of the 

security organization and which detail the duties of the Tactical 

Response Team, guards, watchmen, and other individuals responsible for 

security. The licensee shall retain a copy of the current procedures as 

a record until the Commission terminates the license for which these 

procedures were developed and, if any portion of these procedures is 

superseded, retain the superseded material for three years after each 

change; and

    (ii) Provision for written approval of such procedures and any 

revisions thereto by the individual with overall responsibility for the 

security function.

    (4) The licensee may not permit an individual to act as a Tactical 

Response Team member, armed response person, guard, or other member of 

the security organization unless the individual has been trained, 

equipped, and qualified to perform each assigned security duty in 

accordance with Appendix B of this part, ``General Criteria for Security 

Personnel.'' In addition, Tactical Response Team members, armed response 

personnel, and guards shall be trained, equipped, and qualified for use 

of their assigned weapons in accordance with paragraphs (b)(6) and 

(b)(7) of this section. Tactical Response Team members, armed response 

personnel, and guards shall also be trained and qualified in accordance 

with either paragraphs (b)(10) and (b)(11) or paragraph (b)(12) of this 

section. Upon the request of an authorized representative of the 

Commission, the licensee shall demonstrate the ability of the physical 

security personnel, whether licensee or contractor employees, to carry 

out their assigned duties and responsibilities. Each Tactical Response 

Team member, armed response person, and guard, whether a licensee or 

contractor employee, shall requalify in accordance with Appendix B of 

this part. Tactical



[[Page 421]]



Response Team members, armed response personnel, and guards shall also 

requalify in accordance with paragraph (b)(7) of this section at least 

once every 12 months. The licensee shall document the results of the 

qualification and requalification. The licensee shall retain the 

documentation of each qualification and requalification as a record for 

3 years after each qualification and requalification.

    (5) Within any given period of time, a member of the security 

organization may not be assigned to, or have direct operational control 

over, more than one of the redundant elements of a physical protection 

subsystem if such assignment or control could result in the loss of 

effectiveness of the subsystem.

    (6) Each guard shall be armed with a handgun, as described in 

appendix B of this part. Each Tactical Response Team member shall be 

armed with a 9mm semiautomatic pistol. All but one member of the 

Tactical Response Team shall be armed additionally with either a shotgun 

or semiautomatic rifle, as described in appendix B of this part. The 

remaining member of the Tactical Response Team shall carry, as an 

individually assigned weapon, a rifle of no less caliber than .30 inches 

or 7.62mm.

    (7) In addition to the weapons qualification and requalification 

criteria of appendix B of this part, Tactical Response Team members, 

armed response personnel, and guards shall qualify and requalify, at 

least every 12 months, for day and night firing with assigned weapons in 

accordance with Appendix H of this part. Tactical Response Team members, 

armed response personnel, and guards shall be permitted to practice fire 

prior to qualification and requalification but shall be given only one 

opportunity to fire for record on the same calendar day. If a Tactical 

Response Team member, armed response person, or guard fails to qualify 

or requalify, the licensee shall remove the individual from security 

duties which require the use of firearms and retrain the individual 

prior to any subsequent attempt to qualify or requalify. If an 

individual fails to qualify or requalify on two successive attempts, he 

or she shall be required to receive additional training and successfully 

fire two consecutive qualifying scores prior to being reassigned to 

armed security duties.

    (i) In addition, Tactical Response Team members, armed response 

personnel, and guards shall be prepared to demonstrate day and night 

firing qualification with their assigned weapons at any time upon 

request by an authorized representative of the NRC.

    (ii) The licensee or the licensee's agent shall document the results 

of weapons qualification and requalification for day and night firing. 

The licensee shall retain the documentation of each qualification and 

requalification as a record for 3 years after each qualification and 

requalification.

    (8) In addition to the training requirements contained in appendix B 

of this part, Tactical Response Team members shall successfully complete 

training in response tactics. The licensee shall document the completion 

of training. The licensee shall retain the documentation of training as 

a record for three years after training is completed.

    (9) The licensee shall conduct Tactical Response Team and guard 

exercises to demonstrate the overall security system effectiveness and 

the ability of the security force to perform response and contingency 

plan responsibilities and to demonstrate individual skills in assigned 

team duties. During the first 12-month period following the date 

specified in paragraph (i)(2)(ii) of this section, an exercise must be 

carried out at least every three months for each shift, half of which 

are to be force-on-force. Subsequently, during each 12-month period 

commencing on the anniversary of the date specified in paragraph 

(i)(2)(ii) of this section, an exercise must be carried out at least 

every four months for each shift, one third of which are to be force-on-

force. The licensee shall use these exercises to demonstrate its 

capability to respond to attempts to steal strategic special nuclear 

material. During each of the 12-month periods, the NRC shall observe one 

of the force-on-force exercises which demonstrates overall security 

system performance. The licensee shall notify the NRC of the scheduled 

exercise 60 days prior to



[[Page 422]]



that exercise. The licensee shall document the results of all exercises. 

The licensee shall retain the documentation of each exercise as a record 

for three years after each exercise is completed.

    (10) In addition to the medical examinations and physical fitness 

requirements of paragraph I.C of Appendix B of this part, each Tactical 

Response Team member, armed response person, and guard, except as 

provided in paragraph (b)(10)(v) of this section, shall participate in a 

physical fitness training program on a continuing basis.

    (i) The elements of the physical fitness training program must 

include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

    (A) Training sessions of sufficient frequency, duration, and 

intensity to be of aerobic benefit, e.g., normally a frequency of three 

times per week, maintaining an intensity of approximately 75 percent of 

maximum heart rate for 20 minutes;

    (B) Activities that use large muscle groups, that can be maintained 

continuously, and that are rhythmical and aerobic in nature, e.g., 

running, bicycling, rowing, swimming, or cross-country skiing; and

    (C) Musculoskeletal training exercises that develop strength, 

flexibility, and endurance in the major muscle groups, e.g., legs, arms, 

and shoulders.

    (ii) The licensee shall assess Tactical Response Team members, armed 

response personnel, and guards for general fitness once every 4 months 

to determine the effectiveness of the continuing physical fitness 

training program. Assessments must include a recent health history, 

measures of cardiovascular fitness, percent of body fat, flexibility, 

muscular strength, and endurance. Individual exercise programs must be 

modified to be consistent with the needs of each participating Tactical 

Response Team member, armed response person, and guard and consistent 

with the environments in which they must be prepared to perform their 

duties. Individuals who exceed 4 months without being assessed for 

general fitness due to excused time off from work must be assessed 

within 15 calendar days of returning to duty as a Tactical Response Team 

member, armed response person, or guard.

    (iii) Within 30 days prior to participation in the physical fitness 

training program, the licensee shall give Tactical Response Team 

members, armed response personnel, and guards a medical examination 

including a determination and written certification by a licensed 

physician that there are no medical contraindications, as disclosed by 

the medical examination, to participation in the physical fitness 

training program.

    (iv) Licensees may temporarily waive an individual's participation 

in the physical fitness training program on the advice of the licensee's 

examining physician, during which time the individual may not be 

assigned duties as a Tactical Response Team member.

    (v) Guards whose duties are to staff the central or secondary alarm 

station and those who control exit or entry portals are exempt from the 

physical fitness training program specified in paragraph (b)(10) of this 

section, provided that they are not assigned temporary response guard 

duties.

    (11) In addition to the physical fitness demonstration contained in 

paragraph I.C of Appendix B of this part, Tactical Response Team 

members, armed response personnel, and guards shall meet or exceed the 

requirements in paragraphs (b)(11)(i) through (b)(11)(v) of this 

section, except as provided in paragraph (b)(11)(vi) of this section, 

initially and at least once every 12 months thereafter.

    (i) For Tactical Response Team members the criteria are a 1-mile run 

in 8 minutes and 30 seconds or less and a 40-yard dash starting from a 

prone position in 8 seconds or less. For armed response personnel and 

guards that are not members of the Tactical Response Team the criteria 

are a one-half mile run in 4 minutes and 40 seconds or less and a 40-

yard dash starting from a prone position in 8.5 seconds or less. The 

test may be taken in ordinary athletic attire under the supervision of 

licensee designated personnel. The licensee shall retain a record of 

each individual's performance for 3 years.

    (ii) Incumbent Tactical Response Team members, armed response 

personnel, and guards shall meet or exceed



[[Page 423]]



the qualification criteria within 12 months of NRC approval of the 

licensee's revised Fixed Site Physical Protection Plan. New employees 

hired after the approval date shall meet or exceed the qualification 

criteria prior to assignment as a Tactical Response Team member, armed 

response person, or guard.

    (iii) Tactical Response Team members, armed response personnel, and 

guards shall be given a medical examination including a determination 

and written certification by a licensed physician that there are no 

medical contraindications, as disclosed by the medical examination, to 

participation in the physical fitness performance testing. The medical 

examination must be given within 30 days prior to the first 

administration of the physical fitness performance test, and on an 

annual basis thereafter.

    (iv) The licensee shall place Tactical Response Team members, armed 

response persons, and guards, who do not meet or exceed the 

qualification criteria, in a monitored remedial physical fitness 

training program and relieve them of security duties until they 

satisfactorily meet or exceed the qualification criteria.

    (v) Licensees may temporarily waive the annual performance testing 

for an individual on the advice of the licensee's examining physician, 

during which time the individual may not be assigned duties as a 

Tactical Response Team member.

    (vi) Guards whose duties are to staff the central or secondary alarm 

station and those who control exit or entry portals are exempt from the 

annual performance testing specified in paragraph (b)(11) of this 

section, provided that they are not assigned temporary response guard 

duties.

    (12) The licensee may elect to comply with the requirements of this 

paragraph instead of the requirements of paragraphs (b)(10) and (b)(11) 

of this section. In addition to the physical fitness qualifications of 

paragraph I.C of Appendix B of this part, each licensee subject to the 

requirements of this section shall develop and submit to the NRC for 

approval site specific, content-based, physical fitness performance 

tests which will--when administered to each Tactical Response Team 

member, armed response person, or guard--duplicate the response duties 

these individuals may need to perform during a strenuous tactical 

engagement.

    (i) The test must be administered to each Tactical Response Team 

member, armed response person, and guard once every 3 months. The test 

must specifically address the physical capabilities needed by armed 

response personnel during a strenuous tactical engagement at the 

licensed facility. Individuals who exceed 3 months without having been 

administered the test due to excused time off from work must be tested 

within 15 calendar days of returning to duty as a Tactical Response Team 

member, armed response person, or guard.

    (ii) Within 30 days before the first administration of the physical 

fitness performance test, and on an annual basis thereafter, Tactical 

Response Team members, armed response personnel, and guards shall be 

given a medical examination including a determination and written 

certification by a licensed physician that there are no medical 

contraindications, as disclosed by the medical examination, to 

participation in the physical fitness performance test.

    (iii) Guards whose duties are to staff the central or secondary 

alarm station and those who control exit or entry portals are exempt 

from the performance test specified in paragraph (b)(12) of this 

section, provided that they are not assigned temporary response guard 

duties.

    (c) Physical barrier subsystems. (1) vital equipment must be located 

only within a vital area, and strategic special nuclear material must be 

stored or processed only in a material access area. Both vital areas and 

material access areas must be located within a protected area so that 

access to vital equipment and to strategic special nuclear material 

requires passage through at least three physical barriers. The perimeter 

of the protected area must be provided with two separated physical 

barriers with an intrusion detection system placed between the two. The 

inner barrier must be positioned and constructed to enhance assessment 

of penetration attempts and



[[Page 424]]



to delay attempts at unauthorized exit from the protected area. The 

perimeter of the protected area must also incorporate features and 

structures that prevent forcible vehicle entry. More than one vital area 

or material access area may be located within a single protected area.

    (2) The physical barriers at the perimeter of the protected area 

shall be separated from any other barrier designated as a physical 

barrier for a vital area or material access area within the protected 

area.

    (3) Isolation zones shall be maintained in outdoor areas adjacent to 

the physical barrier at the perimeter of the protected area and shall be 

large enough to permit observation of the activities of people on either 

side of that barrier in the event of its penetration. If parking 

facilities are provided for employees or visitors, they shall be located 

outside the isolation zone and exterior to the protected area.

    (4) Isolation zones and all exterior areas within the protected area 

shall be provided with illumination sufficient for the monitoring and 

observation requirements of paragraphs (c)(3), (e)(8), (h)(4) and (h)(6) 

of this section, but not less than 0.2 footcandle measured horizontally 

at ground level.

    (5) Strategic special nuclear material, other than alloys, fuel 

elements or fuel assemblies, shall:

    (i) Be stored in a vault when not undergoing processing if the 

material can be used directly in the manufacture of a nuclear explosive 

device. Vaults used to protect such material shall be capable of 

preventing entry to stored SSNM by a single action in a forced entry 

attempt, except as such single action would both destroy the barrier and 

render contained SSNM incapable of being removed, and shall provide 

sufficient delay to prevent removal of stored SSNM prior to arrival of 

response personnel capable of neutralizing the design basis threat 

stated in Sec. 73.1.

    (ii) Be stored in tamper-indicating containers;

    (iii) Be processed only in material access areas constructed with 

barriers that provide significant delay to penetration; and

    (iv) Be kept in locked compartments or locked process equipment 

while undergoing processing except when personally attended.

    (6) Enriched uranium scrap (enriched to 20% or greater) in the form 

of small pieces, cuttings, chips, solutions or in other forms which 

result from a manufacturing process, contained in 30 gallon or larger 

containers with a uranium-235 content of less than 0.25 grams per liter, 

may be stored within a locked and separately fenced area within a larger 

protected area provided that the storage area fence is no closer than 25 

feet to the perimeter of the protected area. The storage area when 

unoccupied shall be protected by a guard or watchman who shall patrol at 

intervals not exceeding 4 hours, or by intrusion alarms.

    (d) Access control subsystems and procedures. (1) A numbered picture 

badge identification subsystem shall be used for all individuals who are 

authorized access to protected areas without escort. An individual not 

employed by the licensee but who requires frequent and extended access 

to protected, material access, or vital areas may be authorized access 

to such areas without escort provided that he receives a picture badge 

upon entrance into the protected area and returns the badge upon exit 

from the protected area, and that the badge indicates, (i) Non-

employee--no escort required; (ii) areas to which access is authorized 

and (iii) the period for which access has been authorized. Badges shall 

be displayed by all individuals while inside the protected areas.

    (2) Unescorted access to vital areas, material access areas and 

controlled access areas shall be limited to individuals who are 

authorized access to the material and equipment in such areas, and who 

require such access to perform their duties. Access to material access 

areas shall include at least two individuals. Authorization for such 

individuals shall be indicated by the issuance of specially coded 

numbered badges indicating vital areas, material access areas, and 

controlled access areas to



[[Page 425]]



which access is authorized. No activities other than those which require 

access to strategic special nuclear material or to equipment used in the 

processing, use, or storage of strategic special nuclear material, or 

necessary maintenance, shall be permitted within a material access area.

    (3) The licensee shall establish and follow written procedures that 

will permit access control personnel to identify those vehicles that are 

authorized and those materials that are not authorized entry to 

protected, material access, and vital areas. The licensee shall retain a 

copy of the current procedures as a record until the Commission 

terminates each license for which the procedures were developed and, if 

any portion of the procedures is superseded, retain the superseded 

material for three years after each change.

    (4)(i) The licensee shall control all points of personnel and 

vehicle access into a protected area. Identification and search of all 

individuals for firearms, explosives, and incendiary devices must be 

made and authorization must be checked at these points except for 

Federal, State, and local law enforcement personnel on official duty and 

United States Department of Energy couriers engaged in the transport of 

special nuclear material. The search function for detection of firearms, 

explosives, and incendiary devices must be accomplished through the use 

of detection equipment capable of detecting both firearms and 

explosives. The individual responsible for the last access control 

function (controlling admission to the protected area) shall be isolated 

within a structure with bullet resisting walls, doors, ceiling, floor, 

and windows.

    (ii) When the licensee has cause to suspect that an individual is 

attempting to introduce firearms, explosives, or incendiary devices into 

a protected area, the licensee shall conduct a physical pat-down search 

of that individual. Whenever firearms or explosives detection equipment 

at a portal is out of service or not operating satisfactorily, the 

licensee shall conduct a physical pat-down search of all persons who 

would otherwise have been subject to search using the equipment.

    (5) At the point of personnel and vehicle access into a protected 

area, all hand-carried packages except those carried by individuals 

exempted from personal search under the provisions of paragraph 

(d)(4)(i) of this part must be searched for firearms, explosives, and 

incendiary devices.

    (6) All packages and material for delivery into a protected area 

must be checked for proper identification and authorization and searched 

for firearms, explosives, and incendiary devices prior to admittance 

into the protected area, except those Commission-approved delivery and 

inspection activities specifically designated by the licensee to be 

carried out within material access, vital, or protected areas for 

reasons of safety, security, or operational necessity.

    (7) All vehicles, except United States Department of Energy vehicles 

engaged in transporting special nuclear material and emergency vehicles 

under emergency conditions, shall be searched for firearms, explosives, 

and incendiary devices prior to entry into the protected area. Vehicle 

areas to be searched shall include the cab, engine compartment, 

undercarriage, and cargo area.

    (8) All vehicles, except designated licensee vehicles, requiring 

entry into the protected area shall be escorted by a member of the 

security organization while within the protected area, and to the extent 

practicable shall be off-loaded in an area that is not adjacent to a 

vital area. Designated licensee vehicles shall be limited in their use 

to onsite plant functions and shall remain in the protected area except 

for operational, maintenance, security and emergency purposes. The 

licensee shall exercise positive control over all such designated 

vehicles to assure that they are used only by authorized persons and for 

authorized purposes.

    (9) The licensee shall control all points of personnel and vehicle 

access to material access areas, vital areas, and controlled access 

areas. At least two armed guards trained in accordance with the 

provisions contained in paragraph (b)(7) of this section and appendix B 

of this part shall be posted at each material access area control point



[[Page 426]]



whenever in use. Identification and authorization of personnel and 

vehicles must be verified at the material access area control point. 

Prior to entry into a material access area, packages must be searched 

for firearms, explosives, and incendiary devices. All vehicles, 

materials and packages, including trash, wastes, tools, and equipment 

exiting from a material access area must be searched for concealed 

strategic special nuclear material by a team of at least two individuals 

who are not authorized access to that material access area. Each 

individual exiting a material access area shall undergo at least two 

separate searches for concealed strategic special nuclear material. For 

individuals exiting an area that contains only alloyed or encapsulated 

strategic special nuclear material, the second search may be conducted 

in a random manner.

    (10) Before exiting from a material access area, containers of 

contaminated wastes must be drum scanned and tamper sealed by at least 

two individuals, working and recording their findings as a team, who do 

not have access to material processing and storage areas. The licensee 

shall retain the records of these findings for three years after the 

record is made.

    (11) Strategic special nuclear material being prepared for shipment 

offsite, including product, samples and scrap, shall be packed and 

placed in sealed containers in the presence of at least two individuals 

working as a team who shall verify and certify the content of each 

shipping container through the witnessing of gross weight measurements 

and nondestructive assay, and through the inspection of tamper seal 

integrity and associated seal records.

    (12) Areas used for preparing strategic special nuclear material for 

shipment and areas used for packaging and screening trash and wastes 

shall be controlled access areas and shall be separated from processing 

and storage areas.

    (13) Individuals not permitted by the licensee to enter protected 

areas without escort must be escorted by a watchman or other individual 

designated by the licensee while in a protected area and must be badged 

to indicate that an escort is required. In addition, the individual 

shall be required to register his or her name, date, time, purpose of 

visit and employment affiliation, citizenship, and name of the 

individual to be visited in a log. The licensee shall retain each log as 

a record for three years after the last entry is made in the log.

    (14) All keys, locks, combinations and related equipment used to 

control access to protected, material access, vital, and controlled 

access areas shall be controlled to reduce the probability of 

compromise. Whenever there is evidence that a key, lock, combination, or 

related equipment may have been compromised it shall be changed. Upon 

termination of employment of any employee, keys, locks, combinations, 

and related equipment to which that employee had access, shall be 

changed.

    (15) The licensee may not announce or otherwise communicate to its 

employees or site contractors the arrival or presence of an NRC 

safeguards inspector unless specifically requested to do so by the NRC 

safeguards inspector.

    (e) Detection, surveillance and alarm subsystems and procedures. (1) 

The licensee shall provide an intrusion alarm subsystem with a 

capability to detect penetration through the isolation zone and to 

permit response action.

    (2) All emergency exits in each protected, material access, and 

vital area shall be locked to prevent entry from the outside and alarmed 

to provide local visible and audible alarm annunciation.

    (3) All unoccupied vital areas and material access areas shall be 

locked and protected by an intrusion alarm subsystem which will alarm 

upon the entry of a person anywhere into the area, upon exit from the 

area, and upon movement of an individual within the area, except that 

for process material access areas only the location of the strategic 

special nuclear material within the area is required to be so alarmed. 

Vaults and process areas that contain strategic special nuclear material 

that has not been alloyed or encapsulated shall also be under the 

surveillance of closed circuit television that is monitored in both 

alarm stations. Additionally, means shall be employed which require that 

an individual other



[[Page 427]]



than an alarm station operator be present at or have knowledge of access 

to such unoccupied vaults or process areas.

    (4) All manned access control points in the protected area barrier, 

all security patrols and guard stations within the protected area, and 

both alarm stations shall be provided with duress alarms.

    (5) All alarms required pursuant to this section shall annunciate in 

a continuously manned central alarm station located within the protected 

area and in at least one other independent continuously manned onsite 

station not necessarily within the protected area, so that a single act 

cannot remove the capability of calling for assistance or responding to 

an alarm. The alarm stations shall be controlled access areas and their 

walls, doors, ceiling, floor, and windows shall be bullet-resisting. The 

central alarm station shall be located within a building so that the 

interior of the central alarm station is not visible from the perimeter 

of the protected area. This station may not contain any operational 

activities that would interfere with the execution of the alarm response 

function.

    (6) All alarms required by this section shall remain operable from 

independent power sources in the event of the loss of normal power. 

Switchover to standby power shall be automatic and shall not cause false 

alarms on annunciator modules.

    (7) All alarm devices including transmission lines to annunciators 

shall be tamper indicating and self-checking e.g., an automatic 

indication shall be provided when a failure of the alarm system or a 

component occurs, when there is an attempt to compromise the system, or 

when the system is on standby power. The annunciation of an alarm at the 

alarm stations shall indicate the type of alarm (e.g., intrusion alarm, 

emergency exit alarm, etc.) and location. The status of all alarms and 

alarm zones shall be indicated in the alarm stations.

    (8) All exterior areas within the protected area shall be monitored 

or periodically checked to detect the presence of unauthorized persons, 

vehicles, materials, or unauthorized activities.

    (9) Methods to observe individuals within material access areas to 

assure that strategic special nuclear material is not moved to 

unauthorized locations or in an unauthorized manner shall be provided 

and used on a continuing basis.

    (f) Communication subsystems. (1) Each guard, watchman, or armed 

response individual on duty shall be capable of maintaining continuous 

communication with an individual in each continuously manned alarm 

station required by paragraph (e)(5) of this section, who shall be 

capable of calling for assistance from other guards, watchmen, and armed 

response personnel and from law enforcement authorities.

    (2) Each alarm station required by paragraph (e)(5) of this section 

shall have both conventional telephone service and radio or microwave 

transmitted two-way voice communication, either directly or through an 

intermediary, for the capability of communication with the law 

enforcement authorities.

    (3) Non-portable communications equipment controlled by the licensee 

and required by this section shall remain operable from independent 

power sources in the event of the loss of normal power.

    (g) Test and maintenance programs. The licensee shall have a test 

and maintenance program for intrusion alarms, emergency exit alarms, 

communications equipment, physical barriers, and other physical 

protection related devices and equipment used pursuant to this section 

that shall provide for the following:

    (1) Tests and inspections during the installation and construction 

of physical protection related subsystems and components to assure that 

they comply with their respective design criteria and performance 

specifications.

    (2) Preoperational tests and inspections of physical protection 

related subsystems and components to demonstrate their effectiveness and 

availability with respect to their respective design criteria and 

performance specifications.

    (3) Operational tests and inspections of physical protection related 

subsystems and components to assure their maintenance in an operable and 

effective condition, including:



[[Page 428]]



    (i) Testing of each intrusion alarm at the beginning and end of any 

period that it is used. If the period of continuous use is longer than 

seven days, the intrusion alarm shall also be tested at least once every 

seven days.

    (ii) Testing of communications equipment required for communications 

onsite, including duress alarms, for performance not less frequently 

than once at the beginning of each security personnel work shift. 

Communications equipment required for communications offsite shall be 

tested for performance not less than once a day.

    (4) Preventive maintenance programs shall be established for 

physical protection related subsystems and components to assure their 

continued maintenance in an operable and effective condition.

    (5) All physical protection related subsystems and components shall 

be maintained in operable condition. The licensee shall develop and 

employ corrective action procedures and compensatory measures to assure 

that the effectiveness of the physical protection system is not reduced 

by failure or other contingencies affecting the operation of the 

security related equipment or structures. Repairs and maintenance shall 

be performed by at least two individuals working as a team who have been 

trained in the operation and performance of the equipment. The security 

organization shall be notified before and after service is performed and 

shall conduct performance verification tests after the service has been 

completed.

    (6) The security program must be reviewed at least every 12 months 

by individuals independent of both security program management and 

personnel who have direct responsibility for implementation of the 

security program. The security program review must include an audit of 

security procedures and practices, an evaluation of the effectiveness of 

the physical protection system, an audit of the physical protection 

system testing and maintenance program, and an audit of commitments 

established for response by local law enforcement authorities. The 

results and recommendations of the security program review, and any 

actions taken, must be documented in a report to the licensee's plant 

manager and to corporate management at least one level higher than that 

having responsibility for the day-to-day plant operations. These reports 

must be maintained in an auditable form, available for inspection for a 

period of 3 years.

    (h) Contingency and response plans and procedures. (1) The licensee 

shall establish, maintain, and follow an NRC-approved safeguards 

contingency plan for responding to threats, thefts, and radiological 

sabotage related to the strategic special nuclear material and nuclear 

facilities subject to the provisions of this section. Safeguards 

contingency plans must be in accordance with the criteria in appendix C 

to this part, ``Licensee Safeguards Contingency Plans.'' Contingency 

plans must include, but not limited to, the response requirements listed 

in paragraphs (h)(2) through (h)(5) of this section. The licensee shall 

retain the current safeguards contingency plan as a record until the 

Commission terminates the license and, if any portion of the plan is 

superseded, retain that superseded portion for 3 years after the 

effective date of change.

    (2) The licensee shall establish and document response arrangements 

that have been made with local law enforcement authorities. The licensee 

shall retain documentation of the current arrangements as a record until 

the Commission terminates each license requiring the arrangements and, 

if any arrangement is superseded, retain the superseded material for 

three years after each change.

    (3) A Tactical Response Team consisting of a minimum of five (5) 

members must be available at the facility to fulfill assessment and 

response requirements. In addition, a force of guards or armed response 

personnel also must be available to provide assistance as necessary. The 

size and availability of the additional force must be determined on the 

basis of site-specific considerations that could affect the ability of 

the total onsite response force to engage and impede the adversary force 

until offsite assistance arrives. The rationale for the total number and 

availabiliy of onsite armed response personnel must be included in



[[Page 429]]



the physical protection plans submitted to the Commission for approval.

    (4) Upon detection of abnormal presence or activity of persons or 

vehicles within an isolation zone, a protected area, a material access 

area, or a vital area, or upon evidence or indication of intrusion into 

a protected area, a material access area, or a vital area, the licensee 

security organization shall:

    (i) Determine whether or not a threat exists,

    (ii) Assess the extent of the threat, if any,

    (iii) Take immediate concurrent measures to neutralize the threat 

by:

    (A) Requiring responding guards or other armed response personnel to 

interpose themselves between vital areas and material access areas and 

any adversary attempting entry for purposes of radiological sabotage or 

theft of strategic special nuclear material and to intercept any person 

exiting with special nuclear material, and

    (B) Informing local law enforcement agencies of the threat and 

requesting assistance.

    (5) The licensee shall instruct every guard and all armed response 

personnel to prevent or impede acts of radiological sabotage or theft of 

strategic special nuclear material by using force sufficient to counter 

the force directed at him including the use of deadly force when the 

guard or other armed response person has a reasonable belief that it is 

necessary in self-defense or in the defense of others.

    (6) To facilitate initial response to detection of penetration of 

the protected area and assessment of the existence of a threat, a 

capability of observing the isolation zones and the physical barrier at 

the perimeter of the protected area shall be provided, preferably by 

means of closed circuit television or by other suitable means which 

limit exposure of responding personnel to possible attack.

    (7) Alarms occurring within unoccupied vaults and unoccupied 

material access areas containing unalloyed or unencapsulated strategic 

special nuclear material shall be assessed by at least two security 

personnel using closed circuit television (CCTV) or other remote means.

    (8) Alarms occurring within unoccupied material access areas that 

contain only alloyed or encapsulated strategic special nuclear material 

shall be assessed as in paragraph (h)(7) of this section or by at least 

two security personnel who shall undergo a search before exiting the 

material access area.

    (i) Implementation schedule for revisions to physical protection 

plans. (1) By November 28, 1994, each licensee shall submit a revised 

Fixed Site Physical Protection Plan to the NRC for approval. The revised 

plan must describe how the licensee will comply with the requirements of 

paragraphs (b)(10) and (b)(11) of this section or the requirements of 

(b)(12) of this section. Revised plans must be mailed to the Director, 

Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material 

Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 

DC 20555.

    (2) Each licensee shall implement the approved plan pursuant to 

paragraphs (b)(10) and (b)(11) of this section or (b)(12) of this 

section within 1 year after NRC approval of the revised Fixed Site 

Physical Protection Plan.



[44 FR 68194, Nov. 28, 1979, as amended at 53 FR 19258, May 27, 1988; 53 

FR 23383, June 22, 1988; 53 FR 45452, Nov. 10, 1988; 57 FR 33430, July 

29, 1992; 58 FR 29522, May 21, 1993; 58 FR 45784, Aug. 31, 1993; 59 FR 

38348, July 28, 1994]