[ RadSafe ] leak test question

[Michelle Salsgiver]

Rad Leak Test notes

Hello!  I am a recent grad and new member to this list?  Do any list members 
have experience working in a warehouse environment that ships/recieves 
device containing sealed sources?

I understand that based on NUREG 1556, Vol. 12 leak tests are required upon 
receipt and before use or transfer.  However, performing leaks tests in a 
warehouse environment that is continually shipping/receiving devices is time 
consuming and costly; the devices are still in their original packages from 
the manufacturer.  Is there a statistical method (at a defined level of 
uncertainty) that can be submitted as statistically valid to the NRC (or 
agreement state) to decrease the number of leak tests required.

Methods under consideration are by either: a) grouping all shipments 
(example: 100) in groups of 5 and performing 20 leak tests (1 on each group 
of 5) instead of 100?   or    b) perform a leak test on each device of a 
representative number of the 100 to give a confidence of 99%?
Obviously emergency precautions would go into effect if an analysis came 
back as greater than 0.005 micro Curies.

Any other suggestions?


Thanks!  I've enjoyed reading the informative advise on this list thus far!

Michelle Salsgiver