Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices Regulations (SOR/2000-207)

Interpretation and Application

Interpretation

1 The definitions in this section apply in these Regulations.

Act

Act means the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. (Loi)

bulk quantity

bulk quantity means, in respect of the terms exemption quantity and unconditional clearance level,

• (a) when referred to in section 5, a quantity of material greater than one tonne; and

• (b) when referred to in section 5.1, a quantity of material greater than one tonne per year per nuclear facility. (quantité en vrac)

certificate

certificate means a document issued by the Commission or by a designated officer authorized under paragraph 37(2)(a) or (b) of the Act, indicating that prescribed equipment or a person is certified. (attestation ou homologation)

certified

certified means certified by the Commission under paragraph 21(1)(h) or (i) of the Act or by a designated officer authorized under paragraph 37(2)(a) or (b) of the Act. (homologué)

Class II prescribed equipment

Class II prescribed equipment has the meaning assigned to that term by section 1 of the Class II Nuclear Facilities and Prescribed Equipment Regulations. (équipement réglementé de catégorie II)

conditional clearance level

conditional clearance level means an activity concentration that does not result in an effective dose

• (a) greater than 1 mSv in a year due to a low probability event referred to in the IAEA Safety Standard RS-G-1.7; or

• (b) greater than 10 µSv in a year. (niveau de libération conditionnelle)

depleted uranium

depleted uranium means uranium that contains uranium 235 in a concentration that is less than that normally found in nature. (uranium appauvri)

dosimeter

dosimeter means a device for measuring a dose of radiation that is worn or carried by an individual. (dosimètre)

effective dose

effective dose has the meaning assigned to that term by subsection 1(1) of the Radiation Protection Regulations. (dose efficace)

exemption quantity

exemption quantity means any of the following:

• (a) in respect of a radioactive nuclear substance set out in column 1 of Schedule 1,

  • (i) if the radioactive nuclear substance is uniformly distributed in material and not in bulk quantity, the corresponding activity concentration set out in column 2, or

  • (ii) the corresponding activity set out in column 3;

• (b) in respect of a radioactive nuclear substance that is not set out in column 1 of Schedule 1,

  • (i) if the atomic number of the substance is equal to or less than 81,

    • (A) 10 Bq/g if the radioactive nuclear substance is uniformly distributed in material and not in bulk quantity, or

    • (B) 10,000 Bq,

  • (ii) if the atomic number of the substance is greater than 81 and the substance, or its short-lived radioactive progeny, does not emit alpha radiation,

    • (A) 10 Bq/g if the radioactive nuclear substance is uniformly distributed in material and not in bulk quantity, or

    • (B) 10,000 Bq, or

  • (iii) if the atomic number of the substance is greater than 81 and the substance, or its short-lived radioactive progeny, emits alpha radiation,

    • (A) 1 Bq/g if the radioactive nuclear substance is uniformly distributed in material and not in bulk quantity, or

    • (B) 1,000 Bq; or

• (c) in respect of more than one radioactive nuclear substance,

  • (i) if the radioactive nuclear substances are uniformly distributed in material and not in bulk quantity, the quotient obtained by dividing the total activity concentration by the sum of quotients obtained by dividing the activity concentration of each radioactive nuclear substance by its corresponding exemption quantity as referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), or

  • (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing the total activity by the corresponding sum of quotients obtained by dividing the activity of each radioactive nuclear substance by its corresponding exemption quantity as referred to in paragraph (a) or (b). (quantité d’exemption)

exposure device

exposure device means a radiation device that is designed for carrying out gamma radiography, and includes any accessory to the device such as a sealed source assembly, a drive mechanism, a sealed source assembly guide tube and an exposure head. (appareil d’exposition)

IAEA Safety Standard RS-G-1.7

IAEA Safety Standard RS-G-1.7 means the IAEA Safety Standards, Safety Guide No. RS-G-1.7 — Application of the Concepts of Exclusion, Exemption and Clearance, 2004 Edition published by the International Atomic Energy Agency. (Norme de sûreté RS-G-1.7 de l’AIEA)

licensed activity

licensed activity means an activity described in any of paragraphs 26(a) to (c) of the Act that a licence authorizes the licensee to carry on in relation to a nuclear substance or a radiation device. (activité autorisée)

licensee

licensee means a person who is licensed to carry on an activity described in any of paragraphs 26(a) to (c) of the Act in relation to a nuclear substance or a radiation device. (titulaire de permis)

natural uranium

natural uranium means uranium that contains uranium 235 in a concentration that is normally found in nature. (uranium naturel)

nuclear criticality

nuclear criticality means a self-sustaining chain reaction of nuclear fission. (criticité nucléaire)

operate

operate includes, in respect of an exposure device, coupling the drive mechanism to the exposure device, uncoupling the drive mechanism from the exposure device, locking or unlocking the exposure device, and all activities involving the device that take place while the sealed source assembly is not locked inside the device in the fully shielded position. (faire fonctionner)

prescribed equipment

prescribed equipment means the equipment prescribed by section 20 of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations. (équipement réglementé)

radiation device

radiation device means

• (a) a device that contains more than the exemption quantity of a nuclear substance and that enables the nuclear substance to be used for its radiation properties; and

• (b) a device that contains a radium luminous compound. (appareil à rayonnement)

radiation survey meter

radiation survey meter means an instrument that is capable of measuring radiation dose rates. (radiamètre)

sealed source

sealed source means a radioactive nuclear substance in a sealed capsule or in a cover to which the substance is bonded, where the capsule or cover is strong enough to prevent contact with or the dispersion of the substance under the conditions for which the capsule or cover is designed. (source scellée)

sealed source assembly

sealed source assembly means a sealed source that is designed to be used in an exposure device, and includes the components that are permanently attached to the sealed source. (assemblage de source scellée)

servicing

servicing in respect of radiation devices, means any maintenance of a device, including installation, repair, or dismantling, other than maintenance that

• (a) constitutes routine operating procedures as indicated in the manufacturer’s operating manual for the device; or

• (b) is authorized in the licence issued in respect of the possession or use of the device. (entretien)

specific activity

specific activity means the activity per unit mass. (activité spécifique)

unconditional clearance level

unconditional clearance level, in respect of a bulk quantity of material, except for surface contaminated material, in which the radioactive nuclear substance is uniformly distributed, means an activity concentration that

• (a) in respect of a radioactive nuclear substance set out in column 1 of Schedule 2, is the corresponding activity concentration set out in column 2;

• (b) in respect of a radioactive nuclear substance that is not set out in column 1,

  • (i) is 1 Bq/g, if the atomic number of the substance is equal to or less than 81,

  • (ii) is 1 Bq/g, if the atomic number of the substance is greater than 81 and the substance, or its short-lived radioactive progeny, does not emit alpha radiation, and

  • (iii) is 0.1 Bq/g, if the atomic number of the substance is greater than 81 and the substance, or its short-lived radioactive progeny, emits alpha radiation; or

• (c) in respect of more than one radioactive nuclear substance — except for Thorium 232, Uranium 235, Uranium 238 and their radioactive progeny mentioned in paragraph 4.3 of the IAEA Safety Standard RS-G-1.7 — is the quotient obtained by dividing the total activity concentration by the sum of quotients obtained by dividing the activity concentration of each radioactive nuclear substance by its corresponding activity concentration as referred to in paragraph (a) or (b). (niveau de libération inconditionnelle)

unsealed source

unsealed source means a source other than a sealed source. (source non scellée)

worker

worker means a person who performs work that is referred to in a licence. (travailleur)

Application

• 2 (1) These Regulations apply to all nuclear substances and sealed sources, as well as to all radiation devices that are not included in Class II prescribed equipment.

• (2) These Regulations do not apply in respect of the packaging or transport of nuclear substances, sealed sources or radiation devices.

Licence Applications

General Requirements

• 3 (1) An application for a licence in respect of a nuclear substance or a radiation device, other than a licence to service a radiation device, shall contain the following information in addition to the information required by section 3 of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations:

  • (a) the methods, procedures and equipment that will be used to carry on the activity to be licensed;

  • (b) the methods, procedures and equipment that will be used while carrying on the activity to be licensed, or during and following an accident, to

    • (i) monitor the release of any radioactive nuclear substance from the site of the activity to be licensed,

    • (ii) detect the presence of and record the radiation dose rate and quantity in becquerels of radioactive nuclear substances at the site of the activity to be licensed,

    • (iii) limit the spread of radioactive contamination within and from the site of the activity to be licensed, and

    • (iv) decontaminate any person, site or equipment contaminated as a result of the activity to be licensed;

  • (c) a description of the circumstances in which the decontamination referred to in subparagraph (b)(iv) will be carried out;

  • (d) the proposed location of the activity to be licensed, including a description of the site;

  • (e) the roles, responsibilities, duties, qualifications and experience of workers;

  • (f) the proposed training program for workers;

  • (g) the proposed instructions for dealing with accidents, including fires and spills, in which the nuclear substance may be involved;

  • (h) the proposed inspection program for the equipment and systems that will be used to carry on the activity to be licensed;

  • (i) the methods, procedures and equipment that will be used to calibrate radiation survey meters in accordance with these Regulations;

  • (j) the methods, procedures and equipment that will be used to calibrate and verify the calibration of dosimeters referred to in paragraphs 30(3)(d) and (e);

  • (k) the methods, procedures and equipment that will be used to conduct the leak tests and surveys required by these Regulations;

  • (l) where the application is in respect of a nuclear substance that is an unsealed source and that is to be used in a room, the proposed design of the room;

  • (m) if the application is in respect of a nuclear substance that is contained in a radiation device, the brand name and model number of the radiation device, and the quantity of the devices;

  • (n) where the application is in respect of Category I, II or III nuclear material, as defined in section 1 of the Nuclear Security Regulations,

    • (i) the measures that will be taken to prevent nuclear criticality, and

    • (ii) the information required by section 3 or 4 of the Nuclear Security Regulations, as applicable;

  • (o) if the applicant will be manufacturing or distributing radiation devices referred to in paragraph 5(1)(c) or section 6 or 7, or check sources mentioned in section 8.1, the proposed procedure for the disposal of each radiation device or check source or for its return to the manufacturer.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of an application for a licence to import or export for which the information requirements are prescribed by the Nuclear Non-proliferation Import and Export Control Regulations.