NAC459.724. Safety requirements for operators of X-ray systems.

     1. A registrant shall not permit any person to operate an X-ray system to conduct X-ray industrial radiography unless, at all times during radiographic operations, the person wears a film badge or a thermoluminescence dosimeter and, if the X-ray industrial radiography takes place at a temporary job site or in a room or building that does not meet the requirements of NAC 459.335, a direct reading pocket dosimeter.

     2. Direct reading pocket dosimeters must have a range from zero to 200 millirems (2 millisieverts) and be recharged at the start of each shift. Each film badge or thermoluminescence dosimeter must be assigned to and worn by only one person. A film badge must not be replaced less often than once a month. A thermoluminescence dosimeter must not be replaced less often than once every 3 months.

     3. Direct reading pocket dosimeters must be read and exposures recorded daily. A person’s film badge or thermoluminescence dosimeter must be immediately processed if his or her pocket dosimeter is discharged beyond its range. Reports received from the film badge or thermoluminescence dosimeter processor and records of the pocket dosimeter readings must be maintained for inspection by the Division for not less than 3 years after the records are made.

     4. Each direct reading pocket dosimeter must be checked at periods not to exceed 1 year for response to radiation. To be acceptable, a dosimeter must read within plus or minus 20 percent of the true radiation exposure.

     5. If the ion-chamber pocket dosimeter of a person is found to be off scale, or if the electronic personal dosimeter of a person reads greater than 200 millirems (2 millisieverts), and the possibility of radiation exposure cannot be ruled out as the cause:

     (a) The film badge or thermoluminescence dosimeter of that person must be sent for processing within 24 hours; and

     (b) The person shall not resume work with sources of radiation until a determination of his or her radiation exposure has been made.

     6. For the purposes of this section, a person performing maintenance on an X-ray system shall be deemed to be operating the system if the X-ray beam is on at any time during the performance of the maintenance.

     [Bd. of Health, Radiation Control Reg. §§ 5.5-5.5.3.2, eff. 2-28-80]—(NAC A 4-27-84; 1-18-94; 1-21-94, eff. 4-22-94; 1-21-94, eff. 5-22-94; R084-98, 1-26-99; A by Dep’t of Human Resources by R137-01, 5-30-2003)