§ 72.126 - Criteria for radiological protection.

§ 72.126 Criteria for radiological protection.

(a) Exposure control. Radiation protection systems must be provided for all areas and operations where onsite personnel may be exposed to radiation or airborne radioactive materials. Structures, systems, and components for which operation, maintenance, and required inspections may involve occupational exposure must be designed, fabricated, located, shielded, controlled, and tested so as to control external and internal radiation exposures to personnel. The design must include means to:

(1) Prevent the accumulation of radioactive material in those systems requiring access;

(2) Decontaminate those systems to which access is required;

(3) Control access to areas of potential contamination or high radiation within the ISFSI or MRS;

(4) Measure and control contamination of areas requiring access;

(5) Minimize the time required to perform work in the vicinity of radioactive components; for example, by providing sufficient space for ease of operation and designing equipment for ease of repair and replacement; and

(6) Shield personnel from radiation exposure.

(b) Radiological alarm systems. Radiological alarm systems must be provided in accessible work areas as appropriate to warn operating personnel of radiation and airborne radioactive material concentrations above a given setpoint and of concentrations of radioactive material in effluents above control limits. Radiation alarm systems must be designed with provisions for calibration and testing their operability.

(c) Effluent and direct radiation monitoring.

(1) As appropriate for the handling and storage system, effluent systems must be provided. Means for measuring the amount of radionuclides in effluents during normal operations and under accident conditions must be provided for these systems. A means of measuring the flow of the diluting medium, either air or water, must also be provided.

(2) Areas containing radioactive materials must be provided with systems for measuring the direct radiation levels in and around these areas.

(d) Effluent control. The ISFSI or MRS must be designed to provide means to limit to levels as low as is reasonably achievable the release of radioactive materials in effluents during normal operations; and control the release of radioactive materials under accident conditions. Analyses must be made to show that releases to the general environment during normal operations and anticipated occurrences will be within the exposure limit given in § 72.104. Analyses of design basis accidents must be made to show that releases to the general environment will be within the exposure limits given in § 72.106. Systems designed to monitor the release of radioactive materials must have means for calibration and testing their operability.