25 Pa. Code § 240.3
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
AC-Activated charcoal-A device used to measure radon by exposing activated charcoal to air in the area to be tested and analyzed by gamma ray spectroscopy.
AT-Alpha track-A device used to measure radon by recording alpha particle tracks on a plastic chip.
Act-The Radon Certification Act (63 P.S. §§ 2001-2014).
Active radon mitigation system-A radon mitigation system with an electric vent fan.
Acts-The Radon Certification Act and the Radiation Protection Act (35 P.S. §§ 7110.101-7110.703).
Alteration-A change to the original mitigation system design, including fan size, number or placement of suction points, or pipe diameter.
CRM-Continuous radon monitor-An active device used to measure radon with solid state silicon surface barrier detectors, scintillation cells or ion chambers, usually on an hourly basis.
CWLM-Continuous working level monitor-An active device used to measure radon decay products, usually on an hourly basis.
Calibration-The process of determining the response of an instrument (or measurement system) to a series of known values over the range of the instrument (or measurement system).
Certification year-Each 12-month period beginning with the most recent certification date of the certified individual.
Certified individual-An individual with a Department certification to perform radon testing, mitigation or laboratory analysis in this Commonwealth.
Client-A receiver of services that are regulated under the Act or this chapter.
Control limit-A QC value set at ±3 sigma.
Diagnostic test-A test performed to determine specific radon entry points and sources, the result of which is not reported to the Department or in writing to the client.
Duplicate measurements-Two measurements made concurrently, for the same time period and in the same location, approximately 4 inches from one another.
Electret ion chamber-A radon measurement device that consists of a small plastic container with an electrostatically charged disk inside to serve as a detector.
Electret reader-A radon measurement device that consists of a voltmeter used to measure the voltage on the electrostatically charged disk of an electret ion chamber testing device at the beginning and end of a test period.
Electret voltage drift-A QC process which evaluates the voltage drift of each new batch of electrets received from the manufacturer of the electrets.
Field blank-A QC measurement made by analyzing unexposed (closed) detectors that have been maintained in a low-radon environment to assess radon exposure to the detector from a source other than the concentration in the environment to be measured.
Firm-A Department-certified entity that has at least one certified individual in responsible charge of the entity's testing, mitigation or laboratory radon activities. A business, such as a corporation or limited liability company, may contain more than one firm.
Firm employee-A Department-listed radon testing, mitigation or laboratory employee under the responsible charge of a certified individual.
Firm owner-A person or business entity which owns and is responsible for the radon firm.
LS-Liquid scintillation-A device used to measure radon by exposing a small amount of activated charcoal contained within a small vial and placed in the area to be sampled and analyzed in a liquid scintillation counter.
Laboratory-A Department-certified individual or firm.
Laboratory analysis-The act of analyzing a radon test device and calculating a radon concentration in air or water.
Lowest livable level-The lowest level of a building that may be used as a living space without requiring any major structural changes.
MV-Measured value-The radon concentration reported by the analyst, in units of picocuries per liter or WLs.
Measurement-A radon or radon decay product test result used for the performance of quality assurance, including a spike, blank, duplicate, intercomparison or cross check.
Mitigate-To repair or alter a building or building design for the purpose in whole or in part of reducing the concentration of radon in the indoor atmosphere.
Mitigator-A Department-certified individual or a Department-listed mitigation employee of a Department-certified mitigation firm.
Multifamily building-A building with more than three attached dwellings.
Nonreported test-A test conducted for reasons other than reporting valid, written results to the client, such as a diagnostic test.
pCi/L-Picocurie per liter-2.22 disintegrations per minute of radioactive material per liter of air.
Passive radon mitigation system-A radon mitigation system without an electric vent fan.
Person-An individual, corporation, partnership, business entity, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, group, agency or political subdivision of this Commonwealth, another state or political subdivision or agency thereof, and a legal successor, representative, agency or agency of the entities in this definition.
Primary device-Continuous monitors or electret ion chambers, or both, read or analyzed, or both, by a primary tester.
Primary tester-A tester who reads or analyzes, or both, a primary device that the tester places or retrieves, or both.
QA-Quality assurance-The activities required to provide the evidences needed to establish confidence that radon test data are of the required precision and accuracy.
QC-Quality control-The process through which a person measures performance, compares performance with standards and acts on any differences.
RPD-Relative percent difference-The absolute value of the difference between two measurements divided by their average, multiplied by 100. The equation is:
RPD={(|MV1-MV2|)/(MV1+MV2)/2} x 100.
RPE-Relative percent error-The measured value (pCi/L) minus the RV (pCi/L), divided by the RV, multiplied by 100. The equation is:
RPE = {(MV-RV)/RV} x 100.
RV-Reference value-The known radon concentration value, in units of picocuries per liter or WL, to which a test device is exposed.
Radon-The radioactive noble gas radon-222 and the short-lived radionuclides which are products of radon-222 decay, including polonium-218, lead-214, bismuth-214 and polonium-214.
Secondary device-A radon test device that is analyzed by a Department-certified laboratory.
Secondary tester-A tester who places or retrieves, or both, a radon test device that is analyzed by a Department-certified laboratory.
Sigma level-A sample standard deviation around a mean, which is a measure of the scatter of data around a mean. The term is often described as 1, 2 or 3 sigma, corresponding to one, two or three standard deviations around the mean.
Spiked measurement or spike-A quality control measurement conducted in an approved chamber to evaluate accuracy by exposing the detector or device to a known concentration and submitted for analysis.
Test-The act of measuring for the presence of radon in a building's air or water supply.
Tester-A Department-certified individual or a Department-listed testing employee of a Department-certified testing firm.
WL-Working level-Any combination of short-lived radon progeny (for radon-222: polonium-218, lead-214, bismuth-214 and polonium-214; and for radon-220: polonium-216, lead-212, bismuth-212 and polonium-212) in 1 liter of air that will result in the ultimate emission of 1.3 x 105 MeV of alpha particle energy.
WLM-Working level month-The cumulative exposure from breathing in an atmosphere at a concentration of 1 WL for a working month of 170 hours.
WLM/yr-Working level month per year-The cumulative exposure incurred over 1 year (2,040 hours) from breathing in an atmosphere at a concentration of 1 WL for a working month of 170 hours.
Warning level-A QC value set at ±2 sigma.
25 Pa. Code § 240.3
The provisions of this §240.3 amended under sections 301, 302 and 401 of the Radiation Protection Act (35 P.S. §§ 7110.301, 7110.302 and 7110.401); section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § 510-10); and sections 8, 12 and 13 of the Radon Certification Act (63 P.S. §§ 2008, 2012 and 2013).