ML19263B131
| ML19263B131 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07100238 |
| Issue date: | 12/26/1978 |
| From: | Kwast C AGRICULTURE, DEPT. OF |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7901050278 | |
| Download: ML19263B131 (3) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
- k SCIENCE AND EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION
- RADIOLOGICAL SAFETY STAFF EELT3VILLE, MARYLAND 20705
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Nuclear Regulatory b nIi's U.
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Office of Standards Development yd tiashington, D. C. 20555 (NRC PUBUC DOCU:,:atr agggy J
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Gentlemen *
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.1 Enclosed is a description of the USDA Quality Asaurance
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Program for Packaging of Radioactive Materiala for Transport for your approval.
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If more information is required, we shall be glad to supply i
it upon request.
Sincarely.
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Kvast Radiological Safety Officer Enclosure w
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USDA Quality Assurance Progran for Packaging of Radioactiva Haterials for Transnort Responsibility for RadioloS cal Safety in the Department of i
Agriculture has been assigned t,o the Science and Education 7?
Administration (SRA) by the Secretary of Agriculture.
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,g AccordinSly, a Radiological Safety Comnittee (RSC) and a s
Radiological Safety Officer (RS0) have been appointed who c,.
raport to the Deputy Director for Agricultural Research, SEA.
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The RSO and his staff implement the procedures, requirements,I'7d.if-u-
instructiona and other measures established by the RSC necessary to the administration of radiological esfety Ja}4L,
f unctions within the Department.
These include the safe
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packaging, handling and shipment of radioactive naterials.
CssealedsourcesthabexceedType Special Form '8Co and I37 A quantities and are occasionally shipped from one USDA laboratory to another are those conceined in heavily shielded irradiators used for research and insect sterilization purposes.
The irradiators which are licensed by the NRC, have been purchased from, or fabricated on a custom basis for the Department by, commercial firms.
Each irradiator is furnished with an overpack and/or such other packaging components as necessary, which meet URC and DOT packaging and shipping requirements.
The RSO holds valid certificates of appreval from DOT for the shipping containers.
Uhan shipped in a USDA owned vehicle or by a conuercial carrier, the irrndiator is repackaged so ori inally received.
Any 3
daf ec tiv o components are replaced with identical new components.
If they cannot be fabricated on site they are furnished by the commerical firm which originally supplied then.
As a specific example, the Cammator Irradiator manufactured by I s o u e J r. x, Inc. of Parsippany, New Jersey, which holds up to 32Du curies of 137 Cs is shipped in a DOT spyroved Specification 20-UC-5 shipping container (DOT cartificate USA /5300/3(20WC-5) held by RSO).
Isonadix built an identical container for the Department.
Its use is controlled by the RSO who has to be contacted prior to each shipuent.
The RSO authorizes all transfers, provides hsedling, packaging and shipping instructions to the responsible user, and 2,
maintains records of shipnents.
The shipping container is properly labeled and naintained in proper shipping condition at all times.
Since shipnents are infecquent, no regular audits are effected.
Rather, the RSO nakes certain that all shipping componento are used as originally approved se the cine a shipment is initiated to assure estisfactory performance.
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Since Special Yoru Sealed Sources exceeding Type A quantities of radioactive material are shipped in packazes approvad for use by the NEC and DOT in accordance with the provisions described above, it is considered the Department 's Quality Assurance Program fully satisfies tha requiroments of at Section 71.51 of 10-CFR-Part 71.
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.' w-RSS December 26, 1973
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