[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 203 (Tuesday, October 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 54658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27874]



[[Page 54658]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Radiography Workshop

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff plans to convene 
a public workshop to discuss issues concerning industrial radiography 
associated equipment. The workshop will be held in conjunction with the 
American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc.'s (ASNT's), 1997 Fall 
Conference and Quality Testing Show, Post Conference Seminar. The 
issues to be discussed include a vendor petition for rulemaking to 
remove the reference to associated equipment from radiography equipment 
regulations and an NRC proposal for resolving certain issues. The 
workshop will also provide an opportunity for representatives from the 
radiography industry to comment on how associated equipment should be 
regulated.

DATE AND TIME: The workshop will meet on October 24, 1997, from 1:00 
p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the David L. Lawrence 
Convention Center, Double Tree Hotel Pittsburgh, 1000 Penn Avenue, 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222. Telephone 412-281-3700. ASNT telephone 
number: (800) 222-ASNT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J. Bruce Carrico, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, MS T8F5, Washington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 415-7826, e-
mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 10, 1991, NRC published in the 
Federal Register (55 FR 843) a final rule revising the regulations 
applicable to industrial radiography, 10 CFR Part 34. The revision 
introduced a new section, 10 CFR 34.20, that required licensees to only 
use radiographic exposure devices and associated equipment that comply 
with criteria specified in that section. Paragraph (d) of 10 CFR 34.20 
provided that all newly manufactured radiographic exposure devices and 
associated equipment (manufactured after January 10, 1992) acquired by 
NRC licensees must meet 10 CFR 34.20 requirements (specified in 
American National Standards Institute (ANSI), N432-1980). In addition, 
licensees were to ensure that all equipment used in radiographic 
operations after January 10, 1996, complies with the applicable 
requirements.
    Since the final implementation date, i.e., January 10, 1996, some 
confusion has arisen concerning the regulations' applicability to 
associated equipment. Associated equipment is currently defined as, ``* 
* * equipment that is used in conjunction with a radiographic exposure 
device to make radiographic exposures that drives, guides, or comes in 
contact with the source, (e.g., guide tube, control tube, control 
(drive) cable, removable source stop, ``J'' tube and collimator when it 
is used as an exposure head.'' In addition, in April 1996, NRC received 
a Petition for Rulemaking requesting that ``NRC amend its regulations 
to remove reference to associated equipment from Sec. 34.20 so that 
continued inspection and enforcement of the rule would be performed on 
the basis of source and device reviews only.'' The objective of this 
workshop is to discuss NRC's understanding of the problems and possible 
solutions, and provide a forum for an exchange of ideas between 
industry representatives and NRC on how associated equipment should be 
regulated. NRC anticipates that representatives from the regulated 
industry and the equipment manufacturers will be in attendance.
    Conduct of the Workshop: The workshop will be chaired by Larry W. 
Camper, Chief, Medical, Academic, and Commercial Use Safety Branch, 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. The workshop will be 
conducted in a manner that will expedite the orderly conduct of 
business. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 14th day of October, 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Larry W. Camper,
Chief Medical, Academic, and Commercial Use Safety Branch, Division of 
Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-27874 Filed 10-20-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P