Regulatory Guide 10.3
| ML13350A216 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/30/1976 |
| From: | NRC/OSD |
| To: | |
| References | |
| RG-10.003 | |
| Download: ML13350A216 (6) | |
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION July 1976 REGULATORY GUIDE
OFFICE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT
REGULATORY GUIDE 10.3 GUIDE FOR THE PREPARATION OF APPLICATIONS FOR SPECIAL NUCLEAR
MATERIAL LICENSES OF LESS THAN
CRITICAL MASS QUANTITIES
1. INTRODUCTION 1.2 Applicable Regulations
1.1 Purpose of Guide Special nuclear material licenses are Issued pursuant to Part 70, "Special Nuclear Material," of Title 10, Code This guide describes the type of information needed of Federal Regulations. Special nuclear material, by to evaluate an application for a specific license for definition in 10 CFR Part 70, means plutonium.
receipt, possession. use, and transfer of special nuclear uranium 233, uranium enriched In the Isotope 233 or in material. It is intended for applicants requesting authori- the isotope 235, and any other material that the zation to possess and use up to 2,000 grams of Commission determines tu be special nuclear material or plutonium, total, in the form of sealed plutonium- any material artificially enriched by any of the fore.
beryllium neutron sources, and any special nuclear going. In addition to 10 CFR Part 70, the regulations material in quantities and fc..ns not sufficient to form a pertaining to special nuclear material licenses are found critical mass. The latter quantities are considered to be in 10 CFR Part 19,."Notices, Instructions, and Reports
350 grams of contained uranium 235, 200 grams of to WOrkers; Inspections;" 10 CFR Patt 20, "Standards uranium 233, 200 grams of plutonium (in any form for Protection Against Radiation;" 10 CFR Part 71, other than plutonium-beryllium neutron sources), or any "Packaging'of Radioactive Material for Transport and combination of them in accordance with the following,. Trai*spoitation of Radioactive Material Under Certain formula: Conditions;" and 10 CFR Part 170, "Fees for Facilities and-Materials Licenses Under the Atomic Energy Act of grams U-235 grams U-233 + grams Pu 1954, as Amended." The applicant should study care-
350 200 200,_ fully the regulations and this guide and should submit all information requested.
For each kind of special nuclear material, the applicant should determine the ratio between the rcquested 1.3 Items Requiring Separate Applications quantity of that special nuclear material and the quantity specified abov or tc same kind of special Activities that involve the receip,. possession, use, nuclear material. The surft sf'i'Uhli':?t,atios for all kinds of and transfer of special nuclear material in quantities and special nuclear mrie'itlu in combination should not forms sufficient to form a critical mass are not within exceed unity if this guidels alpplicable. For example, the the scope of this guide.
following in'iombl.atiofa would not exceed the limita- tion of the formula': 1.4 As Low As Is Reasonably Achievable (ALARA)
175 (grims contained U.235) Paragraph 20.1(c) of 10 CFR Part 20 states that
350 "... persons engaged in activities under licenses issued
+ 50 (grams U-233) + 50 (grams Pu) by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission pursuant to the
200 200 Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the USNRC REGULATORY GUIDES Corntent. should be $*At to the Secretary Of ft* Cormmfrnon. U S. Nucleai eguIlatory Guidel all issuld to desCribe and oneit Regulatory Commlssion. WaIhington. 0 C. 2056. Attention Oockeltitg and available to Ihe publi' Seric. Section methodl acceptable to the NRC staff of Implemenfing tpaKcfiC part$ Of tri1 Comrmission'i s tgulattOan. to delineate tehniqiues used by the Itaff -n ovalu0 rhe guide% r*di iesued to the following ton broad divisOi*n aging specific problem s or 01:t1110u4119 Ic'oderits. of to provide guidanice 1o 0001i cents Regulatory Guides 0r0 not *iubsttaftl tot regulations. and Compliance I Power Reactors B PrIodojl with them it nat requirld Methods end solutions differint from those glt out ii 2, Research and Toot Reactors 1. T*arnponraloi*n the *u.dol will be acceptable if they Provide a basil lfo the findings roqunsite to 2 Fuels end Materials F&Ctieth I OccupatioInal Health the rtuwancg or *c*nti*once of permit a, license by the Comnmtt,,on 4 fnirtonmantal and Siling I Antitrust Review Comments * nd twggarfiOn,, for improvements in these guides atre encouraged 5 Materiffi and Plint Potlllctio 10 General as all times. and gwidel will be ($iwooe. as sOtapp*rst*. to accommodate corn moonrtt oad to reflect new *O.ptr*.nc*
anlorrnateofl Howener. comments on Copies of pubithted guide, may be obtaimed by wrrttin recliuil .idlcatlng the im qguide. ,if recertd wlttfi*n Aboul too months after ill issuance. will be par Iltvtonldltired to the U S Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Wahinglon., 0 C
tiul*la, useful s.t the n00a for .n early rerrsiOn 0 AtAlltnlon Director, Office 0o Sltndetde Oevntopment
Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 should, in addition 3.2 Safeguards and Criticality to complying with tile requirements set forth in this For licenses included in the scope of this guide. no part, make every reasonable effort to maintain radiation safeguard information is required in an initial applica.
exposures, and releases of radioactive materials in tion. The Commission uses an electronic data processing effluents to unrestricted areas, as low as is reasonably procedure to record the location, by licensee, of special achievable." Regulatory Guide 8. 10, "'Operating Philoso- phy for Nlaintaining Occupational Radiation Exposure nuclear material. This system uses a three-letter Reporting Identification Symbol (RIS) to identify As Low As Is Reasonably Achievable." provides the NRC staff position on this important subject. License licensees who must submit material transfer reports and applicants should give consideration to the ALARA periodic material status reports in accordance with philosophy, as described in Regulatory Guide 8.10. in §§70.53. "Material Status Reports." and 70.54,"Nuclear Material Ttansfer Reports." of 10 CFR Part 70.
the development of plans for work with licensed radio.
active materials. Applicants will be assigned an RIS and will be informed how it is to be uscd following issuance of the license.
Requirements for reports will be forwarded under
2. LICENSE FEES
separate cover following the issuance of either a license or an amendment authorizing greater than I gram of An application fee is required for most types of special nuclear material.
licenses. The applicant should refer to §170.31,
"Schedule of Fees for Materials Licenses." of 10 CFR No information concerning criticality provisions is Part 170 to determine the amount of the fee that must required if no more than 450 grams of plutonium as accompany the application. Review of the application plutonium-beryllium neutron sources are requested. For will not begin until the proper fee is received by the quantities greater than 450 grams as neutron sources, no NRC.
criticality information is required provided adequate procedures to ensure that no more than 450 grams will
3. FILING AN APPLICATION be used or stored at any single site are submitted.
A license application for special nuclear material 4. CONTENTS OF AN APPLICATION
should be filed in letter form and should provide the information specified in §70.22, "Contents of Applica. 4.1 Specification of Applicant tions," of 10 CFR Part 70. All items should be completed in sufficient detail for the NRC to determine The applicant corporation, institution, government that the applicant's equipment, facilities, and radiation agency, or other legal entity should be specified by protection program are adequate to protect health and name, street address of principal office, and the state minimize danger to life and property. where incorporated. Any control or ownership exercised over the applicant by any alien, foreign corporation, or Each separate sheet or document submitted with the foreign government should be indicated. The principal application should be identified as to its purpose, e.g.. officials of the applicant corporation should be indicated response to an item of the regulation, radiation safety by name, title, address, and citizenship. Individuals instructions, etc. Seven copies of the application should should be dekignated as the applicant only if the use of be completed. The original and five copies should be the special nuclear material is not connected with employ.
mailed to: Radioisotopes Licensing Branch, Division of ment with a corporation or other entity. If the applicant Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, Office of Nuclear is an individual, the individual should be specified by full Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory name, age, citizenship, and street address, including state Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555. One copy of the and zip code. The individual applicant should also indi- application, with all attachments, should be retained by cate three personal references identified by name, ad.
the applicant, since the license will require, as a condi- dress, and citizenship.
tion, that the licensee follow the statements and represen- tations set forth in the application and any supplement 4.2 Specification of Activities To Be Performed to it.
The operations for which the special nuclear material
3.1 Proprietary Information will be used and a general plan for carrying out the activity should be described. This information should be The information required in applications usually can specified for each location where the special nuclear be presented without the use of proprietary data. When material will be used. Each individual operation should its use cannot be avoided, the proprietary ir.formation be described. The purpose of this descriptive informa- should be separated from the rest of the application, and tion is to enable the Commission to determine that the an application for withholding from public inspection use will be for activities permitted under the Commis- should be made in accordance with the requirements of sion's regulations and the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
§2.790 of 10 CFR Part 2, "Rules of Practice." amended.
10.3-2
0 -
4.3 Specification of Special Nuclear Material 1. The number, type, and length of remote handling devices.
The special nuclear material requested should be identified by isotope; chemical or physical form; activity 2. Storage containers and facilities, Consideration of in curies. mnillicuries, or microcuries; and mass in grains. both shielding and security of materials should be Specification o." iotopc should include principal isotope indicated.
and significant containinanis. Major dose.contributing contausinants present or expected to build up are of 3. Containers, devices, protective clothing, auxiliary pa.rticular interest. For example. the quantity of shielding, general laboratory equipment. air sampling plutonium 236 present in plutonium 238 should be equipment, etc., actually employed in the daily use of specified. material, Shielding and containment provision for louse materials designed to minimize personnel exposure Possession limits requested should cover the total should be described.
anticipated inventory, including stored materials and waste. 4. Physical plant. laboratory, or working area facilities. A description of a1l fume hoods, glove boxes.
If the application is for a scaled source or plated waste receptacles, special sinks. ventilation and source. the special nuclear material content and containment systems, effluent filter systems. including manufacturer's name and model number of each seated the design specifications and capabilities of these or plated source should be specificd. If a scaled source systems, should be included. All processing. work. and will be used in a device (holder, gage, analyzer. etc.), the change areas should be describe,'. Applications fur manufacturer's name and model number of the device chemical or physical processing operations should should he identified. Each source should be keyed to the include a description of the controls for fire prevention specific devices to be used with it. and the firefighting equipment available. Sketches showing laboratory or plant arrangements and the nature and use of areas adjacent to areas in which special
4.4 Technical Qualifications of Personnel nuclear materials will be processed should be submitted.
A resume of the training and experience of each 5. Radiation detection instruments to be used. The person who will directly supervise the use of material or manufacturer's name and model numbers, the number of will have radiological safety responsibilities should be each type available, the type of radiation detected submitted. The resume should include the type of (alpha, beta, ganmma, or neutron), the sensitivity range training (e.g., on-the.job or formal course work), (millirocntgens per hour. neutrons per second, or counts location where training was received, and the duration of per minute), the window thickness in m1g/crn 2 . and the the training. Training should include subjects such as (I) type of use for each instrument should be specified. The principles and practices of radiation protection, (2) type of use would normally be monitoring. surveying.
radioactivity measurements, standardization, and assaying, or measuring.
monitoring techniques and instruments, (3) mathematics and calculations basic to the use and measurement of Instrument calibration provisions should he des- radioactivity, and (4) biological effects of radiation. The cribed. The frequency and me thuds of calibration description of the actual use of radioactive materials or should be indicated. Daily or more frequent checks of equivalent experience should include the specific survey instruments should be supplemented with calibra- isotopes handled, tle maximum quantities of materials tion on all ranges of the instruments. If suLeCy instru- handled, where the experience was gained, the duration ments are not to be returned to the tanufacturer for of experience, and the type of use. The qualifications, calibration, a detailed description of planned calibration training, and experience should be commensurate with procedures should be submitted. The description should the proposed use of the material requested in the include standard sources to be used, facilities to be used, application. pertinent experience of each individual who will perform the calibrations, and procedures to ensure safety and
4.5 Description of Equipment, Facilities, and Instru. accuracy during calibration.
mentation
4.6 Proposed Procedures to Protect Health and Mllini.
The equipment, facilities, and radiation detection mize Danger instrumentation for each site of use should be described in detail. The proposed equipment and facilities for each Procedures should be established to ensure compliance activity must be adequate to protect health and with the provisions of 10 CFR Part 19, "Notices.
minimize danger to life and property. In describing Instructions, and Reports to Workers; Inspections," and available equipment and facilities, the following types of 10 CFR Part 20, "Standards for Protection Against information should be included, as appropriate: Radiation." The procedures should be specific for the
10.3-3
activities for which a license is sought. Depending upon 2. For operations involving only sealed sources, a the types and quantities of materials and the scope of survey program should include evaluation and/or use, the following information should be subItrited: measurement of gamina and neutron radiation levels for storage and use configurations. When sources are used in
4.6.1 Specification of Radiation Safety Responsibil- devices having "on" and "ofr' positions, both positions ities and Duties should be evaluated at the time of installation.
Supplemental surveys should be performed following Tile responsibilities and duties of management, any any changes in orpration. shielding. use. or relocation of radiation safety committees, radiation safety officers. the device.
and users should be clearly established. Individuals having radiation safety responsibilities should be 3. For operations involving nmterials in forms identified by name, and pertinent training and expe- other than as sealed sources, the survey program sheuld rience should be described (see Section 4.4). Assignment also be designed to monitor the adequacy of contain.
of duties should cover all aopects of the radiation safety ment and contamination control. Tile program should program. include air sampling, bioassays, monitoring effluent releases, and surveys to evaluate alpha contamination of
4.6.2 Personnel Monitoring personnel, work areas, and equipment.
1. Personnel monitoring equipment (f'dm badge.
TLD, dosimeters) should be specified, including the type a. The specification of an air sampling program of radiation monitored (beta, gammna, or neutron), the should include the areas where samples will be taken, the frequency of evaluation, and the type of services to be frequency of sampling, the relationship to the processing obtained from a commercial supplier. This specification or maintenance phase. and orientation of sampler with should include whether the monitoring is to evaluate respect to workers' breathing zones. Tile type of assays whole body or extremity exposure. If dosimeters are to that will be performed to evaluate air samples and the be used, tile type, range, frequency of reading, and methods used to relate results to actual personnel maintenance and calibration provisions should be exposures should be described.
specified.
b. The effluent monitoring program for releases
2. If no personnel monitoring is specified, ithe to unrestricted areas should encompass all airborne and applicant should submit an evaluation of expected liquid releases. Calculational evaluations should be exposures from the proposed use. This evaluation should supplemented by stack monitoring appropriate for the demonstrate that no individual is likely to receive a dose planned and potential releases.
in any calendar quarter in excess of 0.31 reins to the whole body, blood.forndng organs, lens of the eye, or c. The survey program for evaluating alpha gonads, 4.69 rents to extaemities (hands, forearms. feet. contamination of personnel and plant surfaces should or ankles); or 1.88 reins to the skin of the whole body include provisions for monitoring protective clothing.
from all sources and types of occupational exposures. hands, and feet of workers leaving restricted areas before breaks and at the end of shifts. Evaluation (alpha and/or
3. For processing operations where a potential for gamma levels) of gloves or other protective clothing.
internal deposition of radioactive material exists, a equipment, or tools required during processing should be bioassay program may be required. Regulatory Guide described. Surface contamination evaluation should
8.11. "Applications of Bioassay for Uranium," deals include unrestricted areas such as lunch rooms, offices, with depleted, natural, and enriched uranium, but the etc. The survey program to monitor cleanup efforts for general requirements and methods are applicable for a work areas where dust or loose materials are produced or special nuclear material bioassay program. spread should be described. Reasonable efforts should be made to remove all residual contaminatio
n. Acceptable
4.6.3 Radiation Survey Program limits of fixed and removable contamination for facilities in restricted areas should be set.
1. A survey is defined as an evaluation of the radiation hazards incident to production, use, release, 4. Acceptable limits of fixed and removable disposal, or presence of radioactive materials. When contamination for facilities and equipment in appropriate, such evaluation includes a physical survey unrestricted areas and for release for unrestricted use of tie location of materials and equipment and measure. should be set. For example, aftet reasonable effort to ments of levels of radiation or concentrations of rcnmovc all residual contamination, if maximum alpha radioactive materials present in air, water, or other levels are 300 dpm*/l0Q cm2 or less and the average is materials and on surfaces. The types, methods, and 2
100 dpm/100 cm or less, unrestricted use is frequency of surveys should be specified according to the nature and complexity of the special nuclear material program. *Alpha disintegsations per minute. not counts per minute.
10.34
permissible, provided that removable alpha specified in §20.302 of IOCFR Part 20 should be conlamination does not exceed 20 dpm/ O10 cm2 . These suhmitted to support a request for arty alternate guidelines apply to all special nuclear material except methods of disposal. This information should include mixtures of the naturally occurring isotopes of uranium the quantities and kinds of materials, the levels of (U-234, U-235. U-238) for which the levels may be a radioactivity, a description of the manner and conditions factor of 50 higher. of disposal, an evaluation of environmental considera- tions, and the control procedures.
5. A survey program for pilot studies and initial phases of a full-scale production operation needed for 6. The applicant should specifically indicate how evaluating and verifying actual hazards may be more wastes will be disposed of.
extensive than the survey program that may be appro- priate for the day-to-day program. Provisions for t(le evaluation of all changes in operation should be made. 4.6.5 Record Management
4.6.4 Waste Disposal Provision for keeping and reviewing records of surveys; inventories; personnel exposures' receipt. use.
1. Wastes generated as a result of operations and disposal of ri.ils; etc., should be described.
involving special nuclear material need to be disposed of Persons responsible ior keeping and reviewing records in a safe manner. Such wastes may include items such as should be identified.
contaminated tools, gloves, clothing, absorbent mater.
ials. filters, resin columns, decontamination solutions. or process wastes (see § §20.301-20.305, which deal with 4.6.6 MateriA, Control Provisions waste disposal, of 10 CFR Part 20).
Procedures for ordering materials, receiving
2. Wastes that are soluble or readily dispersible in materials, notifying responsible persons upon receipt.
water may be disposed of via the sanitary sewer system and opening packages should be indicated. Section subject to the concentration and daily, monthly, and 20.205 of 10 CFR Part 20 requires monitoring of certain annual limits specified in §20.303 of 10 CFR Part 20. packages upon receipt. depending on the quantily of For example, up to 0.1 microcurie of uranium 233 may radioactive material contained and its form. Packages be disposed of daily, provided the concentration in containing less than 10 microcuries of plutonium. 100
sewage released does not exceed 9 x 10.4 microcurie/ microcuries of uranium 233, or I millicurie of uranium milliliter when diluted by the average daily quantity of 235 are exempt from monitoring. Monitoring of external sewage. Releases to sewage of all radioactive materials by surfaces is required if these quantities are exceeded. If a licensee are limited to one curie/year and average removable contamination in excess of 0.01 micro- monthly concentrations not exceeding restricted area curies/t00 ct1 2 is found on the external surface of the water concentrations. outer container, notification of the shipper and the Commission is required. Packages containing sealed
3. Burial in soil is another method of waste sources are exempt from surface menitoring require.
nments as "special form." Monitoring of external radia.
disposal.* Such burials are subject to the 4-foot depth, tion levels is also required for certain quantities.
6-foot separation, and 12/year limitations of §20.304 of
10 CFR Part 20. The quantity per burial is limited to 10
4.6.7 Sealed Source Leak-Testing Provisions microcuries for special nuclear material.
I. Plutonium-beryllium scaled neutron sources
4. The most commonly used method of disposal is and certain plutonium gamma sources arc required by transfer to a commercial firm licensed to accept such wastes. Lists of such firms are available from the license condition to be tested for leakage and contaminita- tion at intervals not to exceed 6 months. Sealed sources Commission upon request. In dealing with such firms, designed as alpha sources and other plutonium sources prior contact is recommended to determine specific must be tested at intervals not to exceed 3 months.
services provided. When the supplier does not certify that such tests have been performed within the appropriate interval, the
5. Other methods of disposal may be. considered sources are not to be used until leak tested. The test and justified on a case-by-case basis. The information should be capable of detecting the presence of 0.005 microcurle of alpha contamination ont tie test sample.
The test sample should be taken from the source or from
"The Commisslon Is considering amendments to 10 CFR Part 20 appropriate accessible surfaces of the device in which the that would prohibit the disposal of tranwranlum elements by sealed source is permanently mounted or stored where burial in soil putsuant to §20.304. If adopted, the amendments would require that such waste be transferred to the Commission contamination could appear if the source were defective.
for storage as soon as practicable but within 5 years after its Records of leak-test results are required by license condi- generation. tion to be maintained for inspection by the Commission.
10.3-5
-- m .. wwý -
Any leaking sources niust be withdrawn from use. or manuals), lhe duration of training. retraining provi.
Provision for deconta lination. repair. or disposal should sions, and the subject matter to be included. Copies of be made. training procedures and manuals should be submitted.
2. If tile applicant desires to perform his o%,il leak 5. AMENDMENTS TO A LICENSE
tests. the following intfornma tion should be submitted:
Licensees are required to conduct their programns in a. Qualifications of persormirel who will perform accordance with statements. representation. and
.!:c leak test. procedures contained in tile license application arid supportive documents. The license must. therefore, be b. Safety pro,:cedures to be followed during the amended it' the licensee plans to make arty changes in test. facilities. equipment (including monitoring and survey instruments). procedures, personnel, or special nuclear c. Test procedures and nmaterials or commer'ial material to be used.
kit to be used. and Applications for license amendments may be filed in d. Type. nlanufacturer's name. and model letter form. The application should idekitif. the license inumber of the instrunment to be used for assay of test by number and should clearly describe the exact nature samples. of the changes, additions, tir deletions. Ref.'rences to previously submitted inforratioin and documents should be clear arid specific and should identify the pertinent
4.6.8 Emergency and Decontamination Procedure.*
infornmation by date. page. and paragraph.
A copy of euteroency procedures to be posted in all la;-,raiorv or work areas xMere radioactive materials
6. RENEWAL OF A LICENSE
are used should be submitted. These instructions -lhou!d AAn application for renewal of a license should be fIied describe ihiiniediate action to he taken ih case uf aln at least 30 days prior to tire expiration date. This will ertrcrecncv in order to prevent release of radioactive nullterial or further contamina tio:t of Wlirk areas and ensure that tile license does not expire until finial ,ction on the ;,pplication has been taken by the NRC as lersonnvel. Examples of emnerigercy procedures are wurn. provided fot in paragraph 70.33(b) (if 10 CFR Part 70.
imuc off tire Ventilatit systell. evacuation of the area. re.
entlry. procedures for cuamraimvnenlt of spills, etc. The in- Renewal applications should he filed as tite original strtictions should Speciflically slate the nles and application, appropriately supplemented. and should meleplunhett 11nlbhers of responsible persuns to be notilied.
contain complete and up-to.date information about tie applicant's current program.
4.6.9 Procedures for Training Personnel li order to facilitate the review process. tile applica- A description of the training prugran for all tion for renewal should be submitted without reference per3'onlltel who are involved in or associated with tile use to previously submitted documents arid information. If of material should be submitted. The description should such references cannot he avoided. they should be clear include the form of training (e.g.. formal course work. and specific and should identify Ihe pertinent infozina- lectures, on.the.job instructions, arid written instructions tion by date. page, and paragraph.
10.3-6