irradiated are under water. Irradiators whose dose rates exceed 5 grays (500 rads) per hour at 1 meter from
the radioactive sealed sources in air or in water, as applicable for the irradiator type, are covered by this part.
(c) The regulations in this part do not apply to self-contained dry-source-storage irradiators (those in which
both the source and the area subject to irradiation are contained within a device and are not accessible by
personnel), medical radiology or teletherapy, radiography (the irradiation of materials for nondestructive
testing purposes), gauging, or open-field (agricultural) irradiations.
[78 FR 17007, Mar. 19, 2013]
36.2 Definitions.
Annually means either (1) at intervals not to exceed 1 year or (2) once per year, at about the same time each
year (plus or minus 1 month).
Commencement of construction means taking any action defined as "construction" or any other activity at the
site of a facility subject to the regulations in this part that has a reasonable nexus to:
(1) Radiological health and safety; or
(2) Common defense and security.
Construction means the installation of foundations, or in-place assembly, erection, fabrication, or testing for
any structure, system, or component of a facility or activity subject to the regulations in this part that are
related to radiological safety or security. The term "construction" does not include:
(1) Changes for temporary use of the land for public recreational purposes;
(2) Site exploration, including necessary borings to determine foundation conditions or other preconstruction
monitoring to establish background information related to the suitability of the site, the environmental
impacts of construction or operation, or the protection of environmental values;
(3) Preparation of the site for construction of the facility, including clearing of the site, grading, installation
of drainage, erosion and other environmental mitigation measures, and construction of temporary roads and
borrow areas;
(4) Erection of fences and other access control measures that are not related to the safe use of, or security of,
radiological materials subject to this part;
(5) Excavation;
(6) Erection of support buildings (e.g., construction equipment storage sheds, warehouse and shop facilities,
utilities, concrete mixing plants, docking and unloading facilities, and office buildings) for use in connection
with the construction of the facility;
(7) Building of service facilities (e.g., paved roads, parking lots, railroad spurs, exterior utility and lighting
systems, potable water systems, sanitary sewerage treatment facilities, and transmission lines);
(8) Procurement or fabrication of components or portions of the proposed facility occurring at other than the
final, in-place location at the facility; or
(9) Taking any other action that has no reasonable nexus to:
(i) Radiological health and safety, or
36.5 Interpretations.
Except as specifically authorized by the Commission in writing, no interpretation of the meaning of the
regulations in this part by any officer or employee of the Commission, other than a written interpretation by
(5) Minimum training and experience of personnel who may provide training.
(c) The application must include an outline of the written operating and emergency procedures listed in
36.53 that describes the radiation safety aspects of the procedures.
(d) The application must describe the organizational structure for managing the irradiator, specifically the
radiation safety responsibilities and authorities of the radiation safety officer and those management
personnel who have important radiation safety responsibilities or authorities. In particular, the application
must specify who, within the management structure, has the authority to stop unsafe operations. The
application must also describe the training and experience required for the position of radiation safety officer.
(e) The application must include a description of the access control systems required by 36.23, the
radiation monitors required by 36.29, the method of detecting leaking sources required by 36.59
including the sensitivity of the method, and a diagram of the facility that shows the locations of all required
interlocks and radiation monitors.
(f) If the applicant intends to perform leak testing of dry-source-storage sealed sources, the applicant shall
establish procedures for leak testing and submit a description of these procedures to the Commission. The
description must include the-(1) Instruments to be used;
(2) Methods of performing the analysis; and
(3) Pertinent experience of the individual who analyzes the samples.
(g) If licensee personnel are to load or unload sources, the applicant shall describe the qualifications and
training of the personnel and the procedures to be used. If the applicant intends to contract for source loading
or unloading at its facility, the loading or unloading must be done by an organization specifically authorized
by the Commission or an Agreement State to load or unload irradiator sources.
(h) The applicant shall describe the inspection and maintenance checks, including the frequency of the
checks required by 36.61.
[76 FR 56963, Sep. 15, 2011]
life or property or the common defense and security and are otherwise in the public interest.
(b) Any application for a license or for amendment of a license authorizing use of a teletherapy-type unit for
irradiation of materials or objects may include proposed alternatives for the requirements of this part. The
Commission will approve the proposed alternatives if the applicant provides adequate rationale for the
proposed alternatives and demonstrates that they are likely to provide an adequate level of safety for workers
and the public.
dimension, the test source must be subjected to a force of 2000 newtons at its center equidistant from two
support cylinders, the distance between which is 10 times the minimum cross-sectional dimension of the
source.
prevent access when the irradiator is not attended. Only operators and facility management may have access
to keys to the personnel access barrier. There must be an intrusion alarm to detect unauthorized entry when
the personnel access barrier is locked. Activation of the intrusion alarm must alert an individual (not
necessarily onsite) who is prepared to respond or summon assistance.
36.25 Shielding.
(a) The radiation dose rate in areas that are normally occupied during operation of a panoramic irradiator
may not exceed 0.02 millisievert (2 millirems) per hour at any location 30 centimeters or more from the wall
of the room when the sources are exposed. The dose rate must be averaged over an area not to exceed 100
square centimeters having no linear dimension greater than 20 cm. Areas where the radiation dose rate
exceeds 0.02 millisievert (2 millirems) per hour must be locked, roped off, or posted.
(b) The radiation dose at 30 centimeters over the edge of the pool of a pool irradiator may not exceed 0.02
millisievert (2 millirems) per hour when the sources are in the fully shielded position.
(c) The radiation dose rate at 1 meter from the shield of a dry-source-storage panoramic irradiator when the
source is shielded may not exceed 0.02 millisievert (2 millirems) per hour and at 5 centimeters from the
shield may not exceed 0.2 millisievert (20 millirems) per hour.
designed so that the key may not be removed if the sources are in an unshielded position. The door to the
radiation room must require the same key.
(b) The console of a panoramic irradiator must have a source position indicator that indicates when the
sources are in the fully shielded position, when they are in transit, and when the sources are exposed.
(c) The control console of a panoramic irradiator must have a control that promptly returns the sources to the
shielded position.
(d) Each control for a panoramic irradiator must be clearly marked as to its function.
provides the necessary discharge patterns, densities, and flow characteristics for complete coverage of the
radiation room and that the system is protected from mechanical and radiation damage.
(i) Source return. For panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall verify that the source rack will automatically
return to the fully shielded position if offsite power is lost for more than 10 seconds.
(j) Seismic. For panoramic irradiators to be built in seismic areas, the licensee shall design the reinforced
concrete radiation shields to retain their integrity in the event of an earthquake by designing to the seismic
requirements of an appropriate source such as American Concrete Institute Standard ACI 318-89, "Building
Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete," Chapter 21, "Special Provisions for Seismic Design," or local
building codes, if current.
(k) Wiring. For panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall verify that electrical wiring and electrical equipment
in the radiation room are selected to minimize failures due to prolonged exposure to radiation.
shielded. The licensee shall test the operability of the fire extinguishing system.
(i) Source return. For panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall demonstrate that the source racks can be
returned to their fully shielded positions without offsite power.
(j) Computer systems. For panoramic irradiators that use a computer system to control the access control
system, the licensee shall verify that the access control system will operate properly if offsite power is lost
and shall verify that the computer has security features that prevent an irradiator operator from commanding
the computer to override the access control system when it is required to be operable.
(k) Wiring. For panoramic irradiators, the licensee shall verify that the electrical wiring and electrical
equipment that were installed meet the design specifications.
gamma energy of the sources in use. The calibration must be done at two points on each scale or, for digital
instruments, at one point per decade over the range that will be used. Portable radiation survey meters must
be of a type that does not saturate and read zero at high radiation dose rates.
(d) Water from the irradiator pool, other potentially contaminated liquids, and sediments from pool
vacuuming must be monitored for radioactive contamination before release to unrestricted areas. Radioactive
concentrations must not exceed those specified in 10 CFR part 20, Table 2, Column 2 or Table 3 of appendix
B, "Annual Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs) of Radionuclides for
Occupational Exposure; Effluent Concentrations; Concentrations for Release to Sewerage."
(e) Before releasing resins for unrestricted use, they must be monitored before release in an area with a
background level less than 0.5 microsievert (0.05 millirem) per hour. The resins may be released only if the
survey does not detect radiation levels above background radiation levels. The survey meter used must be
capable of detecting radiation levels of 0.5 microsievert (0.05 millirem) per hour.
(a) The licensee shall perform inspection and maintenance checks that include, as a minimum, each of the
following at the frequency specified in the license or license application:
(1) Operability of each aspect of the access control system required by 36.23.
(2) Functioning of the source position indicator required by 36.31(b).
(3) Operability of the radiation monitor for radioactive contamination in pool water required by 36.59(b)
using a radiation check source, if applicable.
(4) Operability of the over-pool radiation monitor at underwater irradiators as required by 36.29(b).
(5) Operability of the product exit monitor required by 36.29(a).
(6) Operability of the emergency source return control required by 36.31(c).
(7) Leak-tightness of systems through which pool water circulates (visual inspection).
(8) Operability of the heat and smoke detectors and extinguisher system required by 36.27 (but without
turning extinguishers on).
(9) Operability of the means of pool water replenishment required by 36.33(c).
(10) Operability of the indicators of high and low pool water levels required by 36.33(d).
(11) Operability of the intrusion alarm required by 36.23(i), if applicable.
(12) Functioning and wear of the system, mechanisms, and cables used to raise and lower sources.
(13) Condition of the barrier to prevent products from hitting the sources or source mechanism as required
by 36.35.
(14) Amount of water added to the pool to determine if the pool is leaking.
(15) Electrical wiring on required safety systems for radiation damage.
(16) Pool water conductivity measurements and analysis as required by 36.63(b).
(b) Malfunctions and defects found during inspection and maintenance checks must be repaired without
undue delay.
(a) Both an irradiator operator and at least one other individual, who is trained on how to respond and
prepared to promptly render or summon assistance if the access control alarm sounds, shall be present onsite:
(1) Whenever the irradiator is operated using an automatic product conveyor system; and
(2) Whenever the product is moved into or out of the radiation room when the irradiator is operated in a
batch mode.
(b) At a panoramic irradiator at which static irradiations (no movement of the product) are occurring, a
person who has received the training on how to respond to alarms described in 36.51(g) must be onsite.
(c) At an underwater irradiator, an irradiator operator must be present at the facility whenever the product is
moved into or out of the pool. Individuals who move the product into or out of the pool of an underwater
irradiator need not be qualified as irradiator operators; however, they must have received the training
described in 36.51 (f) and (g). Static irradiations may be performed without a person present at the facility.
Subpart E--Records
36.81 Records and retention periods.
The licensee shall maintain the following records at the irradiator for the periods specified.
(a) A copy of the license, license conditions, documents incorporated into a license by reference, and
amendments thereto until superseded by new documents or until the Commission terminates the license for
documents not superseded.
(b) Records of each individual's training, tests, and safety reviews provided to meet the requirements of
36.51(a), (b), (c), (d), (f), and (g) until 3 years after the individual terminates work.
(c) Records of the annual evaluations of the safety performance of irradiator operators required by 36.51(e)
for 3 years after the evaluation.
(d) A copy of the current operating and emergency procedures required by 36.53 until superseded or the
Commission terminates the license. Records of the radiation safety officer's review and approval of changes
in procedures as required by 36.53(c)(3) retained for 3 years from the date of the change.
(e) Evaluations of personnel dosimeters required by 36.55 until the Commission terminates the license.
(f) Records of radiation surveys required by 36.57 for 3 years from the date of the survey.
(g) Records of radiation survey meter calibrations required by 36.57 and pool water conductivity meter
calibrations required by 36.63(b) until 3 years from the date of calibration.
(h) Records of the results of leak tests required by 36.59(a) and the results of contamination checks
required by 36.59(b) for 3 years from the date of each test.
(i) Records of inspection and maintenance checks required by 36.61 for 3 years.
(j) Records of major malfunctions, significant defects, operating difficulties or irregularities, and major
operating problems that involve required radiation safety equipment for 3 years after repairs are completed.
(k) Records of the receipt, transfer and disposal, of all licensed sealed sources as required by 30.51 and
30.41.
(l) Records on the design checks required by 36.39 and the construction control checks as required by
36.41 until the license is terminated. The records must be signed and dated. The title or qualification of the
person signing must be included.
(m) Records related to decommissioning of the irradiator as required by 30.35(g).
[58 FR 7728, Feb. 9, 1993, as amended at 65 FR 63752, Oct. 24, 2000]
36.83 Reports.
(a) In addition to the reporting requirements in other parts of NRC regulations, the licensee shall report the
following events if not reported under other parts of NRC regulations:
(1) Source stuck in an unshielded position.
(2) Any fire or explosion in a radiation room.
(3) Damage to the source racks.
(4) Failure of the cable or drive mechanism used to move the source racks.
(5) Inoperability of the access control system.
Subpart F--Enforcement
36.91 Violations.
(a) The Commission may obtain an injunction or other court order to prevent a violation of the provisions
of-(1) The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended;
(2) Title II of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended; or
(3) A regulation or order issued pursuant to those Acts.
(b) The Commission may obtain a court order for the payment of a civil penalty imposed under section 234
of the Atomic Energy Act:
(1) For violations of-(i) Sections 53, 57, 62, 63, 81, 82, 101, 103, 104, 107, or 109 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended;
(ii) Section 206 of the Energy Reorganization Act;
(iii) Any rule, regulation, or order issued pursuant to the sections specified in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this
section;
(iv) Any term, condition, or limitation of any license issued under the sections specified in paragraph
(b)(1)(i) of this section.
(2) For any violation for which a license may be revoked under section 186 of the Atomic Energy Act of
1954, as amended.