A Resource for Radiation Safety and Regulatory Information

Over the years, Glenbrook Technologies has served as a resource of radiation safety and regulatory information for our customer base. We pride ourselves in our knowledge and diligence in staying abreast of the current literature in radiation safety issues. This continuing library of knowledge is bolstered by our membership in The American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Relevant to the purchase and use of industrial x-ray inspection systems, the following information should be considered.

Design Safety Standards

The design safety standards pertaining to Industrial X-ray Inspection Systems can be found in “Code of Federal Regulations” 21 CFR Subchapter J, Part 1000 which is obtainable from:

  • The U.S. Government Printing Office
  • Superintendent of Documents
  • Mail Stop: SSOP
  • Washington, D.C. 20402-9328

Part 1020.40 c1 of this publication reads: “Radiation emitted from the cabinet x-ray system shall not exceed an exposure of 0.5 milliroentgens (mR) in one hour at any point five centimeters outside the external surface.” (Note: normal background radiation is approximately 0.02 mR/hr at sea level and approximately 0.5 mR/hr in a plane at cruising altitude during the day.)

Particular State or Governmental regulations should be obtained by contacting the Radiation Control Agency of your state or country.

X-ray Inspection Systems must be registered with your state or governing agency. In many cases, Glenbrook can help you by providing registration forms and/or contact information.

Radiation Monitoring

Your specific radiation control agency has established specific guidelines regarding the monitoring of possible radiation leakage from industrial x-ray inspection systems. There are a number of measures recommended to provide a means of radiation leakage monitoring.

Dosimeter Badges

Dosimeter badges can be placed by the equipment or worn by the individual operator to constantly record the integrated x-ray dose. At the end of the reporting period, a replacement dosimeter is received and the recording dosimeter returned to the dosimeter service company. A report is issued tabulating any x-ray dose received.

A dosimeter service is most useful in that written records are established for the facility, documenting that no radiation leakage has occurred.

You can contact Glenbrook Technologies for Dosimeter Badge Application forms.

Radiation Survey Meters

Radiation survey meters detect the presence of ionizing radiation and display the value in units of mR/hr. (milliRoentgens per hour). It is generally a good idea to have, as part of a radiation safety program, a radiation survey meter. These meters employ an energy compensated Geiger-Mueller tube to measure the presence of ionizing radiation and are generally calibrated to the isotope Cesium-137.

Cautionary Note on the Use of G-M Tube Devices

These are inexpensive radiation monitoring devices and it is possible, when they are calibrated to a Cesium-137 standard (at 600 keV), for the meter to read higher than the actual value at lower x-ray photon energies.

G-M type radiation survey meters are available from Glenbrook Technologies.

Please contact us for information and pricing.

Radiation Safety Training

Glenbrook Technologies provides to customers operating and radiation safety training courses at our facility to assist them in maintaining compliance with state and federal radiation safety regulations. Glenbrook Technologies is also authorized, in their U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission License, to provide the training that is the prerequisite for obtaining certain radioactive materials licenses. Contact us for further details.

Radiation Safety Manuals

Glenbrook Technologies has available to their customer base, Radiation Safety Manuals in hard copy and e-mail format. Manuals and information can be obtained that cover a variety of topics including Radiation Safety and the Pregnant Worker.

Contact us to discuss your particular requirement

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