10-144-220 Me. Code R. § E-D-16

Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024

Section 144-220-E-D-16 - Requirements for qualifications of radiographic personnel

A. Radiographer assistant. No licensee or registrant shall permit any individual to act as a radiographer assistant until the individual possesses the original or a copy of an Agency-issued radiography assistant status card or certification ID card.

(1) To obtain an Agency-issued radiography assistant status card, the licensee, registrant, or the individual must document to the Agency on Agency Form HHE-851 or equivalent that such individual has successfully completed a course of at least 40 hours on the applicable subjects outlined in E Appendix A. The course must be one accepted by the Agency, another agreement state, or the NRC.

(2) The radiographer assistant must carry a copy of the completed Agency Form HHE-851 listed above, in the interim period after submitting documentation to the Agency and before receiving a radiographer assistant status card. The copy of the completed HHE-851 that was submitted to the Agency may be used in lieu of the radiographer assistant status card for a period of 60 days from the date recorded by the radiographer assistant on the documentation.

(3) The individual shall notify the Agency by telephone, telegram, telefacsimile, electronic media transmission, or in writing of the need for a replacement radiographer assistant status card. The individual shall carry a copy of documentation of the request while performing industrial radiographic operations until a replacement radiographer assistant status card is received from the Agency.

B. Radiographer. No licensee or registrant shall permit any individual to act as a radiographer until the individual carries a valid radiographer certification. To obtain a radiographer certification, an individual must comply with the following:

(1) The licensee, registrant, or the individual must document to the Agency on Forms HHE-854 and HHE-856 or equivalent that such individual:

(a) Has completed the requirements of E.16.A(1);

(b) Has completed two months on-the-job training as a radiographer assistant supervised by one or more radiographers authorized on a license or certificate of registration;

(i) The radiographer assistant must carry a legible radiographer assistant status card in accordance with paragraph A of this section while obtaining the on-the-job training specified in (1)(b)(ii)-(vii) of this section.

(ii) The two months on-the-job training shall include at least 320 hours of active participation in radioactive materials industrial radiographic operations or one month, 160 hours, for active participation in x-ray industrial radiographic operations.

(iii) Individuals performing industrial radiography utilizing radioactive materials and x-ray machines must complete both segments three months (480 hours) of on-the-job training.

(iv) The hours of on-the-job training do not include safety meetings, classroom training, travel, darkroom activities, film development and interpretation, or use of a cabinet x-ray unit.

(v) One year of documented experience or on-the-job training as authorized by another Agreement State or the NRC may be substituted for (1)(b)(ii) or (iii) of this section. The documentation must be submitted to the Agency on Form HHE-856 or equivalent.

(vi) The radiographer assistant shall be under the personal supervision of a radiographer whenever a radiographer assistant:

(a) Uses radiation machines, radiographic exposure devices, or associated equipment; or

(b) Performs radiation surveys required by E.19 to determine that the sealed source has returned to the shielded position after an exposure or the radiation machine has stopped producing radiation.

(vii) The personal supervision shall include the following.

(a) The radiographer's physical presence at the site where the sources of radiation are being used;

(b) The availability of the radiographer to give immediate assistance if required; and

(c) The radiographer's direct observation of the radiographer assistant's performance of the operations referred to in this section.

(2) Has successfully completed within the last five years the appropriate Agency-administered examination prescribed in E.46 or the appropriate examination of another certifying entity that affords the same or comparable certification standards as those afforded by (1) and (3) of this section and E.46.; and

(3) Possesses a current certification ID card issued in accordance with E.46 or by another certifying entity that affords the same or comparable certification standards as those afforded by (1) and (2) of this Part and E.46.

(4) Reciprocal recognition by the Agency of an individual radiographer certification may be granted according to E.23:

(5) Once an individual has completed the requirements of paragraph 3 of this section, the licensee or registrant is not required to submit the documentation referenced in paragraph B.(1)(a) and (b) of this section.

C. In addition, the licensee or registrant may not permit any individual to act as a radiographer, radiographer assistant, or RSO until the individual has:

(1) Received copies of and demonstrated an understanding of the following by successful completion of a written or oral examination administered by the licensee or registrant covering this material:

(a) The requirements contained in this Part and the applicable requirements of Parts A, B, C, D, F, H, J, and L;

(b) The appropriate conditions of the license(s) and certificate(s) of registration;

(c) The licensee's or registrant's operating and emergency procedures; and

(2) Demonstrated competence in the use of sources of radiation, radiographic exposure devices, associated equipment, related handling tools, and radiation survey instruments that may be employed in industrial radiographic assignments by successful completion of a practical examination administered by the licensee or registrant covering such use.

D. Records of the administration of and the examinations required by C(1) of this section shall be made and maintained for Agency inspection in accordance with E.34.

E. The licensee or registrant shall provide annual refresher safety training for each radiographer and radiographer's assistant at intervals not to exceed 12 months.

F. Except as provided in paragraph D, the RSO or designee shall conduct an internal audit of the job performance of each radiographer and radiographer's assistant to ensure that the Agency's regulations, license or certificate of registration requirements, and the licensee's or registrants operating and emergency procedures are followed. The audit program must:

(1) Include observation of the performance of each radiographer and radiographer's assistant during an actual industrial radiographic operation, at intervals not to exceed six months; and

(2) Provide that, if a radiographer or a radiographer's assistant has not participated in an industrial radiographic operation during the six months since the last inspection, the radiographer or radiographer assistant must demonstrate knowledge of the training requirements of E.16.D. by a practical examination, administered by the licensee or registrant, before these individuals can next participate in a radiographic operation.

(3) The Agency may consider alternatives in those situations where the individual serves as both radiographer and RSO.

(4) In those operations where a single individual serves as both radiographer and RSO, and performs all radiography operations, an inspection program is not required.

G. The licensee or registrant shall maintain records of the above training to include certification documents, written and practical examinations, refresher safety training and audits of job performance in accordance with

H. The licensee or registrant training shall include the subjects covered in Appendix A of this Part.

10-144 C.M.R. ch. 220, § E-D-16