Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-7-1130 - Personnel Monitoring

A. An individual shall not act as a radiographer or a radiographer's assistant unless, at all times during radiographic operations, the individual wears, on the trunk of the body, a direct reading dosimeter, an operating alarm rate meter, and either a film badge, a TLD, or an optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeter. At permanent radiography installations where other required alarm or warning devices are in routine use, an alarm rate meter is not required.

1. A registrant shall provide pocket dosimeters that have a range from zero to 2 millisieverts (200 millirems) and ensure that the dosimeters are recharged at the start of each shift. Electronic personnel dosimeters are permitted in place of ion-chamber pocket dosimeters.

2. The registrant shall assign a film badge, TLD, or OSL dosimeter to one individual, who shall wear the assigned equipment.

3. The registrant shall replace film badges at least monthly and replace TLDs or OSL dosimeters at least quarterly.

4. After replacement, the registrant shall ensure that each film badge or TLD is processed as soon as possible.

B. A radiographer or radiographer's assistant shall record exposures noted from direct reading dosimeters, such as pocket dosimeters or electronic personnel dosimeters, at the beginning and end of each shift.

C. A registrant shall check each pocket dosimeter or electronic personnel dosimeter at least yearly for correct response to radiation, and discontinue use of a dosimeter if it is not accurate within plus or minus 20% of the true radiation exposure.

D. If an individual's pocket dosimeter has an off-scale reading, or the electronic personnel dosimeter reads greater than 2 millisieverts (200 millirems), and radiation exposure cannot be ruled out as the cause, a registrant shall send the individual's film badge, TLD, or OSL dosimeter for processing within 24 hours. The registrant shall not allow the individual to work with a radiation machine until the individual's radiation exposure is determined. Using the information from the badge or dosimeter, the RSO or the RSO's designee shall calculate the affected individual's cumulative radiation exposure, as prescribed in Article 4 of this Chapter and include the results in records maintained in accordance with subsection (G).

E. If an individual's monitoring device is lost or damaged, the individual shall cease work immediately until the registrant provides a replacement film badge, TLD, or OSL dosimeter and the RSO or the RSO's designee calculates the exposure for the time period from issuance to discovery of a lost or damaged film badge, TLD, or OSL dosimeter. The registrant shall include the calculated exposure and the time period for which the film badge, TLD, or OSL dosimeter was lost or damaged in the records maintained in accordance with subsection (G).

F. For each alarm rate meter a registrant shall ensure that:

1. At the start of a shift each individual with an alarm rate meter checks that the alarm functions (sounds) before using the device;

2. Each device is set to give an alarm signal at a preset dose rate of 5 mSv/hr (500 mrem/hr) with an accuracy of plus or minus 20% of the true radiation dose rate;

3. A special means is necessary to change the preset alarm function on the device; and

4. Each device is calibrated at periods that do not to exceed 12 months for correct response to radiation

G. Each registrant shall maintain the following personnel monitoring records:

1. Each dosimeter reading and the yearly operability check required by subsections (B) and (C) for three years after each record is made;

2. A record of each alarm rate meter calibration for three years after the record is made;

3. Any report received from the film badge, TLD, or OSL processor. The registrant shall maintain these records until the Department terminates the registration; and

4. Any estimation of an exposure evidenced by an off-scale personnel direct-reading dosimeter or a lost or damaged film badge, TLD, or OSL dosimeter. The records shall be maintained until the Department terminates the registration.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-7-1130

New Section R9-7-1130 recodified from R12-1-1130 at 24 A.A.R. 813, effective March 22, 2018 (Supp. 18-1).