D. Policy Statement

D1. General

D2. Equivalencies and Limited Exemptions

D3. Program Elements for all Accelerators

D4. Program Elements for Accelerators that Operate above 10 MeV

POLICY

A. Purpose

This policy describes safety requirements for accelerators as required by Contractor Requirements Document (CRD) in Department of Energy (DOE) Order 420.2D, Safety of Accelerators (Accelerator Safety Order, ASO).

B. Persons Affected

All persons who support an accelerator. This includes document preparation, work planning, maintenance, operation, or decommissioning.

C. Exceptions

This policy does not apply to radiation generating devices that do not meet the definition of an accelerator:

“A device and its components employing electrostatic or electromagnetic fields to impart kinetic energy to molecular, atomic, or sub-atomic particles and capable of creating a radiological area as defined by 10 CFR Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection. Accelerator components include injectors, targets, beam dumps, detectors, experimental enclosures, accelerator enclosures, experimental areas, and experimental apparatus utilizing the accelerator. The accelerator also includes associated support and test facilities, equipment, systems, and utilities necessary to operate the accelerator or utilize the accelerated beam.”

 If a radiation generating device does not meet the definition of an accelerator,  it may still be subject to LBNL’s radiological protection program.

D. Policy Statement

D.1  General

All radiation generating devices that meet the definition of an accelerator must adhere to the safety requirements described in the ASO.  These safety requirements are in addition to the requirement for all radiological work activities at Berkeley Lab to be conducted safely and in accordance with applicable regulations and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requirements. DOE's basic standards for occupational radiation protection are described in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection.

D.2  Equivalencies and Limited Exemptions

All accelerators that are approved to operate in limited exemptions from parts of the ASO or meet the requirements to allow for defined equivalences must be evaluated on a periodic basis to ensure the accelerators granted the limited exemption or equivalency continue to be operated under the conditions of the approved exemption or equivalency.

D.3  Program Elements for all Accelerators

All accelerators must establish the following program elements prior to commissioning and routine operations:

(1) A safety analysis or analysis of postulated worst-case accident for every accelerator

(2) Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for accelerator activities including those for training and procedures.

LBNL’s Radiation Protection Group is responsible for establishing a current listing/inventory of accelerators managed under ASO and the exemptions or equivalencies to ASO, if applicable.

Program elements described in (1) and (2) are satisfied for accelerators at LBNL through the DOE-approved Integrated Safety Management Program, which adheres to 48 CFR 970.5223-1, Integration of Environment, Safety and Health into Work Planning and Execution. This is implemented through the LBNL Radiation Generating Device Program.

The program elements must be periodically reviewed and updated, as appropriate (interval not to exceed five years). For Accelerators that operate above 10 MeV, that includes the program elements in D.4.

D.4  Program Elements for Accelerators that Operate above 10 MeV

Accelerators facilities that operate devices above 10 MeV must establish the following program elements in addition to the requirements listed in D.3:

1. A Safety Assessment Document (SAD) in lieu of the analysis required by (1) in D.3 above.
2. A DOE-approved Accelerator Safety Envelope (ASE)

LBNL must establish the following processes for all accelerators operating above 10 MeV:

1. A DOE-approved Unreviewed Safety Issue (USI) Process
2. An Accelerator Readiness Review (ARR) process

DOE approval is required:

1. Prior to the start of commissioning activities
2. Prior to the start of routine operations
3. Prior to implementation of a proposed activity if the USI process determines that the proposed activity introduces accelerator specific hazards that are not adequately addressed by the current SAD and approved ASE
4. For all exemptions and equivalencies not pre-approved in the ASO
5. For all initial ASEs and subsequent ASE updates or amendments
6. For the institutional USI Process
7. For the restart of any activity or affected operations after a DOE-mandated shutdown because of an ASE violation
8. Prior to the start of accelerator decommissioning activities

DOE notification is required:

1. when any SAD is revised and approved
2. upon discovery of conditions with the credible potential to introduce accelerator specific hazards that are not adequately addressed by the current SAD and approved ASE of an accelerator.

E. Roles and Responsibilities

F. Definitions/Acronyms

G. Recordkeeping Requirements

The care, maintenance, and disposition of RPG records will be done in accordance with Berkeley Lab records management policies and procedures, as listed in the Requirements and Policies Manual (PUB-201).

H. Implementing Documents

I. Contact Information

David Kestell

Radiological Control Manager

Environment, Health, and Safety Division

Environment, Waste, and Radiation Protection Department

djkestell@lbl.gov

J. Revision History

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

Source Requirements Documents

• DOE Order 420.2D, Safety of Accelerators 

Implementing Documents