[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 116 (Wednesday, June 17, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32971-32972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16135]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 34


Radiographer Certification--Certifying Entities

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of certifying entities.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has 
completed its evaluation of a request from the American Society for 
Nondestructive Testing, Inc. (ASNT) to be recognized as a Certifying 
Entity, i.e., an Independent Certifying Organization. The NRC staff 
found that ASNT's Industrial Radiography Radiation Safety Personnel 
(IRRSP) certification program meets the criteria established in the 
NRC's regulations governing radiographic operations. Therefore, the NRC 
recognizes ASNT as a Certifying Entity and individuals wishing to act 
as radiographers who are certified in isotope radiography through the 
IRRSP program meet the certification requirement specified in the 
regulations. ASNT joins the following Agreement States as certifying 
entities: Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Nevada, North Dakota, and 
Texas.

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 May 28, 1997 (62 FR 28948), NRC published 
a final rule in the Federal Register that revised the regulations 
applicable to industrial radiography, 10 CFR Part 34. This overall 
revision of 10 CFR Part 34 introduced several new requirements. One of 
these new requirements, specified in 10 CFR 34.43(a)(1), provides that 
licensees may not permit any individual to act as a radiographer until 
the individual ``is certified through a radiographer certification 
program by a certifying entity in accordance with the criteria 
specified in Appendix A of this part (34).'' This requirement becomes 
effective June 27, 1999.
    As defined in 10 CFR Part 34, ``Certifying Entity means an 
independent certifying organization meeting the requirements in 
Appendix A of this part or an Agreement State meeting the requirements 
in Appendix A, Parts II and III of this part.'' An independent 
certifying organization is defined as `` *  *  * an independent 
organization that meets all of the criteria of Appendix A to this 
part.'' A parenthetical sentence in 10 CFR 34.43(a)(1) states, ``An 
independent organization that would like to be recognized as a 
certifying entity shall submit its request to the Director, Office of 
Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission *  *  * '' Part I of Appendix A to Part 34 provides the 
requirements for an independent certifying organization, and only 
applies to organizations other than the Agreement States. Parts II and 
III of Appendix A to Part 34 provide the requirements for certification 
programs and written examinations for a certifying entity, and includes 
the Agreement States. 10 CFR Part 34, Appendix A does not impose new 
requirements on licensees.
    To be recognized as an independent certifying organization, the 
organization should be a national society or association involved in 
setting national standards of practice for industrial radiography or 
non-destructive testing. An acceptable certification program would 
require training in the subjects listed in 10 CFR 34.43(g), completion 
of a written and practical examination, and require a minimum period of 
on-the-job experience.
    In April 1997, NRC received a submission from ASNT requesting 
recognition as a certifying entity/independent certifying organization. 
The submission described ASNT's IRRSP certification program and how the 
program complies with 10 CFR Part 34, Appendix A criteria. A ``team'' 
review approach was followed in evaluating the submission. The team or 
``working group'' was composed of three NRC staff members, two 
Agreement State representatives from certifying states, and an 
Agreement State representative from a non-certifying state. An expert 
in the NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Division of Reactor 
Controls and Human Factors, Human Factors Assessment Branch also 
assisted the working group in evaluating those portions of the 
submission applicable to examination development. The working group 
completed its evaluation of the submission in April 1998.
    In a letter dated May 15, 1998, NRC informed ASNT of its finding 
that ASNT's IRRSP certification program met the criteria established in 
10 CFR Part 34, Appendix A, that ASNT was recognized as a Certifying 
Entity. Individuals wishing to act as radiographers who are certified 
in isotope radiography through the IRRSP program will meet the 
certification requirement specified in 10 CFR 34.43(a)(1).

[[Page 32972]]

    The following Agreement States also administer certification 
programs as Certifying Entities: Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, 
Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas. Individuals wishing to act as 
radiographers who are certified in isotope radiography through one of 
these state programs will meet the certification requirement specified 
in 10 CFR 34.43(a)(1).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 9th day of June, 1998.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Larry W. Camper, Chief, Materials Safety Branch, Division of Industrial 
and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 98-16135 Filed 6-16-98; 8:45 am]
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