Regulatory Guide 8.8, Information Relevant to Ensuring that Occupational Radiation Exposures at Nuclear Power Stations Will Be as Low as Is Reasonably Achievable
| ML13350A229 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/31/1973 |
| From: | US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| RG-8.008 | |
| Download: ML13350A229 (4) | |
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tIREGULATORY
UL :YDiRECTORATE
OF REGULATORVY
SAD-ARDSREGULATORY
GUIlDE4.8:.8 July 1973G UIDE)RMATIONRELEVANT.
TO
IONAL RAD IATIONEXPOSURE
AS LOW-AS.PRACTICABLE
(NUCLEAR
REACTORS)
A.:INTiODUCTION
lPalgraph.
20.() of.:10 CFR Part 20-states that:..licensees should, in* addition to complying with thelimits set forth in :that part,. ake every reasonable effort to maintain radiation exposures, and releases:
of"raioactive, materials
'in :effluentS.tO
unrestricted areas,as -far below the limits specified in that part aspracticable.
This'guide outlines the information needed:in .license applications and safety analysis reports(SAR)for nuclear reactors concerning the maintenance
.. of oc'cupational doses as low as practicable (ALAP).
B. DISCUSSION
The objective o f efforts to 'ensure thatoccupational exposures, are ALAP is to further ,reduce:avoidable exposurcs and therebyjreduce.
the:low risksthat are presumed to result from small, doses. It.thaslong, been recognized by radiation control professionals that iti.is prudent to avoid unnecessary.
-exposure:
andto .hold doses ..as :low0. as practicable.
Piacticability isdetermined..
by the- state, of techuiologY
and theeconomics of. improvements in raIlationi to the'benefits from, these improvemen s.The": available data suggest..that past efforts havebeen.. relatively successful.
in' that,- enerallys in .AECl-,icensed activities, occupational'
exposures haie. beenwellibelow0
the applicable.limnits..of
10 CFR Part 20.' ,2Thus,. the provisions of this.guide are not intended to.,precipitate dramatic departures from past practice.
Rather, they are intended to promote a more formalapproach to keeping doses ALAP, to identify, andpromote continuance
" of. good practices, and topromote further improvements where practicable.
The: .
of lineatity bv wcen do.se -,ridrespornse,"recmmnended again by the Biulogical Effectsof loni7ing Radiation
.(BEIR) committee."
mdi-alcsconcern, about :both population
'dose and individwlk"
doses. This it is; not. sufficiei nierulyv to control maximum dose to individuals;
the total dose to thegroup (melasured in .man-rem)
must be kept as low aspracticable.
It. would be inappropriate it) hold theindividual doses to a fraction of the applicable limit it.this .resulted in the irradiatiun of more people undincreased the total. man-remi dose.Effective contrul of: radiation exposure involvesthe major considerations*
1. 'Management.cOmniitment and support;2.. Careful:design of facilities and equipment:
and.3:.. Good radiation protection practices, including good planning and the proper use .of appropriate equipment by qualified, well-trained personnel.
C. REGULATORY
POSITION'Detailed information, as outlined in subsequent sections of tils guide,.should be provided in the licenseapplication about, each of the above majorconsiderations.
i. 'Management Philosophy and Organization.
Maintaining occupational exposures.
at the lowestpracticablie level requires management commitment.
Aclear statement of operating philosophy regarding occupational radiation exposure should be included'
inthe license application (or SAR) and reflected in thelicensee's facility design, policy documents, and writtenoperating procedures and close and continuing management followup.
USAEC REGULATORY
GUIDESReguist"
Gulden ie Inued' t de..t...b and' uakes avaihele'
to'the publicnmanhodgtcteptable to the AEC PlegulatofY
stall of implemenlting specific Part$ ofton'ts reguliaonsl.
.to dellineate tchnique'
.used by the staff. In l .em.a ostustad'acidents;
of to prOVt, guidance to,tpU.k ae..,
u 41 .s not' Wterlitutal for raegulatioi and complialnc with tem .h-not rquired-..
Meth)= and solutions different from thosa Wtut Inth" *l ldetyttl be If they pr6owide a beth for the findingll
"quISIt tothe hauntta or tontituefla of.s permit or lictnse by the Commision.
llauttieftd
' pidet wioltbe- rose..d periodically, asapitaO.Ojwrvdatt comments mid to reflect row information r experience*
Coone l of pubtihi guides may be obtained by fequett indicating the divitsont desired to the. US, Atomic Energy Co.,iuon,
, Washlrolal D.. 20545.Attention:
Director of R4egulC01fY.Stadthls.
Commenfts and tuggirstiontfor Inp ostte nts in theta guide are encouraged end thould be sent to the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
Washinton.
DC. 20545.Attaenion:
Chief. Public Proceedings Staff.1.P0V~tRa dO 8. ProduJct'2.' Sneirch andt Test Re~ti.orn
7. Tramnc.-ti
2. 'uels andlMaterials IF.-Xlties
6.cjccufrt'n
5; Materials arsd Plant Proiect~o
10. cervilltinnWL. etv- AIA specific individual (i.e., the health physics chiefor manager)
should be given explicit responsibility andauthority i'or ensuring that exposures are ALAP. Heshould be directly responsible to someone at a highmanagement level. The health physics group should notbe a part of operations- or production-oriented divisions.
A nmember of upper management should be givenresponsibility for ensuring that the ALAP policy isimplemented.
He should conduct periodic reviews ofprocedures and practices for achieving ALAPexposures,
2. Personnel Qualification and TrainingThe individual responsible for recommending andimplementing the radiation control program (i.e., thehealdt physics chief or manager)
should be aprofessional of recognized competence in this field,preferably with power reactor experienc,.
Where thisindividual does not have qualifications equivalent tothose required for certification by the American Boardof' Health Physics.
he should be supported by and haveavailable immediate access to one (or more) consultant and/or staff member who is so qualified and who is inthe facility at least once a month. Companycommitment to this principle should be stated in thelicense application.
Any person whose duties entail entering restricted areas or directing the activities of others who enterrestricted areas should be instructed in thefundamentals of health physics and should be madeaware of, and given the authority to implement, thelicensee's commitments for maintaining doses ALAP inhis areas of responsibility.
His training should becommensurate with his duties and responsibilities aswell as the degree of radiation hazard anticipated.
Personnel policies should include screening to ensurethat radiation workers are responsible andconscientious and qualified to perform their dutiessafely.Personnel whose duties do not entail enteringrestricted
-.reas should be (1) made aware of thereasons for keeping out of restricted areas and (2)denied access to restricted areas.Personnel responsible for the design or approval offacilities including restricted areas or equipment for usein restricted areas should (I) receive instructions in thefundamentals of health physics including theimportance of maintaining doses ALAP and (2) haveready access to and use a competent professional health physicist.
3. Facility and Equipment DesignRadiation exposures may be minimized by properdesign of facilities and equipment.
This requires adefinite commitment by the applicant to providepreliminary and periodic design reviews by competent health physicists (with the support of other specialists)
before and during construction specifically to ensurethat occupational exposures will be ALAP.Since a major portion of the occupational radiation dose is received during niaintenance, inservice inspection, refueling, and nonroutine operations (including activities complicated by leakage and spillageof raý oactive materials),
these activities warrant specialattention during design. Also, decommissioning caninvolve serious radiation exposures and should beconsidered during design. Designs should be reviewedto ensure that provisions have been included to achieveALAP exposures in these situations.
Specifically, thelicense application (at the PSAR stage) should provideinformation demonstrating that:a. Equipment which may require servicing willbe designed and located to minimize service time;b. Instruments requiring in situ calibration will belocated in the lowest practicable radiation fields-c. Equipment and components requiring servicing will be located in or designed to be movable to thelowest practicable radiation fields-d. Best available valves, Valve packing, andgaskets will be used to minimize leakage and spillage ofradioactive materials- e. Penetrations of shielding and containment walls by ducts and other openings will be designed tominimize exposure and that shield design specifications will limit void content;f. Radiation sources and occupied areas will beseparated if possible (in particular, pipes or ductscontaining potentially highly radioactive fluids will notpass through occupied areas),g. Precautions will be provided
(1) to minimizethe spread oh' contamination and (2) to facilitate decontamination in the event spillage occurs;h. Interior surfaces as well as the layout of ductsand pipes will be designed to minimize buildup ofcontamination;
t. Systems which may become contaminated willbe designed to include provisions for flushing orremote chemical cleaning prior to servicing;
j. The ventilation system will be designed toensure control of airborne contaminants, especially during maintenance operations when the normal airflow patterns may be disrupted (e.g., open accessportals);
k. Wherever practicable, radiation and airbornecontamination monitoring equipment with remotereadout will be *included in areas to which personnel normally have access (where special conditions warrant,portable instrumentation may be substituted);
1. The ventilation system will be d&signed foreasy access and service to keep doses ALAP duringalterations, maintenance, decontamination, and filterchanges;8.8-2 ip*1m. Where practicable, shielding will be providedetween radiation sources and areas to which personnel may have normal or routine access, and shielding willbe designed for maintaining doses ALAP;n. Movable shielding and convenient means forits utilization will be available for use where permanent shielding is needed but impractical;
o. Adequate shielding will be provided forradioactive wastes;p. Remote handling equipment will be providedwherever it is needed antl practicable:
q. All design features for radiation control willbe designed to accommodate maximum expected(technical specification limit) failures such as fuelelement cladding and steam generator failures;
andr. Sampling sites will be located so exposures will be ALAP during such routine operations assampling offgas, primary coolant, and liquid waste.4. Plans and Procedures Considerable dose reduction may be achievedthrough a carefully conceived and properlyimplemented planning and procedures program.
Asstated previously, a major portion of the occupational radiation dose is received during the activities ofmaintenance, inspection, refueling, and nonroutine operations.
It is therefore essential that approaches toAtlese activities involve a program of careful planningd preparations, use of well.trained and qualified prsonnel, and utilization of spec,-ific exposurereduction techniques as circumstances allow.Procedures governing implementation of such aprogram should be developed and included as routineoperating procedures.
As such, the license applications should include (1) at the PSAR stage, a commitment to and guidelines for providing these procedures and(2) at the FSAR stage. a description of the procedures to be utilized for maintaining exposures ALAP. Theprocedures proposed in the applications should projectexposures for various groups as well as identifysources, source strength, radiation levels, andcontamination levels and include plans to:a. Minimize source strength and contamination levels by flushing tanks, lines, etc., prior to performing the operation;
b. Minimize radiation levels in the work area byuse of permanent and/or movable shielding;
c. Minimize airborne contamination by properuse of the ventilation system, including purging areabefore entering temporary ducts into the work area,and other modifications as appropriate;
d. Further minimize inhalation of radioactive materials by the proper use of state-of-the-art respiratory protection:
e. Ensure that the task is completed with theleast practicable time in .the radiation field (theavailability and use of all appropriate tools andequipment, as well as the conduct of "dry runs." areespecially important);
f. Complete the task with the fewest people inthe radiation field consistent with safe operalion g. Cope as expeditiously as possible with fires.spills. equipment failure, and oilier accidents whichmay occur;h. Use remote handling equipment and otherspecial tools which can help reduce external dose:i. Provide adequate supervision and monitorinig to ensure (hat procedures are followed.
that theplanned and proper precautions are taken, and that allthe radiation hazards are identified;
j. Provide personnel monitoring eqti.pmeint suchas direct reading pocket dosimeters or pocket aliarmmeters, which will permit early evaluation of individual doses and the association of personnel exposure withspecific operations (see Regulatory Guide 8.4);k. Provide contamination control procedures toachieve ALAP exposures;
1. Ensure that radiation and contamination monitoring instruments are tested and calibrated correctly and frequently enough to provide a highdegree of confidence in the data they provide (seeRegulatory Guide 8.6);m. Conduct postoperational debriefings toimprove plans, identify shortcomings, and determine whether ALAP was achieved:
n. Maintain records including exposure data.contamination problems, airborne hazards, and internalexposure data as shown by bioassay analyses andwhole body counters that will be helpful in providing guidance for future similar operations (see Regulatory Guide 8.7);o. Perform as much work as practicable outsideradiation areas;p. Minimize personnel radiation exposures byplanning for access to and exit from work areas and byproviding service lines and work area communications prior to beginning the work;q. Consider the use of special tools or jigs whichcould reduce radiation exposure through simplification, reduction in time, or reduction of mistakes;
r. Post radiation levels in the work area so thatthe areas of highest and lowest radiation level areclearly identifiable;
s. Minimize disconifort of workers so thatefficiency will be increased and less time will be spentin radiation areas; andt. Estimate total man-remn to be expended onlarge jobs and set man-rem goals.8.8-3 REFERENCES
I. A. W. Klemenm.
Jr.. C. R. Miller. R. P. Mluix andU. Shleicn.
"Estimates of Ionizing Radiation Dosesin the United States Environnetital Protection Agency Report ORP;CSI)
72-1, August1072.2. "Fourth Annual Report of the Operation of theUS. Atomic Energy Commission's CentralRepository of Individual Radiation ExposureInf'ormalion,"
USAEC Repor
t. September
1972.3. C. L. Comar, Chmn. NAS-NRC 1EIR Committee.
'"he Effects on Populations of txposure Io LowI.evels of Ionizing Radiation."
National Academyof S,'iences-National Research Council,Washington.
D.C. 1972.8.8-4