Chapter 481. Virginia Radiation Protection Regulations

Statutory Authority§ 32.1-229 of the Code of Virginia.

(Repealed.)

Article 8 Respiratory Protection and Controls to Restrict Internal Exposure in Restricted Areas The licensee shall use, to the extent practical, process or other engineering controls (e.g., containment, decontamination, or ventilation) to control the concentration of radioactive …

A. When it is not practical to apply process or other engineering controls to control the concentrations of radioactive material in the air to values below those that define an airborne radioactivity area, the licensee shall, consistent with maintaining the total effective dose e…

A. If the licensee assigns or permits the use of respiratory protection equipment to limit the intake of radioactive material: 1. The licensee shall use only respiratory protection equipment that is tested and certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health…

Article 9 Security and Control of Licensed or Registered Sources of Radiation A. The licensee shall: 1. Secure radioactive material from unauthorized removal or access when stored in controlled or unrestricted areas. 2. Control and maintain constant surveillance and use devices o…

Article 10 Precautionary Procedures A. Unless otherwise authorized by the agency, the symbol prescribed by this section shall use the colors magenta, purple, or black on a yellow background. The symbol prescribed by this section is the three-bladed design: 1. The cross-hatched ar…

A. Licensees shall post each radiation area with a conspicuous sign or signs bearing the radiation symbol as described in 12VAC5-481-850 and the words "CAUTION, RADIATION AREA." B. Licensees shall post each high radiation area with a conspicuous sign or signs bearing the radiatio…

A. Licensees are not required to post caution signs in areas or rooms containing radioactive materials for periods of less than eight hours, if the following conditions are met: 1. The materials are constantly attended during these periods by an individual who takes the precautio…

A. Licensees shall ensure that each container of licensed material bears a durable, clearly visible label bearing the radiation symbol as described in 12VAC5-481-850 and the words "CAUTION, RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL" or "DANGER, RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL." The label shall also provide suff…

Licensees are not required to label: 1. Containers holding licensed material in quantities less than the quantities listed in 12VAC5-481-3700; 2. Containers holding licensed material in concentrations less than those specified in Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 20; 3. Containers attend…

A. The agency may, upon application or upon its own initiative, grant such exemptions or exceptions from the requirements of these regulations as it determines are authorized by law and will not result in undue hazard to public health and safety or property. B. Any Department of …

A. Licensees who expect to receive a package containing quantities of radioactive material in excess of a Type A quantity, as defined in 12VAC5-481-10 and 12VAC5-481-3770, shall make arrangements to receive: 1. The package when the carrier offers it for delivery; or 2. Notificati…

Article 11 Waste Disposal A. Licensees shall dispose of licensed material only in the following ways: 1. By transfer to an authorized recipient as provided in 12VAC5-481-570; 2. By decay in storage; 3. By release in effluents within the limits of 12VAC5-481-720; or 4. As authoriz…

A licensee or registrant or applicant for a license or registration may apply to the agency for approval of proposed procedures, not otherwise authorized in these regulations, to dispose of licensed or registered material generated in the licensee's or registrant's operations. Ea…

A. Licensees may discharge licensed material into sanitary sewerage if each of the following conditions is satisfied: 1. The licensed or other radioactive material is readily soluble or is readily dispersible biological material in water; 2. The quantity of licensed or other radi…

Licensees may treat or dispose of licensed material by incineration only if the material is in a form or concentration specified in 12VAC5-481-950, or as specifically approved by the agency pursuant to 12VAC5-481-920.Statutory Authority§ 32.1-229 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Licensees may dispose of the following licensed material as if it were not radioactive: 1. 0.05 μCi (1.85 kBq) or less of hydrogen-3 or carbon-14 per gram of medium used for liquid scintillation counting; and 2. 0.05 μCi (1.85 kBq) or less of hydrogen-3 or carbon-14 per gram o…

A. The requirements of this section and 12VAC5-481-3710 are designed to accomplish the following: 1. Control transfers of low level radioactive waste by any waste generator, waste collector, or waste processor licensee that ships low level waste either directly or indirectly thro…

Nothing in this part relieves the licensee from complying with other applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing any other toxic or hazardous properties of materials that may be disposed of under this part.Statutory Authority§ 32.1-229 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Licensed material meeting the definition in subdivisions 3 and 4 of the definition of "byproduct material" in 12VAC5-481-10 may be disposed of in accordance with Part XI (12VAC5-481-2330 et seq.) of this chapter, even though it is not defined as low level radioactive waste. Th…

Article 12 Records A. Licensees shall (i) use the units curie, rad, rem, and roentgen, including multiples and subdivisions, and may include the International System of Units (SI) units (Becquerel, gray, sievert, and coulomb per kilogram) and (ii) clearly indicate the units of al…

A. Licensees shall maintain records of the radiation protection program, including: 1. The provisions of the program; and 2. Audits and other reviews of program content and implementation. B. Licensees shall retain the records required by subdivision A 1 of this section until the…