Radiation Regulatory Agencies: Keeping Them Straight Norman W. Henry III, MS,CIH
Introduction Review different agencies and US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) »Rules »Guidelines Review elements of a radiation protection program Provide practical method to comply with multiple regulations Provide update on Changes and Challenges
Regulatory Agencies 18 Federal agencies »USNRC »OSHA »USDOE »USEPA »USFDA »USDOT 37 Agreement States
Agreement States Atomic Energy Act (1954) permits USNRC to make agreements Written agreement with Governor of State USNRC delegates authority for radioactive materials if certain conditions are met USNRC verifies compliance at the State level Pennsylvania became agreement state on March 31, 2008
Agreement States
State Radiation Protection All States Regulate » X-ray machines »Radioactivity produced in accelerators, NARM »Naturally occurring radioactive materials, NORM (radium-226, radon) Each State is a little bit different »Pennsylvania Bureau of Radiation Protection DEP »Delaware – Office of Radiation Control DPH Agreement States regulate byproduct material and issue licenses ~ 19,800 NRC regulates use of byproduct material in agreement, 14 non –agreement states and administers 2,970 licenses in all states
State Radiation Programs Active programs to reduce risk from radon, lasers and tanning booths Typical programs include register of X-ray equipment used in medicine, dental, and veterinary work Analytical and Radiography X-ray equipment Inspection of mammography equipment and facilities in cooperation with FDA Emergency response to nuclear incidents due to nearby nuclear power plants »PEMA Pennsylvania »DEMA Delaware
Medical X-ray Uses Medical Normal bone scan I-125 Seeds X-rays Nuclear Medicine Brachytherapy Dental
Industrial X-ray Radiography Security
X-ray Analysis