Section 350.2030  Personnel Monitoring Control

a)         The licensee or registrant shall not permit any individual to act as a radiographer or as a radiographer trainee unless, at all times during radiographic operations, each individual wears a direct reading pocket ionization chamber (i.e., pocket dosimeter) and an individual monitoring device provided and evaluated by a qualified dosimetry processor as described in 32 Ill. Adm. Code 340.510(d)  Each device shall be assigned to and worn by only one individual. After replacement, each individual monitoring device must be processed as soon as possible.

b)         Pocket ionization chambers (i.e., pocket dosimeters) shall meet the criteria in ANSI N13.5-1972, "Performance Specifications for Direct Reading and Indirect Reading Pocket Dosimeters for X- and Gamma Radiation" published 1972, exclusive of subsequent amendments or editions.

c)         The use of pocket ionization chambers (i.e., pocket dosimeters) is subject to the following requirements:

1)         Pocket ionization chambers shall be recharged at least daily or at least at the start of each work shift;

2)         Pocket ionization chambers shall be read and exposures recorded at least at the beginning and end of each worker's shift involving the use of a source of radiation;

3)         Pocket ionization chambers shall be checked for correct response to radiation at periods not to exceed 1 year.  Acceptable dosimeters shall read within plus or minus 30 percent of the true radiation exposure.  Records of pocket ionization chamber (i.e., pocket dosimeter) calibrations shall be maintained for inspection by the Agency for 5 years; and

4)         If an individual's pocket ionization chamber is discharged beyond its range (i.e., goes "off-scale"), industrial radiographic operations by that individual shall cease immediately and the individual's monitoring device shall be sent immediately for processing.  The individual shall not use sources of radiation until a determination of the individual's radiation dose has been made.  The determination must be made by the RSO or the RSO's designee.  The results of this determination must be included in records maintained in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

5)         If the individual monitoring device that is required by subsection (a) of this Section is lost or damaged, the worker shall cease work immediately until a replacement monitoring device meeting the requirements in subsection (a) of this Section is provided and the exposure is calculated for the time period from issuance to loss or damage of the individual monitoring device.  The results of this calculated exposure and the time period for which the monitoring device was lost or damaged must be included in the records maintained in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

d)         Reports received from the individual monitoring device processor; records of daily pocket ionization chamber (i.e., pocket dosimeter) readings, records of estimates of exposures associated with off-scale pocket ionization chambers; and/or lost or damaged individual monitoring devices shall be kept for inspection by the Agency until the radioactive material license or certificate of registration is terminated or until the Agency authorizes their disposition, in writing, following a determination by the Agency that the records contain inaccurate personnel monitoring information.

e)         In addition to other requirements of this Section, each individual performing radiography with sealed sources at a location other than a permanent radiography installation shall wear an alarm ratemeter.  Each alarm ratemeter shall:

1)         Be checked prior to use at the start of each shift to ensure that the alarm functions properly (sounds);

2)         Be set to give an alarm signal at a preset dose rate of 5mSv (500 mrem) per hour or less;

3)         Require special means to change the preset alarm function; and

4)         Be calibrated, at periods not to exceed 1 year, for correct response to radiation.  Ratemeters shall alarm within plus or minus 20 percent of the true radiation dose rate.  Records of alarm ratemeter calibrations shall be maintained for inspection by the Agency for 5 years.

f)          The alarm ratemeter shall be used in addition to, and not as a substitute for, the portable survey instrument required by Section 350.3030 of this Part.  The alarm ratemeter is intended to provide additional assurance that the radiation exposure levels are within regulatory limits.

(Source:  Amended at 28 Ill. Reg. 12598, effective October 1, 2004)