Alert

Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Health Physics Questions and Answers - Question 372

Question 372: When monitoring of internal exposure is required by 10 CFR 20.1502, 10 CFR 20.1204 (a) requires the licensee to take "suitable and timely" measurements. Will NRC define what is suitable and timely to avoid differences of opinion among inspectors?

Answer: No. Some general guidance on what is suitable and timely will be included in Regulatory Guide 8.9, Rev. l, "Acceptable Concepts, Models, Equations, and Assumptions for a Bioassay Program." Other than this general guidance, the NRC staff has no plans to provide a definition of what is "suitable and timely." That definition depends on the circumstances of the particular exposure. What is "suitable and timely" under revised Part 20 is (as before, under old Part 20) a matter of professional judgement in a good radiation protection program. NRC management will resolve any "differences of opinion among inspectors" that are called to its attention.

(References: 10 CFR 20.1204, 10 CFR 20.1502)

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Friday, November 24, 2017