[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17348-17349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9556]



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[[Page 17349]]


DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Notice No. 96-7]


Guidance for Radiation Protection Programs; Request for Comments

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: RSPA is developing guidance for the radioactive material 
industry to facilitate compliance with the radiation protection program 
requirements of the Hazardous Materials Regulations which go into 
effect on October 1, 1997. Through this notice, RSPA is requesting 
public comments on the implementation of the radiation protection 
program requirements.

DATES: Comments are requested by May 31, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Please address written comments to the Dockets Unit (DHM-
30), Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Comments may also be faxed 
to (202) 366-3753. The Dockets Unit is located in room 8421 of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
on public holidays, when the office is closed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Fred D. Ferate II, (202) 366-4545, 
Office of Hazardous Materials Technology, RSPA, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 28, 1995, RSPA published a final rule under Docket HM-
169A (60 FR 50292) which added to the Hazardous Materials Regulations 
(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) a requirement that persons who offer for 
transportation, accept for transportation, or transport radioactive 
materials must develop, implement and maintain a written radiation 
protection program. The effective date of this requirement is October 
1, 1997. A radiation protection program must be structured such that 
the following requirements are met:
    (a) Radiation exposures are kept as low as reasonably achievable 
(ALARA), taking into account economic and social factors.
    (b) Radiation exposures are controlled so that:
    (1) An occupationally exposed hazmat employee's annual effective 
dose equivalent for occupational radiation exposure may not exceed 12.5 
mSv (1.25 rem) in any 3-month period or 50 milliseiverts (mSv) (5 
millirem (rem)) in any 12-month period. Corresponding limits for 
workers under the age of 18 are 10% of the above amounts;
    (2) Radiation exposures to members of the general public must be 
less than 0.02 mSv (2 mrem) in any one hour period, 1.0 mSv (100 mrem) 
in one week, or 5.0 mSv (500 mrem) in any 12-month period;
    (3) The radiation dose to an unborn child of an occupationally 
exposed female hazmat worker who has declared her pregnancy to her 
employer may not exceed 5.0 mSv (500 mrem) during the pregnancy, or 0.5 
mSv (50 mrem) in any one month; and
    (4) the radiation doses received by occupationally exposed hazmat 
employees must be monitored by radiation dosimetry devices.
    Exceptions to the radiation protection program requirement were 
provided for persons who already have in place a radiation protection 
program that has been approved by an appropriate Federal or State 
agency; persons who offer for transportation or transport less than 200 
TI (transport index; see 49 CFR 173.403 for the technical definition) 
of packages in a 12- month period; and persons whose operations will 
not result in a hazmat employee receiving an exposure of 5 mSv (500 
mrem) or more per year. To be able to claim the last exception, a 
qualified radiation protection specialist must evaluate the doses that 
workers might receive during a period of one year while handling 
radioactive materials during shipping, receiving or transportation, and 
be able to document that no worker would be expected to receive a dose 
of 5 mSv (500 mrem) or more in one year.
    The final rule requires conformance with guidance in the 
Environmental Protection Agency report entitled ``Radiation Protection 
Guidance to Federal Agencies for Occupational Exposure (January 
1987).'' Other recommended radiation protection program guidance 
includes National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements 
(NCRP) Report No. 59, ``Operational Radiation Safety Program (1978)'' 
and NCRP Report No. 116, ``Limitation of Exposure to Ionizing Radiation 
(1993).''
    Records which must be maintained by a hazmat employer with a 
radiation protection program include a written description of the 
program, written records of the program activities, and dosimetry 
records. Records must be kept of the radiation dose received by each 
hazmat employee, and information concerning the dose must be provided 
to the employee within a reasonable time after he or she requests it, 
and no more than three months after termination of employment.
    Records must also be maintained by excepted organizations, showing 
that the total package TI in any 12-month period is less than 200, or 
that current radioactive materials transport activities are the same as 
the activities that were reviewed by a competent radiation protection 
specialist who found that no worker would receive a dose exceeding 5 
mSv (500 mrem) in one year.
    The Department of Transportation intends to issue guidance on the 
requirement for developing, implementing, and maintaining a radiation 
protection program, or on means for an organization to demonstrate that 
it is exempt from doing so. In order to take into account any concerns 
or suggestions of interested parties, this notice solicits public 
comment on the implementation of the above requirements.

Request for Comments

    Issues which a reader may wish to address in his or her comments 
could include:
    (1) The nature and extent of radioactive material transportation 
activities within the commentor's organization or other identified 
organization.
    (2) The criteria which should be used to identify which persons, or 
which organizational units would be subject to the dosimetry 
requirement of the radiation protection program.
    (3) The qualifications of the evaluator for determining whether an 
organization is exempt from establishing a radiation protection program 
on the basis that no hazmat employee will receive more the 5 mSv (500 
mrem) in a year.
    (4) Appropriate methods for determining or estimating dose to the 
public.
    (5) Needed clarification of radiation protection program 
requirements, or statements about the operational problems that the 
commentor anticipates as a result of the radiation protection program 
requirements.
    (6) Other issues and concerns related to radiation protection.

    Issued in Washington, DC on April 10, 1996.
Alan I. Roberts,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-9556 Filed 4-18-96; 8:45 am]
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