RE: AIRPORT AND RADIATION SAFETY

[paysh@juno.com (stephen h pay)]

MAURO

The State of California regulates radiation producing machines that are
operated in an occupied area for the purpose of detection of contraband
in airlines passenger carry-on baggage. The majority of requirements,
other than registration, posting, and training requirements  are found in
the California Code of Regulations, title 17, section 30337 (Contraband -
Detection Fluoroscopy). The actual requirements in the State of
California are that:

(a)  	Radiation emitted from detection equipment shall not, under
any condition 	of use, exceed an exposure of 0.5 milliroentgen in
one hour at any point five 	centimeters outside the external
surface, or any door or port.

(b)	The detection equipment shall have a physical barrier,
photoelectric 		safety interlock, or other means which will
make the insertion of any part of 	the body into the primary X-ray
beam impossible.

(c)	The detection equipment shall have a lock-and-key control
which will 		insure that X-ray generation is not possible
with the key removed.

(d)	There shall be an illuminated indicator which will show when
X-rays are 	being generated; this indicator shall be prominently
visible to operating 		personnel in their normal working
positions.

(e)	In systems in which baggage is placed directly onto the
fluoroscopy stage 	through an open port, the operator's X-ray
control switch shall be of the 		deadman type.

The State regulatory authority inspects these type of registrants on a
routine basis for compliance with these requirements.  The majority of
users of these devices do issue individual monitoring devices for
determining external occupational dose for their workers, though strictly
speaking not necessarily required in most instances, and review of these
records result in a finding  of consistently minimal readings.   Also,
the vast majority of radiation level surveys, collected during
inspection, conducted around these devices result in readings not
exceeding background.  


Stephen