{"operation":"document","citation":"10-0174","title":"Integrity Inspection Services — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2010-09-03","effective_on":null,"summary":"10-0174 response to Integrity Inspection Services concerning 173.443.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0174.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0174.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0174","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2010/100174.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nSEP 3 2010\n1200 New Jersey Ave, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\n~r.JanaesJagernann\nIntegrity Inspection Services\n21422 Provincial Boulevard\nKaty, TX 77450\nRef. No. 10-0174\nDear ~r. Jagernann:\nThis responds to your August 12,2010 enaail regarding the transportation ofradioactive·\nnaaterial under the Hazardous ~aterials Regulations (H~R; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).\nSpecifically, you request clarification ofthe naethod of calculation used to deternaine the level of\ncontanaination on the external surfaces ofa package in accordance with § 173.443 ofthe HMR.\nYour question is paraphrased and answered as follows:\nFor instances when the wipe efficiency is assunaed to be 0.10, ifthe instrunaent used to naeasure\nradioactivity provides a reading in counts per nainute (cpna), do I need to include a factor to\nconvert cpna to disintegrations per nainute (dpna) or does the assunaed 0.10 wipe efficiency\nincorporate a conversion frona cpna to dpna?\nIn addition to the assunaed 0.10 wipe efficiency, an instrunaent efficiency factor is needed to\ncalculate the contanaination activity on the wiping naaterial. The wipe efficiency factor does not\naccount for the effectiveness ofthe instrunaent in naeasuring radioactivity. The instrunaent\nefficiency factor is a function ofthe efficiency ofthe specific instrunaent in naeasuring the\nradioactivity on the wiping naaterial. This instrunaent efficiency factor naay be provided on the\ninstrunaent, obtained through the naanufacturer or supplier ofthe instrunaent, or deternained by\nusing reference standards ofknown radioactivity. Therefore, in your case, both a wipe\nefficiency factor and an instrunaent efficiency factor are needed to calculate the level of\ncontanaination in dpna.\nI hope this infornaation is helpful. Ifyou have further questions, please contact this office.\nSincerely,\n<BWt~~\nBen Supko\nActing Chief, Standards Developnaent\nOffice ofHazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) KANl\nSent: Friday, August 13, 2010 9:00 AM 10- Oli'f\nTo: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nCc: DerKinderen, Dirk (PHMSA)\nSubject: FW: Hazmat Information Center Feedback: General Information, Regulations, and Definitions\n(Sections 171.1 &ndash; 171.26)\n-----Original Message----From:\nPHMSA-Feedback [mailto:PHMSA-Feedback]\nSent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 1:05 PM\nTo: PHMSA HM InfoCenter; PHMSA Webmaster\nSubject: Hazmat Information Center Feedback: General Information, Regulations, and\nDefinitions (Sections 171.1 &ndash; 171.26)\nI would like to obtain clarification for the calculation of NORM loose surface contamination\nfor DOT purposes is correct.\nPer the regulations:\nRemovable (loose) contamination levels shall be established by w1p1ng an area of 300cm2 of\nthe surface concerned with an absorbent material, using moderate pressure, and measuring the\nactivity on the wiping material. Sufficient measurements must be taken in the most\nappropriate locations to yield a representative assessment of the non-fixed contamination\nlevels. [49CFR173.443(a) (1)]\nThe amount of radioactivity measured on any single wiping material, divided by the surface\narea wiped and the efficiency of the wipe procedure (the fraction of removable contamination\ntransferred from the surface to the absorbent material), may not exceed 22 dpm/cm2 alpha or\n220 dpm/cm2 beta/gamma. For this purpose the actual wipe efficiency may be assumed to be\n0.10. [49CFR173 .443 (a)(1) ]\nIf using the above regulations, the loose surface calculation would be:\ncpm/300/0.1/ = dpm/cm2\nwhere:\n• cpm = meter reading\n• 300 = wipe area cm2\n• 0.1 wipe efficiency\nMy question is, do I also need to input a factor for converting cpm to dpm due to the fact\nthat the field survey instrument used to count the smear reads out in units of cpm or does\nthe above wipe efficiency assumption include that conversion?\nThank you for your help in this matter.\n~~~~~li~~~~ Jageman~\nEmail: james.jagemann@yahoo.com\nPhone: 713-885-2745\n1:-k Jr-{f1 ~ ~p e.J ~t.h Su VILL':;:.\n7l'lz '- P('~\"' '''c-~ t 6l,J.\n~ r {efti5 77150 1","truncated":false,"body_characters":4141}