Exit Contamination Surveys

[Reynaldo_Rey_Bocanegra@rl.gov]

          Ladies and Gents:
     
          I'm working an issue at DOE's Hanford site regarding the necessity 
          and type of contamination survey appropriate for items released 
          from a radiological buffer area (RBA) for unconditional use in 
          uncontrolled areas --- i.e. items located in an RBA being released 
          for off-site use.
     
          The DOE Rad Con Manual (RCM) addresses contamination surveys of 
          items released from contamination areas and radiological buffer 
          areas.  In the past, DOE contractors at Hanford interpreted the 
          RCM as requiring contamination surveys on items leaving the buffer 
          area; even if the items were never inside a contamination area.  
          This interpretation of the RCM has recently come into question by 
          some contractors.  The new thinking is that items released from a 
          buffer area do not need to be surveyed ... the reasoning is long 
          and complicated.  I am looking for information from non-DOE 
          facilities to see how the outside world does business with respect 
          to contamination surveys of items released from RBAs.
     
          I am not aware of any nuclear facility (power plant or fuel cycle) 
          that allows unconditional material release from an RBA without some 
          sort of frisk.  Is this true at your facility?  If there are 
          exceptions, I would like to get information describing the 
          circumstances under which this is allowed and the basis used to 
          justify this.
     
          I am also interested in any other information on RBA exit surveys 
          or in other contacts that may have pertinent information.
     
          Thanks for help.
     
          Rey Bocanegra
          DOE Technical Specialist
          on Radiological Controls
          U.S. Department of Energy
          Richland Operations Office
          Richland, WA
     
          reynaldo_rey_bocanegra@rl.gov
          (509) 372-2868