[Title 32 CFR 626.12]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - July 1, 2002 Edition]
[Title 32 - NATIONAL DEFENSE]
[Chapter V - DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY]
[Subchapter H - SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT]
[Part 626 - BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE SAFETY PROGRAM]
[Subpart B - Biological Defense Safety Policy and Procedures]
[Sec. 626.12 - Maximum credible event (MCE).]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


32NATIONAL DEFENSE32002-07-012002-07-01false626.12Sec. 626.12NATIONAL DEFENSEDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMYSUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENTBIOLOGICAL DEFENSE SAFETY PROGRAMBiological Defense Safety Policy and Procedures
Sec. 626.12  Maximum credible event (MCE).

    (a) Because of the complexity of the RDTE conducted in the BDP, the 
range of potential consequences that could be associated with a mishap 
must be considered. MCE is a risk analysis technique which provides a 
useful tool for estimating the effectiveness of existing safeguards. The 
potential for events must be carefully analyzed to determine the MCE 
that could occur and cause a mishap. All hazard analysis and general 
construction plans mentioned in Sec. 626.11 will include a consideration 
of an MCE.
    (b) The term MCE, as used herein, is analogous to a realistic worst-
case analysis. The best available credible information will be applied 
to estimate

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the results of various MCEs. Those assumptions that yield the potential 
for more severe consequences, as opposed to assumptions that operational 
and safety controls will always perform as designed, will be used. The 
rule of reason will be applied to confine the MCE to realistic or 
believable occurrences.
    (c) When considering an MCE, consider the redundancy of safety 
systems engineered into the facilities and the equipment used, depending 
on containment level required to make them as fail-safe as practical. 
The MCE for containment laboratories must be considered in terms of 
physical containment for both toxins and biological organisms. 
Therefore, both toxin and biological MCEs will be considered.
    (d) Because aerosols of etiologic agents represent the most 
significant potential hazard for exposure of workers or the environment, 
a hazard analysis (to include MCE) of proposed BDP RDTE activities will 
be performed to determine the procedures, engineering controls, and 
facility design required to mitigate potential significant hazards.