U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Technical Assistance Request, Department of Interior, Anchorage, AK; Use of Temporary Radiation Safety Officer

HPPOS-306 PDR-93062220148

Title: Technical Assistance Request, Department of

Interior, Anchorage, AK; Use of Temporary Radiation Safety

Officer

See the memorandum from J. E. Glenn to R. J. Pate dated

June 2, 1992. This NMSS memo responds to a technical

assistance request from Region V, dated April 15, 1992,

concerning an amendment request from an NRC licensee who

wanted a former employee to remain in his position as

Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), in a voluntary status,

until a new RSO was hired. HPPOS-307 contains a related

topic.

Qualified persons may be authorized to act as a temporary

RSO provided that the individual commits to a specific

amount of time on-site during which he will be available to

perform his duties as RSO. Additionally, the individual

must be sufficiently available to respond to questions and

operational issues on an as needed or emergency basis. The

licensee must verify that the temporary RSO will have the

authority to properly maintain and effectively manage the

radiation safety program for the licensee and that in his

absence, adequate control will be maintained of the

facility.

The licensee must agree to the above as a license

commitment which will be amended if the conditions of time

on-site, availability and control change from those

described.

The commitment of time and the level of authority necessary

for a temporary RSO to adequately maintain and manage a

radiation safety program must be determined and approved on

a case-by-case basis by the licensing reviewer. However,

the licensee should be aware that it is the responsibility

of the licensee, through the RSO, to ensure that the

radiation safety activities are performed in accordance

with approved procedures and regulatory requirements and

that the use of a temporary RSO does not in any way relieve

the licensee of the responsibility of ensuring the safe use

of byproduct material.

Regulatory references: 10 CFR 35.21, 10 CFR 35.900

Subject codes: 1.4, 1.5

Applicability: All