[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 79 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19940-19941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10610]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 835


Occupational Radiation Protection; Availability of Draft Guides 
and Technical Standards

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft guidelines; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces that drafts of 
guidance documents that may be used to implement Occupational Radiation 
Protection regulations are available for public comment. These draft 
guidance documents consist of 13 implementation guides, a radiological 
control technical standard, and two Department of Energy Laboratory 
Accreditation Program (DOELAP) technical standards. These guidance 
documents are intended to provide useful information and methodologies 
on how the requirements in the proposed Occupational Radiation 
Protection regulations might be implemented.

DATES: Written comments for the 13 draft implementation guides must be 
submitted by May 28, 1997, for the draft Radiological Control Standard 
by May 23, 1997, and for the two draft DOELAP technical standards by 
May 27, 1997.

ADDRESSES: A copy of each draft implementation guide and technical 
standard is available at the DOE Freedom of Information Reading Room, 
1E-190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington D.C. 20585, between 
the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
    Submit written comments to Dr. Joel Rabovsky for the 13 draft 
implementation guides; to Dr. Judith Foulke for the draft Radiological 
Control Standard; and to Mr. Robert Loesch for the two draft DOELAP 
technical standards. The address for all three is: U.S. Department of 
Energy, EH-52/GTN/270CC, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, Maryland 
20874-1290.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The draft guides are being made available for public comment 
pursuant to a DOE policy statement, DOE P 450.2A, `` Identifying, 
Implementing and Complying With Environment, Safety and Health 
Requirements'' (May 15, 1996). DOE's policy statement explains the 
purpose of guides. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was published on 
December 23, 1996 (61 FR 67600), for the purpose of amending 10 CFR 
835, ``Occupational Radiation Protection.'' Because of additions and 
significant changes, it was necessary to provide new implementation 
guides and technical standards to assist those who must comply with the 
new requirements. Guidance documents, including technical standards, 
can assist contractors in implementing requirements. Because of the 
importance of guidance documents to implementation, the Department will 
endeavor to develop and issue guidance documents concurrently with the 
development of requirements.
    Guidance documents include background information regarding the 
intent of the requirement and its technical underpinnings. Unlike the 
requirements specifically set forth in a rule, the provisions in 
guidance documents are not mandatory. Failure to follow a guidance 
document does not in itself indicate noncompliance with a specific 
requirement--a finding of noncompliance must be based on a failure to 
satisfy the requirement. The guidance provided in these documents and 
the standards referenced therein are considered acceptable methods to 
satisfy requirements. Alternative methods that satisfy the requirements 
of a rule or Order are also acceptable. Any implementation method 
selected must be justified to ensure that an adequate level of safety 
commensurate with the

[[Page 19941]]

identified hazards is achieved. In order to provide appropriate 
opportunities for public input on guidance relating to nuclear safety 
rules, the policy provides that the Department will: (1) make such 
guidance documents developed by DOE readily available to the public 
when issued; (2) publish notice of their availability in the Federal 
Register; and (3) accept comments from the public concerning guidance 
documents.

I. Implementation Guides
II. Radiological Technical Standard
III. DOELAP Technical Standards

I. Implementation Guides

    DOE is proposing to issue a set of draft revisions of 
implementation guides and three technical standards to implement part 
835 as proposed to be amended. Thirteen of the draft guides are 
available through the DOE Directives System on the Internet at 
www.explorer.doe.gov/. These draft guides are also available through 
the Office of Worker Protection Programs and Hazards Management web 
site for part 835 at http://tis-nt.doe.eh.gov/wpphm/835/835.htm. The 
draft implementation guides are:

DOE G 441.1-1  Radiation Protection Program
DOE G 441.2-1  Occupational Radiation Protection ALARA Program
DOE G 441.3-1  Internal Dosimetry
DOE G 441.4-1  External Dosimetry
DOE G 441.5-1  Radiation Generating Devices (RGDs)
DOE G 441.6-1  Evaluation and Control of Fetal Exposures
DOE G 441.7-1  Radiation Detection Instrumentation Calibration
DOE G 441.8-1  Workplace Air Monitoring
DOE G 441.9-1  Radioactive Contamination Control and Measurement
DOE G 441.10-1  Posting and Labeling Implementation Guide
DOE G 441.10-A  Posting and Labeling Guide--Appendix
DOE G 441.11-1  Occupational Radiation Protection Recordkeeping
DOE G 441.12-1  Radiation Safety Training
DOE G 441.13-1  Sealed Radioactive Source Accountability

II. Radiological Control Standard

    A draft radiological control technical standard is also available 
for comment. In support of the proposed amendment to part 835, DOE has 
converted the previous ``Radiological Control Manual'' (DOE/EH-0256T, 
April 1994) (``RadCon Manual'') into a ``Radiological Control 
Standard,'' DOE Technical Standards Program project number SAFT-0039. 
This draft document provides guidance on acceptable approaches for 
implementing the overall radiation protection program for DOE 
activities involving ionizing radiation. For comparison purposes, this 
draft DOE standard should only be compared against the latest issue of 
the Radiological Control (RadCon) Manual, Revision 1, April 1994. A 
draft revised version of the April 1994 RadCon Manual was distributed 
for comment in mid-1995 through DOE's Directives System in conjunction 
with the review of the new DOE Order 470, but the revision was never 
issued as a final document due to the anticipated amendment of part 
835. The new draft technical standard, SAFT-0039, is available on the 
Internet at http://apollo.osti.gov/html/techstds/tsdrafts/
tsdrafts.html.

III. DOELAP Technical Standards

    DOELAP currently offers accreditations only for whole body 
personnel dosimetry programs. In the future, DOELAP plans to offer 
additional accreditation programs for bioassay laboratories and 
extremity dosimetry programs. Since the administrative aspects of all 
these programs are generic, DOELAP has begun consolidating this 
information into a single document, draft technical standard, 
``Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program 
Administration,'' DOE Technical Standard Program project number SAFT-
0062. This document proposes the accreditation process, including 
references to other DOELAP documents for the program specific 
performance criteria, on-site assessments, and granting of 
accreditation and exceptions to DOELAP. With the publication of 
American National Standards Institute Standard N13.30-1996, 
``Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay,'' the Department has 
incorporated the requirement into the proposed amendment of 10 CFR 835 
for the accreditation of bioassay laboratories. The new DOELAP program 
is described in the draft technical standard,''Department of Energy 
Laboratory Accreditation Program for Radiobioassay,'' project number 
SAFT 0049. It is the intent that when this program is initiated, 
facilities will have a full accreditation cycle (3 years) in which to 
have their programs accredited. Both draft Standards have been 
distributed within the DOE community for formal comments.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 31, 1997.
Peter N. Brush,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Environment, Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 97-10610 Filed 4-23-97; 8:45 am]
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