There are several hundred thousand nuclear gauges incorporating a radioactive source or a radiation generator in use all over the world. They have been used in a wide range of industries to improve the quality of products, optimize processes, and save energy and materials. The economic benefits have been amply demonstrated, and there is clear evidence that nuclear gauge technology can be used safely and will continue to play an important role. Although generic guidance for source handling is available, there have been no targeted recommendations for radiation safety in the use of nuclear gauges. To fill this gap the current publication provides practical guidance for implementing the safety requirements specified in IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3, Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards, related to the use of nuclear gauges.

• 1. INTRODUCTION
  • Background
  • Objective
  • Scope
  • Structure
• 2. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
  • General
  • The government and the regulatory body
  • The operating organization
    • Safety culture
    • Human factors
  • Radiation protection officers
  • Qualified experts
  • Workers
  • Cooperation between employers and registrants and licensees
  • Workers on short term contracts (itinerant workers)
  • The client
• 3. SAFETY ASSESSMENT
  • General
  • Methodology for the safety assessment
  • Outcomes of the safety assessment
  • Reviews of the safety assessment
  • Record of the safety assessment
  • Graded approach
  • Optimization of protection and safety
• 4. RADIATION PROTECTION PROGRAMME
  • Objectives and scope
  • Structure and content
  • Management structure and policies
  • Programme of education and training
  • Local rules and supervision
  • Radiation safety committee
  • Designation of controlled areas and supervised areas
  • Programme of workplace monitoring
  • Arrangements for individual monitoring
  • Health surveillance programme
  • Periodic reviews and audits of the performance of the radiation protection programme
  • Management system and process improvement
• 5. TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION OF PERSONS WORKING WITH NUCLEAR GAUGES
  • General
  • Design of a training programme
  • Structure and content of the training course
  • Refresher training
  • Training assesments and certification
• 6. INDIVIDUAL MONITORING OF WORKERS
  • General
  • Dose limits for occupational radiation protection
  • Individual dose assessment using passive dosimeters
  • Active personal dosimeters
  • Record keeping
  • Investigation of doses exceeding dose limits
  • Dosimetry equipment testing and calibration
• 7. WORKPLACE MONITORING
  • Monitoring programme
  • Selection, maintenance and calibration of workplace monitoring instruments
• 8. CONTROL OF RADIOACTIVE SOURCES
• 9. NUCLEAR SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS
  • The interfaces between safety and nuclear security
  • Security measures
• 10. SAFE HANDLING OF RADIOACTIVE SOURCES AND RADIATION GENERATORS
  • General
  • Sealed radioactive sources
  • Marking and labelling of nuclear gauges containing radioactive sources
  • Neutron radiation generators used in installed nuclear gauges
  • X ray generators used in installed nuclear gauges
  • Source changers and shipping containers
  • Storage of radioactive sources from nuclear gauges
  • Maintenance of nuclear gauges
  • Leak testing of radioactive sources in nuclear gauges
  • Cessation of use and removal of nuclear gauges
• 11. USE OF PORTABLE NUCLEAR GAUGES
  • Preparation for work on other sites
  • Designation of controlled areas and supervised areas on the site
    • Warning notices
    • Supervising and monitoring the area
  • Training of users of portable gauges
  • Temporary storage of portable nuclear gauges
  • Completion of work and removal of sources from the site
• 12. TRANSPORT OF RADIOACTIVE SOURCES
  • Movement of portable gauges within the site
  • Transport to another site
• 13. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
  • General
  • Development of emergency plans and procedures
  • Emergency equipment
  • Example response procedures for incidents involving nuclear gauges
    • Actions to be taken for events involving nuclear gauges containing radioactive sources
    • Actions to be taken for events involving nuclear gauges containing radiation generators
  • Training and exercises
  • Periodic reviews of the emergency plan
  • Reporting
  • Communication with the public
• REFERENCES
• Annex I OVERVIEW OF NUCLEAR GAUGES
• Annex II CONSIDERATIONS FOR A SAFETY ASSESSMENT AND LOCAL RULES FOR NUCLEAR GAUGES
  • Normal operating conditions
    • Reasonably foreseeable incidents
    • Hazards
    • Control measures
• Annex III EXAMPLES OF INCIDENTS INVOLVING NUCLEAR GAUGES
  • Description of the incident
    • Doses to workers
    • Lessons identified
    • Description of the incident
    • Radiological consequences
    • Lessons identified
• CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW