Equipment

10 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart C
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

10 C.F.R. § 39.31 Labels, security, and transportation precautions.

(a) Labels. (1) The licensee may not use a source, source holder, or logging tool that contains licensed material unless the smallest component that is transported as a separate piece of equipment with the licensed material inside bears a durable, legible, and clearly visible marking or label. The marking or label must contain the radiation symbol specified in § 20.1901(a), without the conventional color requirements, and the wording “DANGER (or CAUTION) RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL.” (2) The licensee may not use a container to store licensed material unless the container has securely attached to it a durable, legible, and clearly visible label. The label must contain the radiation symbol specified in § 20.1901(a) of this chapter and the wording “CAUTION (or DANGER), RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL, NOTIFY CIVIL AUTHORITIES (or NAME OF COMPANY).” (3) The licensee may not transport licensed material unless the material is packaged, labeled, marked, and accompanied with appropriate shipping papers in accordance with regulations set out in 10 CFR part 71. (b) Security precautions during storage and transportation. (1) The licensee shall store each source containing licensed material in a storage container or transportation package. The container or package must be locked and physically secured to prevent tampering or removal of licensed material from storage by unauthorized personnel. The licensee shall store licensed material in a manner which will minimize danger from explosion or fire. (2) The licensee shall lock and physically secure the transport package containing licensed material in the transporting vehicle to prevent accidental loss, tampering, or unauthorized removal of the licensed material from the vehicle.

10 C.F.R. § 39.33 Radiation detection instruments.

(a) The licensee shall keep a calibrated and operable radiation survey instrument capable of detecting beta and gamma radiation at each field station and temporary jobsite to make the radiation surveys required by this part and by part 20 of this chapter. To satisfy this requirement, the radiation survey instrument must be capable of measuring 0.001 mSv (0.1 mrem) per hour through at least 0.5 mSv (50 mrem) per hour. (b) The licensee shall have available additional calibrated and operable radiation detection instruments sensitive enough to detect the low radiation and contamination levels that could be encountered if a sealed source ruptured. The licensee may own the instruments or may have a procedure to obtain them quickly from a second party. (c) The licensee shall have each radiation survey instrument required under paragraph (a) of this section calibrated— (1) At intervals not to exceed 6 months and after instrument servicing; (2) For linear scale instruments, at two points located approximately 1/3 and 2/3 of full-scale on each scale; for logarithmic scale instruments, at midrange of each decade, and at two points of at least one decade; and for digital instruments, at appropriate points; and (3) So that an accuracy within plus or minus 20 percent of the calibration standard can be demonstrated on each scale. (d) The licensee shall retain calibration records for a period of 3 years after the date of calibration for inspection by the Commission.

10 C.F.R. § 39.35 Leak testing of sealed sources.

(a) Testing and recordkeeping requirements. Each licensee who uses a sealed source shall have the source tested for leakage periodically. The licensee shall keep a record of leak test results in units of microcuries and retain the record for inspection by the Commission for 3 years after the leak test is performed. (b) Method of testing. The wipe of a sealed source must be performed using a leak test kit or method approved by the Commission or an Agreement State. The wipe sample must be taken from the nearest accessible point to the sealed source where contamination might accumulate. The wipe sample must be analyzed for radioactive contamination. The analysis must be capable of detecting the presence of 185 Bq [0.005 microcuries] of radioactive material on the test sample and must be performed by a person approved by the Commission or an Agreement State to perform the analysis. (c) Test frequency. (1) Each sealed source (except an energy compensation source (ECS)) must be tested at intervals not to exceed 6 months. In the absence of a certificate from a transferor that a test has been made within the 6 months before the transfer, the sealed source may not be used until tested. (2) Each ECS that is not exempt from testing in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section must be tested at intervals not to exceed 3 years. In the absence of a certificate from a transferor that a test has been made within the 3 years before the transfer, the ECS may not be used until tested. (d) Removal of leaking source from service. (1) If the test conducted pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section reveals the presence of 185 Bq [0.005 microcuries] or more of removable radioactive material, the licensee shall remove the sealed source from service immediately and have it decontaminated, repaired, or disposed of by an NRC or Agreement State licensee that is authorized to perform these functions. The licensee shall check the equipment associated with the leaking source for radioactive contamination and, if contaminated, have it decontaminated or disposed of by an NRC or Agreement State licensee that is authorized to perform these functions. (2) The licensee shall submit a report to the appropriate NRC Regional Office listed in appendix D of part 20 of this chapter, within 5 days of receiving the test results. The report must describe the equipment involved in the leak, the test results, any contamination which resulted from the leaking source, and the corrective actions taken up to the time the report is made. (e) Exemptions from testing requirements. The following sealed sources are exempt from the periodic leak test requirements set out in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section: (1) Hydrogen-3 (tritium) sources; (2) Sources containing licensed material with a half-life of 30 days or less; (3) Sealed sources containing licensed material in gaseous form; (4) Sources of beta- or gamma-emitting radioactive material with an activity of 3.7 MBq [100 microcuries] or less; and (5) Sources of alpha- or neutron-emitting radioactive material with an activity of 0.37 MBq [10 microcuries] or less.

10 C.F.R. § 39.37 Physical inventory.

Each licensee shall conduct a semi-annual physical inventory to account for all licensed material received and possessed under the license. The licensee shall retain records of the inventory for 3 years from the date of the inventory for inspection by the Commission. The inventory must indicate the quantity and kind of licensed material, the location of the licensed material, the date of the inventory, and the name of the individual conducting the inventory. Physical inventory records may be combined with leak test records.

10 C.F.R. § 39.39 Records of material use.

(a) Each licensee shall maintain records for each use of licensed material showing— (1) The make, model number, and a serial number or a description of each sealed source used; (2) In the case of unsealed licensed material used for subsurface tracer studies, the radionuclide and quantity of activity used in a particular well and the disposition of any unused tracer materials; (3) The identity of the logging supervisor who is responsible for the licensed material and the identity of logging assistants present; and (4) The location and date of use of the licensed material. (b) The licensee shall make the records required by paragraph (a) of this section available for inspection by the Commission. The licensee shall retain the records for 3 years from the date of the recorded event.

10 C.F.R. § 39.41 Design and performance criteria for sources.

(a) A licensee may use a sealed source for use in well logging applications if— (1) The sealed source is doubly encapsulated; (2) The sealed source contains licensed material whose chemical and physical forms are as insoluble and nondispersible as practical; and (3) Meets the requirements of paragraph (b), (c), or (d) of this section. (b) For a sealed source manufactured on or before July 14, 1989, a licensee may use the sealed source, for use in well logging applications if it meets the requirements of USASI N5.10-1968, “Classification of Sealed Radioactive Sources,” or the requirements in paragraph (c) or (d) of this section. (c) For a sealed source manufactured after July 14, 1989, a licensee may use the sealed source, for use in well logging applications if it meets the oil-well logging requirements of ANSI/HPS N43.6-1997, “Sealed Radioactive Sources—Classification.” (d) For a sealed source manufactured after July 14, 1989, a licensee may use the sealed source, for use in well logging applications, if— (1) The sealed source's prototype has been tested and found to maintain its integrity after each of the following tests: (i) Temperature. The test source must be held at −40 °C for 20 minutes, 600 °C for 1 hour, and then be subject to a thermal shock test with a temperature drop from 600 °C to 20 °C within 15 seconds. (ii) Impact test. A 5 kg steel hammer, 2.5 cm in diameter, must be dropped from a height of 1 m onto the test source. (iii) Vibration test. The test source must be subject to a vibration from 25 Hz to 500 Hz at 5 g amplitude for 30 minutes. (iv) Puncture test. A 1 gram hammer and pin, 0.3 cm pin diameter, must be dropped from a height of 1 m onto the test source. (v) Pressure test. The test source must be subject to an external pressure of 1.695 × 10 7 pascals [24,600 pounds per square inch absolute]. (e) The requirements in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this section do not apply to sealed sources that contain licensed material in gaseous form. (f) The requirements in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this section do not apply to energy compensation sources (ECS). ECSs must be registered with the Commission under § 32.210 of this chapter or with an Agreement State.

10 C.F.R. § 39.43 Inspection, maintenance, and opening of a source or source holder.

(a) Each licensee shall visually check source holders, logging tools, and source handling tools, for defects before each use to ensure that the equipment is in good working condition and that required labeling is present. If defects are found, the equipment must be removed from service until repaired, and a record must be made listing: the date of check, name of inspector, equipment involved, defects found, and repairs made. These records must be retained for 3 years after the defect is found. (b) Each licensee shall have a program for semiannual visual inspection and routine maintenance of source holders, logging tools, injection tools, source handling tools, storage containers, transport containers, and uranium sinker bars to ensure that the required labeling is legible and that no physical damage is visible. If defects are found, the equipment must be removed from service until repaired, and a record must be made listing: date, equipment involved, inspection and maintenance operations performed, any defects found, and any actions taken to correct the defects. These records must be retained for 3 years after the defect is found. (c) Removal of a sealed source from a source holder or logging tool, and maintenance on sealed sources or holders in which sealed sources are contained may not be performed by the licensee unless a written procedure developed pursuant to § 39.63 has been approved either by the Commission pursuant to § 39.13(c) or by an Agreement State. (d) If a sealed source is stuck in the source holder, the licensee may not perform any operation, such as drilling, cutting, or chiseling, on the source holder unless the licensee is specifically approved by the Commission or an Agreement State to perform this operation. (e) The opening, repair, or modification of any sealed source must be performed by persons specifically approved to do so by the Commission or an Agreement State.

10 C.F.R. § 39.45 Subsurface tracer studies.

(a) The licensee shall require all personnel handling radioactive tracer material to use protective gloves and, if required by the license, other protective clothing and equipment. The licensee shall take precautions to avoid ingestion or inhalation of radioactive tracer material and to avoid contamination of field stations and temporary jobsites. (b) A licensee may not knowingly inject licensed material into fresh water aquifers unless specifically authorized to do so by the Commission.

10 C.F.R. § 39.47 Radioactive markers.

The licensee may use radioactive markers in wells only if the individual markers contain quantities of licensed material not exceeding the quantities specified in § 30.71 of this chapter. The use of markers is subject only to the requirements of § 39.37.

10 C.F.R. § 39.49 Uranium sinker bars.

The licensee may use a uranium sinker bar in well logging applications only if it is legibly impressed with the words “CAUTION—RADIOACTIVE-DEPLETED URANIUM” and “NOTIFY CIVIL AUTHORITIES (or COMPANY NAME) IF FOUND.”

10 C.F.R. § 39.51 Use of a sealed source in a well without a surface casing.

The licensee may use a sealed source in a well without a surface casing for protecting fresh water aquifers only if the licensee follows a procedure for reducing the probability of the source becoming lodged in the well. The procedure must be approved by the Commission pursuant to § 39.13(c) or by an Agreement State.

10 C.F.R. § 39.53 Energy compensation source.

The licensee may use an energy compensation source (ECS) which is contained within a logging tool, or other tool components, only if the ECS contains quantities of licensed material not exceeding 3.7 MBq [100 microcuries]. (a) For well logging applications with a surface casing for protecting fresh water aquifers, use of the ECS is only subject to the requirements of §§ 39.35, 39.37 and 39.39. (b) For well logging applications without a surface casing for protecting fresh water aquifers, use of the ECS is only subject to the requirements of §§ 39.15, 39.35, 39.37, 39.39, 39.51, and 39.77.

10 C.F.R. § 39.55 Tritium neutron generator target sources.

(a) Use of a tritium neutron generator target source, containing quantities not exceeding 1,110 GBg [30 curies] and in a well with a surface casing to protect fresh water aquifers, is subject to the requirements of this part except §§ 39.15, 39.41, and 39.77. (b) Use of a tritium neutron generator target source, containing quantities exceeding 1,110 GBg [30 curies] or in a well without a surface casing to protect fresh water aquifers, is subject to the requirements of this part except § 39.41.

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