Abnormal Situation: Unplanned event or condition that adversely affects, potentially affects, or indicates degradation in the safety, security, environmental or health protection perfom1ance or operation of a facility.
Absorbed dose (D): The energy absorbed by matter from ionizing radiation per unit mass of irradiated material at the place of interest in that material. The absorbed dose is expressed in units of rad (or gray) (1 rad = 0.01 gray).
Accountable sealed radioactive source: A sealed radioactive source having a half-life equal to or greater than 30 days and an isotopic activity equal to or greater than the corresponding value provided in appendix E of this part.
Activation: Process of producing a radioactive material by bombardment with neutrons, protons or other nuclear particles.
Administrative control level: A numerical dose constraint established at a level below the regulatory limits to administratively control and helps reduce individual and collective dose.
Airborne radioactive material or airborne radioactivity: Radioactive material dispersed in the air in the form of dusts, fumes, particulates, mists, vapors, or gases.
Airborne radioactivity area: Any area, accessible to individuals, where:
(1) The concentration of airborne radioactivity, above natural background, exceeds or is likely to exceed the derived air concentration (DAC) values listed in appendix A or appendix C of this part; or
(2) An individual present in the area without respiratory protection could receive an intake exceeding 12 DAC-hours in a week.
ALARA: "As Low As is Reasonably Achievable," which is the approach to radiation protection to manage and control exposures (both individual and collective) to the work force and to the general public to as low as is reasonable, taking into account social, technical, economic, practical, and public policy considerations. As used in this part, ALARA is not a dose limit but a process which has the objective of attaining doses as far below the applicable limits of this part as is reasonably achievable.
ALARA Committee: Multidiscipline forum that reviews and advises management on improving progress toward minimizing radiation exposure and radiological releases.
Ambient Air: The general air in the area of interest (e.g., the general room atmosphere),as distinct from a specific stream or volume of air that may have different properties.
Annual limit on intake (ALI): The derived limit for the amount of radioactive material taken into the body of an adult worker by inhalation or ingestion in a year. ALl is the smaller value of intake of a given radionuclide in a year by the reference man (ICRP Publication 23) that would result in a committed effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (0.05 sievert) or a committed dose equivalent of 50 rems (0.50 sievert) to any individual organ or tissue.
Assessment: Evaluation or appraisal of a process, program or activity to estimate its acceptability.
Background: Radiation from:
Becquerel (bq): The International System (SI) unit for activity of radioactive material. One becquerel is that quantity of radioactive material in which one atom is transformed per second or undergoes one disintegration per second.
Bioassay: The determination of the kinds, quantities, or concentrations, and, in some cases, locations of radioactive material in the human body, whether by direct measurement or by analysis and evaluation of radioactive materials excreted or removed from the human body.
Calibration: To adjust and/or determine either:
Collective dose: The sum of the total effective dose equivalent values for all individuals in a specified population. Collective dose is expressed in units of person-rem (or person-sievert).
Committed dose equivalent (HT,50): The dose equivalent calculated to be received by a tissue or organ over a 50-year period after the intake of a radionuclide into the body. It does not include contributions from radiation sources external to the body. Committed dose equivalent is expressed in units of rem (or sievert) (1 rem = 0.01 sievert).
Committed effective dose equivalent (HE,50): The sum of the committed dose equivalents to various tissues in the body (HT,50), each multiplied by the appropriate weighting factor (wT)-that is, HE,50=wTHT,50. Committed effective dose equivalent is expressed in units of rem (or sievert).
Company-issued clothing: Clothing provided by the company, such as work coveralls and shoes. For radiological control purposes, company-issued clothing shall be considered the same as personal clothing.
Containment device: Barrier such as a glovebag, glovebox or tent for inhibiting the release of radioactive material from a specific location.
Contamination area: Any area, accessible to individuals, where removable surface contamination levels exceed or are likely to exceed the removable surface contamination values specified in appendix D of this part, but do not exceed 100 times those values.
Contamination reduction corridor: A defined pathway though a hazardous waste site contamination reduction zone where decontamination occurs.
Contamination survey: Use of swipes or direct instrument surveys to identify and quantify radioactive material on personnel, on equipment or in areas.
Continuing training: Training scheduled over a specified time such as over a two-year period for the purpose of maintaining and in1proving technical knowledge and skills.
Continuous air monitor (CAM): An instrument that continuously samples and measures the levels of airborne radioactive materials on a "real-time" basis and has alarm capabilities at preset levels.
Contractor: Any entity under contract with the Department of Energy with the responsibility to perform activities at a DOE site or facility.
Contractor senior site executive: The person at a DOE contractor-operated facility or site who has final on-site corporate authority and is often called President, General Manager, Site Manager or Director.
Controlled area: Any area to which access is managed by or for DOE to protect individuals from exposure to radiation and/or radioactive material.
Conventionally true value of a quantity: The commonly accepted, best estin1ate of the true value of a quantity. The conventionally true value and the associated uncertainty will normally be determined by comparison with a national or transfer standard, using a reference instrument that has been calibrated against a national or transfer standard.
Counseling: Advice, information exchange and guidance provided to employees on radiologically related topics, such as dose perspectives; potential health effects from radiation exposure; skin contaminations; contaminated wounds; internally deposited radioactivity; pregnancy; and radiation exposure. This advice and guidance is normally provided by knowledgeable, senior professionals from the Radiological Control Organization and other organizations, such as Medical, as appropriate.
Critical mass: The smallest mass of fissionable material that will support a self-sustaining chain reaction under specified conditions.
Critique: Meetings of personnel involved in or knowledgeable about an event (either a success or an abnormal event) to document a chronological listing of the facts.
Cumulative total effective dose equivalent: The sum of all total effective dose equivalent values recorded for an individual, where available, for each year occupational dose was received, beginning January 1, 1989.
Declared pregnant worker: A woman who has voluntarily declared to her employer, in writing, her pregnancy for the purpose of being subject to the occupational exposure limits to the embryo/fetus as provided in §835.206. This declaration may be revoked, in writing, at any time by the declared pregnant worker.
Decontamination: Process of removing radioactive contamination and materials from personnel, equipment or areas.
Deep dose equivalent: The dose equivalent derived from external radiation at a depth of 1 cm in tissue.
Derived air concentration (DAC): For the radionuclides listed in appendix A of this part, the airborne concentration that equals the ALl divided by the volume of air breathed by an average worker for a working year of2000 hours (assuming a breathing volume of 2400 m3). For the radionuclides listed in appendix C of this part, the air immersion DACs were calculated for a continuous, non-shielded exposure via in1mersion in a semi-infinite atmospheric cloud.
Derived air concentration-hour (DAC-hour): The product of the concentration of radioactive material in air (expressed as a fraction or multiple of the DAC for each radionuclide) and the time of exposure to that radionuclide, in hours.
Disintegration per minute (dpm): The rate of emission by radioactive material as determined by correcting the counts per minute observed by an appropriate detector for background, efficiency, and geometric factors associated with the instrumentation.
DOE activity: An activity taken for or by DOE in a DOE operation or facility that has the potential to result in the occupational exposure of an individual to radiation or radioactive material. The activity may be, but is not limited to, design, construction, operation, or decommissioning. To the extent appropriate, the activity may involve a single DOE facility or operation or a combination of facilities and operations, possibly including an entire site or multiple DOE sites.
DOELAP: Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program for personnel dosimetry.
Dose: A general term for absorbed dose, dose equivalent, effective dose equivalent, committed dose equivalent, committed effective dose equivalent, or total effective dose equivalent as defined in this part.
Dose assessment: Process of determining radiological dose and uncertainty included in the dose estimate, through the use of exposure scenarios, bioassay results, monitoring data, source term information and pathway analysis.
Dose equivalent (H): The product of absorbed dose (D) in rad (or gray) in tissue, a quality factor (Q), and other modifying factors (N). Dose equivalent is expressed in units of rem (or sievert) (1 rem = 0.01 sievert).
Effective dose equivalent (HE): The summation of the products of the dose equivalent received by specified tissues of the body (HT) and the appropriate weighting factor (wT)--that is, HE = wTHT. It includes the dose from radiation sources internal and/or external to the body. For purposes of compliance with this part, deep dose equivalent to the whole body may be used as effective dose equivalent for external exposures. The effective dose equivalent is expressed in units of rem (or sievert).
Embryo/fetus: Developing human organism from conception until birth. Same as unborn child.
Engineering controls: Use of components and systems to reduce airborne radioactivity and the spread of contamination by using piping, containments, ventilation, filtration or shielding.
Entrance or access point: Any location through which an individual could gain access to areas controlled for the purposes of radiation protection. This includes entry or exit portals of sufficient size to permit human entry, irrespective of their intended use.
External dose or exposure: That portion of the dose equivalent received from radiation sources outside the body (e.g., "external sources").
Extremity: Hands and arms below the elbow or feet and legs below the knee.
Facility: For the purpose of this Manual, a facility includes systems, buildings, utilities, and related activities whose use is directed to a common purpose at a single location. Example include: accelerators, storage areas, test loops, nuclear reactors, radioactive waste disposal systems and burial grounds, testing laboratories, research laboratories, and accommodations for analytical examinations of components. Also includes: pipelines, ponds, impoundments, landfills and the like, and motor vehicles, rolling stock, and aircraft.
Filter integrity test: Test performed on High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters to identify any damage to the filter or leakage around the filter.
Fixed contamination: Radioactive material that cannot be readily removed from surfaces by nondestructive means, such as casual contact, wiping, brushing or laundering.
Flash X-ray unit: Any device that is capable of generating pulsed X-rays.
Frisk or frisking: Process of monitoring personnel for contamination. Frisking can be performed with hand-held survey instruments, automated monitoring devices or by a Radiological Control Technician.
General employee: An individual who is either a DOE or DOE contractor employee; an employee of a subcontractor to a DOE contractor; or an individual who performs work for or in conjunction with DOE or utilizes DOE facilities.
Gestation period: The time from conception to birth, approximately 9 months.
Gray (Gy): SI unit of absorbed dose. One gray is equal to an absorbed dose of 1 joule per kilogram (100 rads).
High contamination area: Any area, accessible to individuals, where removable surface contamination levels exceed or are likely to exceed 100 times the removable surface contamination values specified in appendix D of this part.
High radiation area: Any area, accessible to individuals, in which radiation levels could result in an individual receiving a deep dose equivalent in excess of 0.1 rem (0.001 sievert) in 1 hour at 30 centimeters from the radiation source or from any surface that the radiation penetrates.
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter: Throwaway extended pleated medium dry-type filter with 1) a rigid casing enclosing the full depth of the pleats, 2) a minimum particle removal efficiency of 99.97 percent for thermally generated monodisperse di-octyl phlalate smoke particles with a diameter of 0.3 micrometer, and 3) a maximum pressure drop of 1.0 inch w.g. when clean and operated at its rated airflow capacity.
Hot particle: Fuel, activated corrosion products, other particles of small size that have a high specific activity as a result of nuclear fission neutron activation or activation by exposure to particles or radiation from an accelerator.
Hot spot: Localized source of radiation or radioactive material normally within facility piping or equipment. The radiation levels of hot spots exceed the general area radiation level by more than a factor of 5 and are greater than 100 mrem (1 mSv) per hour on contact.
Individual: Any human being.
Infrequent or first-time activities: Radiological work activities or operations that require special Management attention and consideration of new or novel radiological controls. The designation of infrequent or first-time activities is specifically applicable to facilities that conduct routine and recurring process operations, and is not applicable to facilities that routinely conduct first-time activities, such as experimental or research facilities.
Internal dose or exposure: That portion of the dose equivalent received from radioactive material taken into the body (e.g., "internal sources").
Irradiator: Sealed radioactive material used to irradiate other materials that have the potential to create a radiation level exceeding 500 rad (5 grays) in I hour at 1 meter. Although not addressed in this Manual, acceptable radiological controls for irradiator use are specified in Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20.1603.
Lens of the eye dose equivalent: The external exposure of the lens of the eye and is taken as the dose equivalent at a tissue depth of 0.3 cm.
Lifetime dose: Total occupational exposure over a worker’s lifetime, including external and committed internal dose.
Low-level waste: Waste that contains radioactivity and is not classified as high-level waste, transuranic waste, spent nuclear fuel or byproduct material as defined in Section 11e(2) of the Atomic Energy Act, as amended. Test specimens of fissionable material irradiated only for research and development and not for production of power or plutonium may be classified as low-level waste provided the concentration of transuranic activity is less than 100 nCi/g.
Member of the public: An individual who is not a general employee. An individual is not a "member of the public" during any period in which the individual receives an occupational dose.
Minor: An individual less than 18 years of age.
Mixed waste: Waste containing both radioactive and hazardous components as defined by the Atomic Energy Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, respectively.
Monitoring: The measurement of radiation levels, airborne radioactivity concentrations, radioactive contamination levels, quantities of radioactive material, or individual doses and the use of the results of these measurements to evaluate radiological hazards or potential and actual doses resulting from exposures to ionizing radiation.
Nonstochastic effects: Effects due to radiation exposure for which the severity varies with the dose and for which a threshold normally exists (e.g., radiation-induced opacities within the lens of the eye).
Nuclear criticality: A self-sustaining chain reaction, i.e., the state in which the effective neutron multiplication constant of system of fissionable material equals or exceeds unity.
Occupational dose: An individual's dose due to exposure to ionizing radiation (external and internal) as a result of that individual's work assignment. Occupational dose does not include planned special exposures, exposure received as a medical patient, background radiation, or voluntary participation in medical research programs.
Person: Any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, group, Government agency, any State or political subdivision of, or any political entity within a State, any foreign government or nation or other entity, and any legal successor, representative, agent or agency of the foregoing; provided that person does not include the Department or the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Personal protective equipment: Equipment such as respirators, face shields and safety glasses used to protect workers from excessive exposure to radioactive or hazardous materials.
Personnel dosimetry: Devices designed to be worn by a single person for the assessment of dose equivalent such as film badges, thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLDs), and pocket ionization chambers.
Personnel monitoring: Systematic and periodic estimate of radiation dose received by personnel during working hours. Also, the monitoring of personnel, their excretions, skin or any part of their clothing to determine the amount of radioactivity present.
Planned special exposure: Preplanned, infrequent exposure to radiation, separate from and in addition to the annual dose limits.
Prefilter: Filter that provides first stage air filtration to remove larger particulates and prolong the efficient use of a HEPA filter.
Prenatal radiation exposure: The exposure of an embryo/fetus to radiation.
Primary dosimeter: A dosimeter worn on the body used to obtain the formal record of whole body radiation dose.
Protective clothing: Clothing provided to personnel to minimize the potential for skin, personal and company issued clothing contamination. Also referred to as "anticontamination clothing," "anti-Cs" and "PCs."
Public: Any individual or group of individuals who is not occupationally exposed to radiation or radioactive material. An individual is not a "member of the public" during any period in which the individual receives an occupational dose.
Qualification standard: The explicit performance requirements for minimum proficiency in technical, academic, and site- specific knowledge and practical skills used in determining satisfactory completion of training programs. The qualification standard is used to qualify radiological control technicians (RCTs) at DOE facilities.
Quality factor: The modifying factor used to calculate the dose equivalent from the absorbed dose; the absorbed dose (expressed in rad or gray) is multiplied by the appropriate quality factor. When spectral data are insufficient to identify the energy of the neutrons, a quality factor of 10 shall be used.
Rad: Unit of absorbed dose. One rad is equal to an absorbed dose of 100 ergs per gram or 0.01 joules per kilogram (0.01 gray).
Radiation: ionizing radiation means alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, X- rays, neutrons, high- speed electrons, high-speed protons, and other particles capable of producing ions. Radiation as used in this part, does not include non-ionizing radiation, such as radio- or micro-waves, or visible, infrared, or ultraviolet light.
Radiation area: Any area accessible to individuals in which radiation levels could result in an individual receiving a deep dose equivalent in excess of 0.005 rem (0.05millisievert) in 1 hour at 30 centimeters from the source or from any surface that the radiation penetrates.
Radiation survey: Measurement with instrumentation to evaluate and assess the presence of radioactive materials or other sources of radiation under a specific set of conditions.
Radioactive material: For the purposes of this Manual, radioactive material includes any material, equipment or system component determined to be contaminated or suspected of being contaminated. Radioactive material also includes activated material, sealed and unsealed sources, and material that emits radiation.
Radioactive material area: Any area within a controlled area, accessible to individuals, in which items or containers of radioactive material exist and the total activity of radioactive material exceeds the applicable values provided in Appendix 2F of this part.
Radioactive material transportation: The movement of radioactive material by aircraft, rail, vessel, or highway vehicle when such movement is subject to Department of Transportation regulations or DOE Orders that governs such movements. Radioactive material transportation does not include preparation of material or packaging for transportation, monitoring required by this part, storage of material awaiting transportation, or application of markings and labels required for transportation.
Radioactive waste: Solid, liquid or gaseous material that contains radionuclides regulated under the Atomic Energy Act, as amended, and is of negligible economic value considering the cost of recovery.
Radioactivity: A natural and spontaneous process by which the unstable atoms of an element emit or radiate excess energy from their nuclei and, thus, change (or decay) to atoms of a different element or to a lower energy state of the same element.
Radiography: Examination of the structure of materials by nondestructive methods, using a radioactive source or a radiation generating device.
Radiological area: Any area within a controlled area defined in this section as a "radiation area," "high radiation area," "very high radiation area," "contamination area," "high contamination area," or "airborne radioactivity area."
Radiological buffer area (RBA): An intermediate area established to prevent the spread of radioactive contamination and to protect personnel from radiation exposure.
Radiological control hold point: Cautionary step in a technical work document requiring the radiological control organization to perform some action or verification. The radiological control hold point requirements should be satisfactorily completed before the work is continued.
Radiological posting: Sign, marking, or label that indicates the presence or potential presence of radiation or radioactive materials.
Radiological work: Any work that requires the handling of radioactive material or which requires access to Radiation Areas, High Radiation Areas, Contamination Areas, High Contamination Areas or Airborne Radioactivity Areas.
Radiological work permit (RWP): Permit that identifies radiological conditions, establishes worker protection and monitoring requirements, and contains specific approvals for radiological work activities. The Radiological Work Permit serves as an administrative process for planning and controlling radiological work and informing the worker of the radiological conditions.
Radiological worker: A general employee whose job assignment involves operation of radiation producing devices or working with radioactive materials, or who is likely to be routinely occupationally exposed above 0.1 rem (0.001 sievert) per year total effective dose equivalent.
Real-time air monitoring: Measurement of the concentrations or quantities of airborne radioactive materials on a continuous basis.
Refresher training: Training scheduled on the alternate year when full retraining is not completed for Radiological Worker I and Radiological Worker 11 personnel.
Release to uncontrolled areas: Release of material from administrative control after confirming that the residual radioactive material meets the guidelines in DOE 5400.5.
REM: Unit of dose equivalent. Dose equivalent in rem is numerically equal to the absorbed dose in rad multiplied by a quality factor, distribution factor and any other necessary modifying factor (1 rem = 0.01 sievert).
Removable contamination: Radioactive material that can be removed from surfaces by nondestructive means, such as casual contact, wiping, brushing or washing.
Representative sample: A sample that closely approximates both the concentration of activity and the physical and chemical properties of material (e.g., particle size and solubility in case of air sampling of the aerosol to which workers may be exposed).
Respiratory protective device: An apparatus, such as a respirator, worn by an individual for the purpose of reducing the individual's intake of airborne radioactive materials.
Respiratory protective equipment: Equipment used to protect personnel from inhalation of radioactive or hazardous materials.
Sealed radioactive source: A radioactive source manufactured, obtained, or retained for the purpose of utilizing the emitted radiation. The sealed radioactive source consists of a known or estimated quantity of radioactive material contained within a sealed capsule, sealed between layer(s) of nonradioactive material, or firmly fixed to a non-radioactive surface by electroplating or other means intended to prevent leakage or escape of the radioactive material. Sealed radioactive sources do not include reactor fuel elements, nuclear explosive devices, and radioisotope thermoelectric generators.
Shallow dose equivalent: The dose equivalent deriving from external radiation at a depth of 0.007 cm in tissue.
Sievert (Sv): SI unit of any of the quantities expressed as dose equivalent. The dose equivalent in sieverts is equal to the absorbed dose in grays multiplied by the quality factor (1 Sv = 100 rems).
Site: An area managed by DOE where access can be limited for any reason. The site boundary encompasses Controlled Areas.
Source leak test: A test to determine if a sealed radioactive source is leaking radioactive material.
Source, sealed: Radioactive material that is contained in a sealed capsule, sealed between layers of nonradioactive material or firmly fixed to a nonradioactive surface by electroplating or other means. The confining barrier prevents dispersion of the radioactive material under normal and most accidental conditions related to use of the source.
Standard radiation symbols: Symbols designed and proportioned as illustrated in accordance with ANSI N2.1 for radiation symbols and ANSI N12.1 for fissile material.
Step-off pad Transition area between contaminated and non-contaminated areas that is used to allow exit of personnel and removal of equipment.
Sticky pad: Step-off pad provided with a tacky surface to reduce the potential for inadvertently tracking contamination out of a contaminated area.
Stochastic effects: Malignant and hereditary diseases for which the probability of an effect occurring, rather than its severity, is regarded as a function of dose without a threshold for radiation protection purposes.
Survey: An evaluation of the radiological conditions and potential hazards incident to the production, use, transfer, release, disposal, or presence of radioactive material or other sources of radiation. When appropriate, such an evaluation includes a physical survey of the location of radioactive material and measurements or calculations of levels of radiation, or concentrations or quantities of radioactive material present.
Technical work document: A term used to generically identify formally approved documents that direct work, such as procedures, work packages, or job or research plans.
Thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD): Radiation monitoring device used to record the radiological exposure of personnel or areas to certain types of radiation.
Total effective dose equivalent (TEDE): The sum of the effective dose equivalent (for external exposures) and the committed effective dose equivalent (for internal exposures).
Very high radiation: area Any area, accessible to individuals, in which radiation levels could result in an individual receiving an absorbed dose in excess of 500 rads (5 grays) in one hour at I meter from a radiation source or from any surface that the radiation penetrates.
Visitor: Person requesting access to Controlled Areas who has not been trained to the level required to permit unescorted access.
Week: A period of seven consecutive days.
Weighing factor (WT): Weighting factor (WT) means the fraction of the overall health risk, resulting from uniform, whole body irradiation, attributable to specific tissue (T). The dose equivalent to tissue, (HT), is multiplied by the appropriate weighting factor to obtain the effective dose equivalent contribution from that tissue.
Whole body: For the purposes of external exposure, head, trunk (including male gonads), arms above and including the elbow, or legs above and including the knee.
Whole body: dose The sum of the annual deep dose equivalent for external exposures and the committed effective dose equivalent for internal exposures.
Year: The period of time beginning on or near January 1 and ending on or near December 31 of that same year used to determine compliance with the provisions of this part. The starting and ending date of the year used to determine compliance may be changed provided that the change is made at the beginning of the year and that no day is omitted or duplicated in consecutive years.