General Infrmatin Regarding Radilgical Areas Sme Supplementary Review Infrmatin fr ARMs As a class f areas, Radilgical Areas are designated in 10CFR835. This has a different meaning than ur use f the designatin Radilgically Cntrlled Area. Radilgical Areas include the fllwing: Radiatin Area High Radiatin Area Cntaminatin Area/High Cntaminatin Area Airbrne Radiactivity Area Of these, ARMs are nly respnsible fr psting and managing Radiatin Areas. Discvery f, r suspicin that anther radilgical area exists shuld result in ntificatin f RadCn. The definitin f and psting requirements fr Radiatin Areas are specified in 10CFR835. N deviatin frm these requirements is permitted. This means that a Radiatin Area must be psted unless yu have adequate direct cntrl ver entry t the area. Specifically, the 835 requirements fr the psting include: - Clear and cnspicuus psting f signs - Magenta r black n yellw radiatin trefil symbl, and the wrds Cautin, Radiatin Area Psting may be excepted under the fllwing cnditin: - Areas may be excepted frm the psting requirements f 835.603 fr perids f less than 8 cntinuus hurs when placed under cntinuus bservatin and cntrl f an individual knwledgeable f, and empwered t implement, required access and expsure cntrl measures [i.e., an ARM]. The abve applies t accessible areas. If areas are inaccessible, they are nt required t be psted. Practical Implicatins f Abve - Remember, the definitin f Radiatin Area is: radiatin level abve 5 mrem/hr at a pint 30 cm (1 ft) frm any surface frm which radiatin is emitted. - Use cnservative measures when psting Radiatin Areas place bundaries as reasnably far beynd the actual pint where the dse rate drps belw 5 mrem/hr as practicable. - Make sure signage has at least the minimum verbiage required. - Failure t identify and prperly pst a Radiatin Area (r ther Radilgical Area) is an infractin n 10CFR835. ARMs are directly respnsible fr meeting the regulatry requirements during perfrmance f entry surveys. Additinal verbiage n signs is required by JLab prcedures. In general, fllw these guidelines. - If 30 cm dse rate is < 25 mrem/hr, use Cntact RadCn Prir t Entry insert. Cnditinal insert Walkthrugh Permitted can be used - If 30 cm dse rate > 25 mrem/hr, use RWP Required fr Entry insert.
RCAs The designatin Radilgically Cntrlled Area RCA, is a JLab-specific psting, and is implemented fr purpses f administering ur radilgical prgram (threshld fr training and dsimetry requirements, etc.). Sme flexibility exists (with RadCn manager cncurrence) in psting f RCAs, based n ccupancy and ther issues. The default definitin is any area in which a persn might be expected t exceed 100 mrem in a year. We implement this based n the assumptin f 40 hurs/week ccupancy. Essentially all areas in which ARMs perfrm surveys shuld already be psted as RCAs. RWPs RWPs are written wrk authrizatins fr purpses f cmpliance with 835. The regulatin says the fllwing: Written authrizatins shall be required t cntrl entry int and perfrm wrk within radilgical areas. These authrizatins shall specify radiatin prtectin measures cmmensurate with the existing and ptential hazards. This means that all entry t Radiatin Areas requires an RWP. Remember that yu are n an RWP that specifically allws yu t enter and survey within Radiatin Areas. Hwever, yu are nt authrized t enter High Radiatin Areas. One reasn this restrictin is in place is that yu must als have self-reading dsimetry fr entry t HRAs. Questin: when yu pst a Radiatin Area as Walkthrugh Permitted (see page 1), why is this nt a vilatin f 835, regarding written wrk authrizatin? Answer: the general access RWP prvides written authrizatin fr entry t the enclsure fr general wrk, inspectins, etc., and specifies cmmensurate prtectin measures. The cmbinatin f that RWP, RadWrker training, wrk-area familiarizatin training, and the specific instructin n the sign allwing walkthrugh is sufficient authrizatin fr the particular task - passing thrugh. General Infrmatin Abut Survey Dcumentatin This is a cmpilatin f material that has been distributed befre, with sme updates. Survey maps are (1) the recrd f the survey event and (2) the tl fr cmmunicating radilgical cnditins in an area t peple wh are wrking there. Neatness cunts. A survey sheet which leaves a reader unsure f the nature f the radilgical envirnment is nt wrth the time yu spend t d it. If necessary, yu can always re-cpy the survey when yu return frm the field. The infrmatin needs t be legible and clear. Bundaries need t be clear. The extent f the survey (fr partial surveys) needs t be clearly shwn. Sme recurring issues with survey recrds 1. The presence f dashed lines indicating psted areas, but nthing shwing what kind f area it is. In sme cases, abbreviatins are used, but the abbreviatins are nt explained. All full surveys are expected t have all psted areas indicated and labeled (this is nt critical fr partial surveys). If yu want t use abbreviatins, that is fine, but please use a legend. The latest sheets have sme predesignated nes.
2. On partial surveys, always put a reasn fr the access and indicate the wrk area clearly n the map. Sme survey maps may nt cntain blank spaces fr "reasn", but yu shuld write it in. The reasn shuld indicate rughly what equipment was wrked n and what the extent f the wrk was, fr instance "diagnse Q1 magnet pwer supply". That cmment, alng with graphic indicatin n the map f the areas surveyed and entered, prvides a reasnably cmplete picture. 3. Lack f clarity regarding whether the bundaries are prperly placed. Smetimes it is difficult t clearly shw the readings at bundaries r inside the bundary due t space limitatins. We have seen surveys that shw 5 just utside a psted Radiatin Area. This indicates an imprperly psted area (nly allwable if it s an escrted survey). If necessary, use sme kind f indicatr with a ftnte t prvide explanatin if there isn't enugh rm. It's especially imprtant t be clear if there is a cnditin that is unusual. 4. N survey data within psted areas, and n cntact dse rates. Imprtant pints: - Particularly in the case f a full survey, it is imprtant t shw data within the psted areas, and sme indicatin at the bundaries that the psting is apprpriate t the cnditins. - Just shwing a bundary with n infrmatin des nt imply that the bundary cnditins are crrect. - Prviding data within psted areas gives us the infrmatin necessary fr fllw-up surveys r guidance t wrkers. - If smene has a need t enter the area fr a shrt perid, if there's n infrmatin n the survey, anther survey will have t be dne - this slws dwn wrk and is nt ALARA. - Use the guidance in the ARM training guide fr when t btain cntact dse rates and dse rates inside psted areas. - At least ne data pint - cntact and whle bdy - in each psted area (including High Radiatin Areas) needs t be shwn n a full survey t verify that the pstings are crrect and the area desn't exceed levels fr physical cntrls (remember, HRA data is t be btained frm utside the area). - If yu can't reach what yu think might be the highest dse rates due t the presence f a High Radiatin Area bundary, call RadCn immediately t have them finish the survey, r keep the area in Cntrlled Access and d partial surveys fr entry. 5. Use f the "highest area psting and whle bdy dse rate" bx. This has been revised t include nly ne entry. Apprpriate entry wuld be HRA, 140 mrem/hr, r Rad Area, 50 mrem/h. We are lking fr at a glance highest whle bdy dse infrmatin. If the highest dse rate is in a Radiatin Area, but there is a psted High Radiatin Area in the regin (and it has lwer readings), then just put in the dse rate frm the Radiatin Area. Issues Regarding FEL Surveys We cntinue t see sme prblems with surveys in the FEL vault. These invlve nt nly the survey sheets, but the physical cnditin f psted areas. 1. Duble-psting f RCAs. D nt pst RCAs within the vault. The vault is an RCA at all times, and whle bdy dse rates belw 5 mrem/hr d nt require any additinal pstings r bundaries.
2. We have nted signage that is incmplete, des nt meet basic requirements in 835, r is unclear as t what the psting level is. 3. Bundary rping that is nt rbust enugh t ensure that the bundary is prperly defined. 4. Use f the exclusin area at the back f the vault. We have nted n several ccasins after a full survey t Restricted Access that the signs have nt been recnfigured, r that sme but nt all the signs were changed, etc. During Rapid Access f the vault, this area shuld nt be entered. Only upn a survey can persns make entry t this zne. At that time, if it is a full survey, the psting level f the area needs t be crdinated with FEL peratins. If the vault is staying in Cntrlled Access, and the status might g back t Beam Permit, the exclusin zne shuld remain psted. If the vault is ging t Restricted Access, the exclusin zne shuld be de-psted. Mre specifics can be fund here http://www.jlab.rg/accel/radcn/surveys/felrapidaccess.pdf NOTE: As f this writing, the FEL is being expanded t perate a UV beamline. The Rapid Access prbes have been recnfigured t prvide mre cverage f the area. During the transitin, we are evaluating the sensitivity f the system in the new cnfiguratin. The Rapid Access system shuld nt t be used fr entries i.e. all entries require a survey. FEL Operatins is implementing this requirement. Physical Bundaries/Psting We have augmented access t materials such as signs, rpes, etc. in mst f the acceleratr enclsure areas. The halls have cabinets with psting/rping materials, and bth hall A and C are cntinuing t assist and imprve prvisins fr rpe bundary flexibility. In general, keep the fllwing in mind: FAQs - Dn t rpe t anything that mves in the halls, there are rpe reels and magnetic rpe terminatins s that yu can apply a break-away cnnectin if yu must hk t a spectrmeter. - Make sure yu use an adequate number f signs, pst all access appraches t an area (fr instance, if the Radiatin Area is in the verhead, pst access pints at flr height, and give instructins n the nature f the are n the psting. - Avid hand written inserts if pssible. There have been questins frm time t time as t whether an ARM can cnduct certain surveys. Here is a list f cmmn questins: - Can an ARM de-pst a Radiatin Area? Yes. Assuming yu can cnduct a survey thrugh enugh t verify the absence f the cnditin. But it may be mre efficient in many cases t leave it psted if yu have reasn t believe the cnditin will reappear shrtly. - Can an ARM de-pst High Radiatin Areas? N. This is mainly a matter f cnsistency. Since ARMs are nt allwed t rutinely pst HRAs, they shuld nt de-pst them either. Call RadCn n-call fr assistance (case-basis apprval may be given).
- Can an ARM cnduct the beamline surveys necessary in Hall B and FEL in the event hands-n beamline wrk is t be cnducted during a Cntrlled Access (during a "Rapid Access "entry)? Yes. There is n reasn an ARM can't assess these wrk areas. The same limitatins as nrmal apply - if a Radiatin Area r ht spt is fund, the same triggers apply. - Can an ARM cnduct the area survey needed if the Rapid Access system beacn is n in hall B r FEL? Yes. - Can an ARM cnduct surveys fr disassembly f cntrlled shielding cnfiguratins? Yes, if apprved by RadCn. RadCn must check the cnfiguratin after the shielding is restred.