Radiation Control Rules:
Waste Management and Radiation Control Laws and Rules

The Radiation Control Act, Utah Code Title 19 Chapter 3, provides the Department of Environmental Quality’s Radiation Control Board the authority to make rules to protect the public and environment from significant sources of radiation. The Board has established these rules in order to develop a total Radiation Control Program within the State of Utah. Although limits are set for maximum permissible doses and concentrations, it is the policy that radiation levels and exposures from all sources of radiation will be reduced to the lowest level that can reasonably be achieved. Serious efforts will be made to reduce radiation exposures and releases of radioactive material in effluents to unrestricted areas to as low as is reasonably achievable.

The Division of Radiation Control is the Department’s agent in administering these rules. The objective of these rules is to obtain optimum benefits from uses of sources of radiation while minimizing the risks. To achieve this objective requires knowledge of technical factors and understanding of their relative importance. The Division’s staff will require sound basic training, and a continuing education program in order to effectively administer these rules. The Division is devoted to minimizing unproductive radiation exposures to human beings and to reduce the unnecessary release of radioactive materials to the environment.

Since the rulemaking process is continuing in nature, the reader is also directed to the Code’s interim supplement, the Utah State Bulletin, which records all changes since the last edition of the printed code. Links to items of public notice are provided for those wanting to review them.

NOTE: References to Titles, Chapters, Parts, Sections and Subsections refer to the Utah Administrative Code. References to CFR refer the Code of Federal Regulations. References to R313 refer to the Utah Radiation Control Rules.

Copies of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) are available from the Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402, telephone (202) 783-3238.

You may download a zipped (compressed) format of the complete set of rules or view them online by sections listed below:

Persons interested in the rules related to the use of x-ray machines should review relevant parts of rules R313-12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 28, 30, 35, and 70.

Rules

• R313-12
  This section provides helpful definitions of radiation safety terms applicable to owners of x-ray systems and it describes some important measurement units used in radiation safety. Requirements for keeping records, allowing access for inspections, and completion of tests to verify compliance are also provided.
• R313-14
  Information about the categorization of violations into severity levels is provided and requirements for responding to a Notice of Violation are given in this section. Escalated enforcement sanctions and conditions under which they are to be used are also presented. The rules in this section are important when an item of noncompliance is encountered during a radiation safety inspection. Owners of x-ray systems generally refer to these rules on an infrequent basis or not at all if they diligently follow the Utah Radiation Control Rules.
• R313-15
  This rule is very important because it specifies the radiation safety standards for the protection of workers and the public. It is highly recommended that persons who use x-ray machines or that have radioactive materials review and understand these rules. Radiation dose limits for members of the public, the embryo/fetus, minors, and occupational workers are given.
• R313-16
  Very important information regarding the registration requirements for radiation producing machines is found in this section. The registrant’s responsibility for development of a radiation safety program is prescribed. Also, requirements for installation, servicing, change in ownership, and inspection of radiation machines are provided. It is necessary that owners of x-ray machines become familiar with these requirements.
• R313-17
  This rule outlines the procedures for public comment on actions of the Director.
• R313-18
  This rule establishes requirements for notices, instructions and reports by persons holding a radioactive material license or persons with registered x-ray equipment and individuals engaged in work under a radioactive material license or x-ray equipment registration and options available to such individuals in connection with inspections.
• R313-19
  The purpose of this rule is to prescribe requirements governing the licensing of radioactive material. This rule also gives notice to all persons who knowingly provide to any licensee, applicant, certificate of registration holder, contractor, or subcontractor, components, equipment, materials, or other goods or services, that relate to a licensee’s, applicant’s or certificate of registration holder’s activities subject to these rules, that they may be individually subject to Director enforcement action.
• R313-21
  This rule establishes general licenses for the possession and use of radioactive material contained in certain items and a general license for ownership of radioactive material.
• R313-22
  This rule prescribes the requirements for the issuance of specific licenses for ownership of radioactive material.
• R313-24
  The purpose of this rule is to prescribe requirements for possession and use of source material in milling operations such as conventional milling, in-situ leaching, or heap-leaching. The rule includes requirements for the possession of byproduct material from source material milling operations, as well as, possession and maintenance of a facility in standby mode. In addition, requirements are prescribed for the receipt of byproduct material from other persons for possession and disposal. The rule also prescribes requirements for receipt of byproduct material from other persons for possession and disposal incidental to the byproduct material generated by the licensee’s source material milling operations.
• R313-25
  The purpose of this rule is to prescribe the requirements for the issuance of licenses for the land disposal of wastes received from other persons.
• R313-26
  The purpose of this rule is to prescribe the requirements for the issuance of permits to generators for accessing a land disposal facility located within the State and requirements for shippers.
• R313-27
  Medical Use Advisory Committee
• R313-28
  This rule details the operating standards and use restrictions for various types of x-ray machines used in the healing arts. It is a fundamental section with which all registrants who use x-ray machines in the healing arts must be familiar.
• R313-30
  The requirements of this rule are applicable to registrants who use x-ray or electron beams in the treatment of cancer.
• R313-32
  The purpose of this rule is to prescribe requirements and provisions for the medical use of radioactive material and for issuance of specific licenses authorizing the medical use of this material. These requirements and provisions provide for the protection of the public health and safety.
• R313-34
  This rule prescribes requirements for the issuance of licenses authorizing the use of sealed sources containing radioactive materials in irradiators used to irradiate objects or materials using gamma radiation.
• R313-35
  This rule is applicable to those registrants who use x-ray machines for industrial radiographic applications, analytical applications or other non-medical applications. Veterinarians, educators, research scientists, or package inspection personnel will want to become familiar with these requirements.
• R313-36
  This rule prescribe requirements for the issuance of licenses and establish radiation safety requirements for persons utilizing sources of radiation for industrial radiography
• R313-37
  This rule prescribe requirements for the physical protection program for a licensee that possesses an aggregated category 1 or category 2 quantity of radioactive material.
• R313-38
  This rule prescribes requirements for the issuance of a license authorizing the use of licensed materials including sealed sources, radioactive tracers, radioactive markers, and uranium sinker bars in well logging in a single well. This rule also prescribes radiation safety requirements for persons using licensed materials in these operations.
• R313-70
  This rule provides information about the types of fees collected by the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control and the method of payment of these fees.

Document Fees

• Radioactive Material Licensees List (All, Paper Format): $10.00
• Utah Radiation Control Rules
  • Complete Set: $20.00
  • Machine-Generated Radiation (Partial Set): $15.00
  • Radioactive Materials (Partial Set): $15.00
• X-ray Machine Registrants List (All, Paper Format): $10.00