ML20247H381
| ML20247H381 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/20/1989 |
| From: | Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Beckley R AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20245B300 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8907280370 | |
| Download: ML20247H381 (2) | |
Text
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o UNITED STATES 3
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20565
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July 20, 1989 CHAIRMAN 1
Mr. Ross A. Beckley, Chairman of the Board The American Society for. Nondestructive Testing, Inc.
4153 Arlingate. Plaza P.O. Box 28518 Columbus, Ohio 43228-0518 a
Dear'Mr. Beckley:
i I am responding to your letter of April 12, 1989, which enclosed j
a copy of Revision 0 of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing's (ASNT's) Certification Program for Industrial i
Radiography Radiation Safety Personnel (IRRSP).
During our i
discussion of your program with representatives of'ASNT, the i
State of Texas, the Conference of Radiation Control' Pro Directors, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) gram staff at the commission meeting on April 5, 1989, the Commission indicated it would advise you of our position on the ASNT program after we had.had an opportunity to carefully review the text of your proposal.
The NRC staff has now completed its formal review of Revision'0 and has concluded that the ASNT certification program will help to assure that individuals performing radiographer duties have an acceptable knowledge of radiation safety practices and l
principles and meet minimum regulatoryfrequirements for training i
and experience.
Because NRC, Agreement States, and non-Agreement R
States will be actual participants in the program, ASNT will create and maintain a " national registry" of certified radio-4 graphers to provide the participants greater assurance that only properly qualified individuals will conduct industrial radiography in the United States.
We understand that ASNT expects to begin implementation of its certification program by the end of this year and to review and certify all qualified radiographer in the United States within two to three years.
Consistent with that schedule, the Commission plans to incorporate the concept of radiographer certification into our regulatory program in two steps.
- First, the Commission intends to propose a rule which would recognize individuals certified in the ASNT program as meeting the training and experience' requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 34.
Concurrent with this rulemaking e' fort, our Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards would issue new l! censing j
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1 Mr. Ross A. Beckley 2-1 guidance to NRC's Regional Offices allowing radiography applicants j
and existing licensees who commit to using only ASNT-certified individuals as radiographer to state that commitment in lieu of submitting detailed radiographer training programs.
Second, after about one year, the Commission would publish a proposed rulemaking requiring third-party certification for individual radiographer.
This two-step approach will provide the NRC useful experience with the ASNT program before we promulgate a final rule mandating certification.
Regulatory responsibility under this rule would be exercised by the NRC and by the appropriate regulatory authorities of the states participating in the Agreement State Program.
Although the Commission believes that a certification program for industrial radiographer such as the one you have proposed is long overdue, I want to emphasize that NRC will continue to meet its statutory obligation to protect the public health and safety by maintaining effective regulatory oversight of radiography licensees.
With frequent inspections of radiography facilities and field operations and ASNT's efforts to ensure that radio-graphers are properly qualified, it is our expectation that the performance of this group of licensees will improve.
The Commission supports your initiative in this important area and looks forward to working with ASNT in the future.
Sincerely,
_...t gi,h Kenneth M. Carr i
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