RE: Airborne Radioactivity Area and radon

[epirad@mchsi.com]

Tom,



I am just quoting from the 10 year old interpretation 

below.



http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?

p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=20874&p_text_version=FALSE



October 6, 1992 



Mr. Richard A. Schreiber 

Georgia Radon Program 

DHR Environmental Health 

878 Peachtree Street, NE - Room 100 

Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3917





Dear Mr. Schreiber: 



We regret the delay in responding to your letter of 

March 19, to Ms. Cynthia Wolff, Atlanta Regional Office, 

requesting clarification of the Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration's (OSHA) Ionizing Radiation 

Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1096. 



Regarding the definition of "airborne radioactivity 

area" in 1910.1096(e)(4)(i)(a-b), an area is to be 

posted as an airborne radioactivity area if an employee 

is in the area for 40 hours during a week and is exposed 

to radioactive levels in excess of 25 percent of the 

concentration specified in column 1 of Table 1 of 

Appendix B to 10 CFR 20. 



For example, an airborne radioactivity area would exist 

in an area where an employee worked for 40 hours per 

week and the radon-222 concentration in the area 

exceeded 7.5 picocuries per liter. An airborne 

radioactivity area requires employee monitoring and 

restricted access to the area by the public. 



We will answer your specific questions in the order that 

you asked them. 



1. Does this regulation apply to all businesses not 

specifically excluded now? 



The standard applies to all employers covered by the 

Occupational Safety and Health Act, except agriculture 

employers, who (1) possess, use, or transfer sources of 

ionizing radiation, or (2) possess, use, or transport 

radioactive material not licensed by the Nuclear 

Regulatory Commission (NRC). 



2. Is it the intent of this regulation to apply the 

definition of "airborne radioactivity area" to areas 

with airborne Naturally Occurring Radioactivity Material 

(NORM)? 



29 CFR 1910.1096 covers NORM. Accordingly, the 

definition of airborne radioactivity area applies to 

areas that contain airborne NORM. 



3. Is it the intent of the regulation to use inhalation 

values of the referenced 10 CFR 20 since the regulation 

has been revised? 



The inhalation values incorporated in 29 CFR 1910.1096 

are those that were in 10 CFR 20 in 1971 when OSHA 

promulgated the standard. 



We appreciate the opportunity to clarify these matters 

for you. 



Sincerely, 







Ruth McCully, Director 

Office of Health Compliance Assistance





> It would not be an "Airbone Radioactivity Area" for NRC licensees unless the

> source of the radon was licensed materials.  See definitions of "Airborne

> Radioactivity Area", "Occupational Dose", and "Background Radiation" in 10

> CFR Part 20.

> 

> Tom

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: epirad@mchsi.com [mailto:epirad@mchsi.com]

> Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 1:20 PM

> To: RadSafe

> Subject: Airborne Radioactivity Area and radon

> 

> 

> It is my understanding that "an airborne radioactivity 

> area would exist in an area where an employee worked for 

> 40 hours per week and the radon-222 concentration in 

> the area exceeded 7.5 picocuries per liter. An airborne 

> radioactivity area requires employee monitoring and 

> restricted access to the area by the public."

> 

> Does anyone know of even one instance where this has 

> been enforced for radon?

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