| Do I need a radioactive materials license?
If you operate Troxler nuclear gauges in the United States or Canada,
the answer is "yes." In other countries, check with your national
authority for the regulation of radioactive materials. In the United
States, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulates radioactive
materials contained in nuclear gauges or by the radiation control program
office in Agreement States. Guidance on licensing is contained in Troxler's
Licensing Guide.
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Do I need a copy of my gauge certificate?
In addition to containing useful information about the radioactive material
in your gauge, your gauge certificate is a record of receipt for your
gauge (if you are the original owner). It also contains the initial
leak test results at the time of shipment to you. You may be asked by
your regulatory agency for documentation of both gauge receipt and initial
leak test results. If you need a replacement copy of your gauge certificate,
contact our Radiation Safety department at 1.877.TROXLER (outside the
USA +1.919.549.8661) or send us an e-mail.
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| What
are IAEA certificates of competent authority?
Troxler gauges contain sealed sources, which have been designed to meet
the durability testing requirements of the International Energy Agency
for certification as "special form" radioactive materials.
Special form sources are tested to demonstrate that they are unlikely
to release their radioactive contents even under extreme conditions.
In order to transport gauges containing special form sources, the shipper
is required to have, on file, current copies of the IAEA certificates
of competent authority for each source. Please note that certificates
of competent authority have expiration dates. Reference the Special
Form Certificates page to download copies of these forms.
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| Do
I need to placard my vehicle to transport my gauge?
No. Placarding is required for vehicles that transport Yellow III quantities
of radioactive material. Troxler gauges contain only White I or Yellow
II quantities of radioactive material.
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| Do
I need a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) to transport Troxler gauges?
No. A CDL would only be required for greater than Yellow II quantities
of radioactive material.
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| What
are the rules regarding securing my gauge in the vehicle?
The US DOT regulations state that the gauge must be "securely blocked
and braced to prevent shifting under conditions normally incident to
transportation". In addition, the gauge cannot be transported in
the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
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| What
kind of training do I need to operate my gauge?
In the US, gauge operator training is usually required as a provision
of your radioactive materials license. In addition, US DOT regulations
require initial and recurrent HAZMAT training for all employees involved
in the transportation of hazardous goods, including packaging, preparing
shipping papers, inspecting and transporting. HAZMAT training must cover
regulatory requirements, recognition and identification of hazardous
materials, emergency response information, hazard self-protection measures
and accident prevention methods and procedures. See 49 CFR 172 subpart
H for further details.
Troxler regularly conducts 1 day gauge operator training
classes and 2 hour HAZMAT re-certification sessions at various locations
around the country. Please visit the Training
section of our web site for more details.
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| How
do I complete a bill of lading?
The Troxler Transportation
Guide gives examples of bills of lading for transportation to temporary
job sites, as well as transportation by common carrier.
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| What
is a type A package?
A type 'A' package conforms to the testing requirements of US DOT for
the transportation of certain quantities of radioactive material. US
DOT requires that you maintain Type 'A' testing results on file for
two years past the date of your latest shipment. Documentation of Type
'A' testing is contained in the Troxler Transportation
Guide.
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| What
is special form radioactive material?
Special form radioactive sources have passed the testing criteria of
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for durability under extreme
conditions. Troxler uses radioactive sources that are encapsulated in
stainless steel and have been certified to IAEA standards. US DOT requires
that you maintain a current copy of the IAEA
certificate of competent authority for the design of special form
radioactive material for each source in your gauge.
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| How
often do I have to leak test my gauge?
Frequency of leak testing is specified in the conditions of your radioactive
materials license. Most users are required to leak test their gauges
every six months.
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| What
is the emergency response document?
The emergency response document is required by US DOT to be attached
to the shipping paper whenever you transport your gauge. It contains
information for emergency responders about the characteristics of the
hazardous material in case of an accident during transportation. Please
reference Troxler's Transportation
Guide for more information.
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| What
is the transport index?
The transport index is the radiation dose rate expressed in millirem
per hour at 1 meter from the surface of the package.
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| Can
I transfer my gauge to another company?
US regulations state that prior to shipment to another user, you must
verify that they are licensed to receive the type, form and quantity
of radioactive material that you plan to transfer. This may be verified
by obtaining and reviewing a copy of their radioactive materials license.
Alternatively, you may obtain a letter from them stating that they are
properly licensed to receive the type, form and quantity of radioactive
material contained in the gauge you wish to transfer. Such a letter
should include the name of the issuing agency, the license number and
the expiration date of the license.
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| Where do I get Special Form Certs (i.e. GB/140/S85, etc.)?
Please reference the Special
Form Certificates page of our web site.
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| What
are the usual radiation levels for my gauge?
Please reference your gauge Operators
Manual for the answer to this question.
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| Do
I need a MSDS for my nuclear gauges?
No. Troxler provides a MSDS
disclaimer statement for your files.
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| What
is reciprocity and how can I use my gauge in another state?
The regulatory authority for portable nuclear gauges in many states
is the US Nuclear Regulatory Agency. Other states which have entered
into an agreement with the USNRC (and therefore are referred to as 'agreement
states') have agencies which have regulatory authority for portable
nuclear gauges in their state. So, how do you work in a state which
is regulated by an agency other than your own?
Most states have a system of "reciprocity" for portable nuclear
gauge licenses. This means that if you send them a request and any applicable
fees, they will issue you a "letter of reciprocity" authorizing
you to use your gauge in their state for some period (usually less than
180 days per year) as long as you adhere to their rules and regulations.
How does this all work?
The requirements for reciprocity vary from agency to agency, so the
first step is a call to the state regulatory agency where you wish to
do work. They will direct you as to what they require for you to work
in the state. A list of regulatory agencies and contact telephone numbers
are available in Troxler's Transportation
Guide.
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| Please
reference Troxler's Transportation
Guide for the answers to the following questions: |
- How do I apply for a Radioactive Materials license?
- How do I fill out a Radioactive Materials license application?
- How do I calculate Dose to Members of the public?
- What is the element name and mass number for the sources?
- What is the chemical and physical form of the sources?
- What are the activities of the radioactive sources?
- What are the model numbers for the sources?
- What should my radiation protection program look like?
- Do I need to have a survey meter (radiation detection instrument)?
- How do I fill out shipping papers for my gauge?
- Where do I find Type A package testing results for my case?
- Where do I get an emergency response sheet?
- What emergency contact telephone number should I have?
- How do I transport my gauge in my vehicle?
- How do I label my shipping case?
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