RE: Generally Licensed Po-210 Static Eliminators

["Jim F. Herrold" <Herrold@uwyo.edu>]

Wes:

It is hard to get a handle on Po-210 devices, although the exempt quantity
is 0.1 mCi. Generally, they are distributed as static eliminators, not
"radioactive sources"  so the users don't even know they are purchasing
radioactive materials. (The same as smoke detectors) Training on our side
won't work. The vendor doesn't inquire whether or not we have a license, and
the user doesn't know enough to ask. We only see these sources when they
decay away and don't work, then someone thinks to look at the small label
and notices the radiation symbol. This just happened last month. Even though
they've decayed to nothing, we still have to put them in the rad trash
because our license only allows decay with half-lives less than 100 days.

In answer to your question, we WOULD purchase, inventory, wipe test and
dispose the sources if the distributors were more stringent in observing the
regulations about exempt quantities. 

Jim Herrold, Radiation Safety Officer
herrold@uwyo.edu

University of Wyoming
Environmental Health & Safety
303 Merica Hall
Laramie, WY 82071-3413

(307) 766-3277


> ----------
> From: 	Wes Van Pelt[SMTP:VanPeltW@idt.net]
> Sent: 	Monday, July 20, 1998 3:02 PM
> To: 	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: 	Generally Licensed Po-210 Static Eliminators
> 
> Hi Radsafers,
> 
> I have a question about how you manage Po-210 static eliminator devices
> which are received under a general license (see 10 CFR 31.3).  
> 
> These include devices which have a small brush and a Po-210 source used
> to clean lab balances and eliminate static electricity in balances and
> elsewhere. They can contain up to 500 microcuries each.
> 
> And they can be purchased from scientific catalogs and other catalogs
> without any regard to radiation safety. Clearly, they can be purchased
> by "anybody".
> 
> The general license (i.e., 10 CFR 31.3 itself) is quite clear that these
> devices must comply with 10 CFR parts 19 and 20, as well as portions of
> part 30. (Anybody disagree?)  This would include compliance with such
> issues as inventory, signs, labels, contamination surveys (maybe),
> transfer, disposal, employee training, etc.
> 
> My question is: if you are the RSO of an institution, do you track these
> items, do you conduct routine inventory inspections, conduct employee
> training, control purchase, control transfer, control disposal, control
> DOT shipment, etc.??? 
> 
> Thanks in advance for your comments. If you would like to respond
> directly to me 
> (mailto:VanPeltW@IDT.net), I will anonymously summarize your comments.
> 
> Regards,
> Wes
> -- 
> Wesley R. Van Pelt, Ph.D., CIH, CHP                KF2LG
> President, Van Pelt Associates, Inc.     
> Consulting in radiological health and safety.
> mailto:VanPeltW@IDT.net        
> http://shell.idt.net/~vanpeltw/index.html
>