[ RadSafe ] cesium 137 check source rate

[Ed Stroud]

All,
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the fact that the 10 microcurie check source is probably an exempt source - meaning that it is exempt from most, but not all, of the regulations. For example, it is not exempt from the USDOT regulations, however, anyone can possess it without a license. It is not subject to most of the NRC and Agreement State requirements, including 10CFR20.  I'm not saying that I agree with the NRC's exempt quantity rules, but there they are. 

Ed Stroud, Compliance Lead
Radioactive Materials Unit
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 

>>> <blreider at aol.com> 8/18/2010 11:54 AM >>>

I see all sorts of little strings of thoughts here and perhaps they should be tied together.  People have commented on compliance, technical basis and procedural issues.  Curiosity has initated thoughts of why a source was mailed to you, what are you doing with the source?  Why do you need conact dose rates? 


Anyway here goes my unrequested advice.  Perhaps you have done all of this, in which case please forgive my butting in!

For any program involving radioactive substances or radiation generating devices the following are necessary:

1.  Knowledge of all governing regulations and requirements for the materials and tasks.
2.  Technical basis defining type and form of hazards, use of materials, measurement methods and sensitivities of measurement methods. 
3.  Procedure for implementing the above.

Of course these do not need to be extensive for low hazad items and there are lots of documents online regarding point sources of Cs137, so no need to reinvent the wheel.  

Barbara Reider, CHP






-----Original Message-----
From: Dixon, John E. (CDC/ONDIEH/NCEH) (CDC/ONDIEH/NCEH) <gyf7 at cdc.gov>
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Sent: Wed, Aug 18, 2010 1:16 pm
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] cesium 137 check source rate


Hopefully, whomever shipped it did so with appropriate controls and
onitoring. Was this a US shipped source within the USA? I 'd like to
now what was done upon its receipt.
Regards,
ohn Dixon
-----Original Message-----
rom: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu 
mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of William Lipton
ent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 12:36 PM
o: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
ubject: Re: [ RadSafe ] cesium 137 check source rate
I question the wisdom of handling a source without proper survey
nstruments.  The source could be mislabeled.  Even worse, it could be
eaking, in which case you've contaminated yourself and your facility by
ow.
Bill Lipton
t's not about dose, it's about trust.

On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 4:21 AM, Harley Vance <harleyvance at ymail.com>
rote:
> I just got a cesium 10 microcurie test source in the mail, and I
aven't
 gotten my geiger counter yet.
 My question is, what is the approximate rate of radiation at the
urface of
 the disc?

 It is blue and I believe it is encased in some kind of epoxy.

 Thanks!




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