10 CFR Part 20

Group 2
Subpart B (Dylan Kozlowski)
• 20.1101. There are multiple regulation requirements that must be followed for regulation
protection programs. To start, each licensee shall develop, document, and implement a
radiation protection program corresponding with the scope and extent of licensed
activities. This radiation protection program must also ensure sufficient compliance with
the provisions of this part.1 The licensee shall use practical procedures and engineering
controls based upon sound radiation protection principles. This is done to achieve
occupational doses and doses to members of the public that are as low as is reasonably
achievable (ALARA).1 The licensee shall also periodically review the radiation
protection program content and implementation. This review should be done at least
annually.1 To implement the ALARA requirements of 20.1101 (b), and notwithstanding
the requirements in 20.1301 of this part, a constraint on air emissions of radioactive
material to the environment, excluding Radon-222 and its daughters, shall be established
by licensees other than those subject to 50.34a. The individual member of the public
likely to receive the highest dose will not be expected to receive a total effective dose
equivalent in excess of 10 mrem (0.1 mSv) per year from these emissions.1 If a licensee
subject to this requirement exceeds this dose constraint, the licensee shall report the
exceedance as provided in 20.2203. A prompt and appropriate corrective action shall be
made to ensure a recurrence does not occur.1
o Reference
1. Subpart B—Radiation Protection Programs. Nrc.gov.
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-
1101.html. 2021. Accessed July 19, 2021
Subpart C
• (Steve Yorio) 20.1201 Occupational limits are a total effective dose equivalent of 5 rems
(0.05 Sv) or the sum of deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent of any
tissue other than the lens of the eye being equal to 50 rems (0.5) Sv. Annual dose to the
lens of the eye is 15 rems (0.15 Sv) and shallow-dose equivalent of 50 rem (0.5 Sv) to the
skin. Doses in excess of the annual limit must be subtracted from the limits for planned
special exposures that an individual may receive in one year. Deep dose equivalent must
be used to determine exposure to the individual based on a reading acquired by an
external personal monitoring device unless an effective dose equivalent method is
approved by the NRC. Monitoring devices must be worn on the region of the body
receiving the highest exposure. Derived air concentration (DAC) and annual limit on
intake (ALI) values are used to demonstrate compliance with dose limits. the licensee
shall limit the soluble uranium intake by an individual to 10 milligrams in a week in
consideration of chemical toxicity and must reduce the dose that an individual may be
 allowed to receive in the current year by the amount of occupational dose received while
employed by another person.
• (Steve Yorio) 20.1202 Licensees can show compliance with these requirements by not
exceeding the sum of the fractions of the inhalation annual limit on intake (ALI) for each
radionuclide inhaled, the total number of derived air concentration hours (DAC-hours)
for all radionuclides divided by 2,000, or if the sum of the calculated committed effective
dose equivalents to all significantly irradiated tissues is calculated from bioassay data
using appropriate biological models and expressed as a fraction of the annual limit.
Conditions for compliance also depend upon if the exposed individual receives oral
intake greater than 10 percent of the applicable ALI, account for intakes through wounds
or skin absorption. If skin is intact, DAC for hydrogen-3 must be included. Tissues are
considered significantly irradiated if the product of the weighing factor and the dose
equivalent per intake is greater than 10% the maximum weighted value.
o Reference
▪ Subpart C—Radiation Protection Programs. Nrc.gov.
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-
1101.html. 2021. Accessed July 19, 2021

• (Jose) 20.1203 All radioactive exposure must be included when determining the dose
from airborne radioactive material. This includes deep-dose equivalent, lens dose
equivalent, and shallow-dose equivalent from external exposure. Individual monitoring
devices should be used for deep-dose equivalent measurements. DAC and Airborne
radioactivity measurements should not be the primary means to assess the deep-dose
equivalent unless the airborne radionuclides are noble gases or not relatively uniform.
• (Jose) 20.1204 To determine if a licensee is within compliance of the occupational dose
equivalent limits, the licensee shall take one or a combination of the following
measurements: adequate measurements of concentrations of radioactive materials in the
air around work areas, quantities of radionuclides in the body, quantities of radionuclides
excreted from the body. If respiratory protective equipment is not used or the assessment
of intake is based on bioassays, the licensee shall assume that an individual inhales
radioactive material at present airborne concentration. When physical and biochemical
properties of ingested radionuclides can be specified, licensee may use that information
to calculate the committed effective dose equivalent and document the dose in the
individuals record. The Commision must approve prior to adjusting the DAC or ALI
calculations to reflect the actual physical and chemical characteristics of airborne
radioactive material and assess the contribution of fractional intakes of the radionuclide
Class D, W, or Y. Class Y material reporting may be delayed up to 7 months in order to
permit additional measurements. For mixtures of radionuclides, if known, the
calculations DAC-hours must be either the sum of the ratios of the concentration to the
appropriate DAC value or the ratio of the total concentration for all radionuclides in the
mixture to the most restrictive DAC value. Radionuclide mixtures may be disregarded if
the total activity of the mixture is less than 10% of its DAC and the sum of these
 percentages does not exceed 30%. The total mixture activity must also follow the dose
limits of occupational dose limits for adults and conditions requiring individual
monitoring. Committed effective dose equivalent may be calculated by assuming that the
inhalation of one ALI, or an exposure of 2,000 DAC-hours results in a committed
effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (0.05 Sv) for ALIs or DACs radionuclides based on
the committed effective dose equivalent. ALI and associated DAC determined by the
nonstochastic organ dose limit of 50 rems (0.5 Sv), then the intake of radionuclides that
would result in a committed effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (0.05 Sv). In this case the
licensee can use the stochastic ALIs to determine committed effective dose equivalent. If
the licensee uses the stochastic ALIs, the licensee must also demonstrate that the limit in
the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual
organ or tissue other than the lens of the eye equal to 50 rems (0.5 Sv).
o Reference
▪ Subpart C—Radiation Protection Programs. Nrc.gov.
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-
1101.html. 2021. Accessed July 20, 2021

• (Jina) 20. 1206 Licensees may allow radiation workers to receive additional dose from
special procedures under specific conditions. The dose must be accounted for separately
from annual dose exposures and must meet the following requirements. The special
procedure must be the only practical and available method with no alternative to avoid
exposure, and the employer must have this procedure/exposure in writing. Prior to
performing the procedure, the employer must ensure that employees are aware of the
risks associated with the amount of exposure, prioritize ALARA principle, and assess the
prior exposure of the employee against lifetime exposure limits (12.1204). They must
also ensure that the exposure to the employee from any planned special exposures do not
go over the annual occupational dose limits outlined by 12.1201, and 5 times the annual
dose limits in an employee’s lifetime. The institution and employer must also keep a
record of the dose exposure from the planned procedure and submit a written report to the
administrator of the appropriate NRC regional office within 30 days of the procedure.
The employee must also be informed of the estimated exposure and dose within 30 days.
Dose exposures from the special procedure is accounted separately and does not limit
future occupational dose of the individual from annual dose limits (20.1201) but must be
included in the evaluation of lifetime exposure when determining if the individual can
perform future planned special procedures.
o Reference
▪ Subpart C – Radiation Protection Programs. Nrc.gov,
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-
1206.html
 • (Caitlyn) 20.1207. For minors the annual occupational dose limit is 10 percent of the
occupational dose limit for adults. For reference the adult dose limits are listed in
20.1201. From the adult limits the following values were obtained. The total effective
dose equivalent is 0.5 rems (0.005 Sv) or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the
committed dose equivalent to an organ or tissue other than the lens of the eye being 5
rems (0.05 Sv). The lens dose equivalent is 1.5 rems (0.015 Sv). A shallow-dose
equivalent is 5 rem (0.05 Sv) to the skin of the whole body or of any extremity. It should
be noted that if doses that exceed the annual limits, should be subtracted from the limits
of the planned special exposures that may be received during the current year.
o Reference
▪ Subpart C – Occupational Dose Limits. Nrc.gov,
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020-1207.html
• (Caitlyn) 20.1208. Licensee’s will ensure that an embryo/fetus does not exceed a dose
equivalent of 0.5 rem (5 mSv) during the whole pregnancy. There should be efforts made
to ensure that the exposure rate to the declared pregnant woman does not vary
substantially from their normal monthly exposure rate. To determine the dose equivalent
to the embryo/fetus it is the sum of the deep-dose equivalent to the pregnant woman and
the dose equivalent from radionuclides in the embryo/fetus and in the pregnant woman. If
by the time the woman declares her pregnancy and the embryo/fetus has exceeded the
dose equivalent limit of 0.5 rem (5 mSv) or within 0.05 rem (0.5 mSv) of the previously
listed dose, the licensee is in compliance with paragraph (a) of 20.1208. In addition, if for
the remainder of the pregnancy the embryo/fetus dose equivalent is not above 0.05 rem
(0.5 mSv) then the licensee is also compliant with paragraph (a) of 20.1208.
o Reference
▪ Subpart C – Occupational Dose Limits. Nrc.gov,
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020-1208.html
Subpart D (Spencer)
• 20.1301. License holders should have in place procedures to ensure total effective dose
equivalent does not exceed 1 mSv (0.1 rem) per year to any individual of the public.
However, exclusion criteria do exist for this limit. General exclusion criteria includes
dose received by the individual due to background radiation, intentionally administered
radiation according to 35.75, radioactive material properly disposed of via sewage
according to section 20.2003, and dose experienced in voluntary medical research
programs. Unrestricted areas have a limit of 0.02 mSv (0.002 rem) per hour from external
radiation sources. Patients with implanted radioactive material in compliance with section
35.75 are exempt from this regulation. This stipulation still exists for individuals of the
public that are present in controlled areas. Exempt from previous guidelines, a licensee
may allow dose in excess of 1.0 mSv (0.1 rem) to visitors of a patient who cannot be
released according to section 35.75 a long as the dose is not in excess of 5 mSv (0.5 rem)
and an authorized user (10 CRF Part 35) deems the visit to be warranted. A licensed
entity or applicant can request authorization from the NRC to operate an individual of the
 public up to a limit of 5mSv (0.5 rem). The application must include a rationale and time
period for procedures operated in excess of the annual limit, dose must be maintained
within the 5mSv limit, and throughout this duration, dose should be kept as low as
reasonably achievable. All regulations by the EPA in 40 CFR part 190 must be adhered to
at all times as well. The NRC has the ability to create additional regulations on radiation
dose levels within unrestricted areas and upon total quantity of radionuclides that can be
released by the licensed entity to restrict collective dose.1
• 20.1302. License holders shall survey radiation levels in unrestricted and controlled areas
to illustrate their compliances in public dose levels. This includes radioactive materials
waste via sewage releases to controlled and uncontrolled areas. A licensee must provide a
measurement or calculation of the total effective dose equivalent of the worker expected
to have the highest dose that demonstrates they will not exceed the annual limit.
Documentation exhibiting radioactive material wastes and effluences that pass beyond to
boundary of an uncontrolled area are below the values in table 2 of appendix B in part 20
must be provided. Evidence must be provided that if an individual were continuously
present in an uncontrolled area, the dose from external sources must be below 0.02 mSv
(0.002 rem) per hour and 0.5 mSv (0.05 rem) in a year. Once approved by the
commission, the license holder must adjust the effluent concentration levels in appendix
B of part 20, in table to for public individuals to reflect the physical and chemical
characteristics of the effluents used. Examples of characteristics are aerosol size, density,
and radioactive decay equilibrium.1
o References:
o 1. Subpart D—radiation dose limits for individual members of the public. United
States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Updated March 24, 2021. Accessed July
19, 2021. https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-
1301.html
Subpart F (Chelsea)
• 20.1501. The amount and extent of radiation levels, quantities of residual radioactivity,
and the potential radiologic hazards of radiation levels and residual radioactivity detected
should be evaluated under an area of surveillance. This also includes any area that may be
necessary for the licensee to comply with the remaining regulations. The records from
these surveys describing the location and amount of subsurface radioactivity must be
retained in accordance with Part 30.35(g), 40.36(f), 50.75(g), 70.25(g), or 72.30(d). The
instruments utilized for quantitative radiation measurements should be calibrated
periodically. All the personnel dosimeters must be processed and evaluated by a
dosimetry processor and comply with Part 20.1201. A current personnel dosimetry
accreditation form the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology must be held and approved for the type of
radiation that most closely resembles the type of radiation for which the individual
wearing the dosimeter is monitored.
• 20.1502. Occupational exposure to radiation from licensed and unlicensed sources should
be monitored by supplied individual monitoring devices. These individuals include adults
likely to receive a dose more than 10% of the limits in 1 year in Part 20.1201(a) and
 minors likely to receive a deep dose equivalent more than 0.1 rem, a lens dose equivalent
more than 0.15 rem, or a shallow dose equivalent to the skin or extremities more than 0.5
rem in 1 year. Other individuals include declared pregnant women likely to receive a
deep dose equivalent more than 0.1 rem during the entire pregnancy, and individuals
entering a high or very high radiation area. The occupational intake of radioactive
material should also be monitored and assessed for the committed effective dose
equivalent to adults likely to receive an intake more than 10% of the applicable in table 1,
columns 1 and 2 of appendix B to Part 20.1001-20.2402 in 1 year. Minors likely to
receive a committed effective does equivalent of 0.1 rem in 1 year and declared pregnant
women likely to receive a committed effective dose equivalent of more than 0.1 rem
during the entire pregnancy should also be monitored.
o References
1.Subpart F- Surveys and Monitoring. U.S.NRC Web site.
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-
1501.html. 2021. Accessed July 19, 2021.
2.§ 20.1502 Conditions requiring individual monitoring of external and
internal occupational dose. U.S.NRC Web site.
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-
1502.html. 2021. Accessed July 19, 2021.
Subpart G (Rashad)
• 20.1601. High radiation areas must have some form of controlled access set in place by
the licensee. Although there are several options available, not all are required to be
implemented at once. Method (a) provides options to ensure each entrance or access point
to a high radiation area is controlled, requiring the use of at least one. One option is a
control device that, upon entry, reduces radiation to a level below 0.1 rem (1 mSv) in 1
hour at 30 cm from the radiation source or surface. Other options include a control device
that creates a visible or audible alarm which signals the supervisor and individual
entering the high radiation area, and finally locked entryways. Method (b), the use of
continuous or direct surveillance, capable of preventing unauthorized entry, can be used
in place of the method (a) options. Approval for alternative high radiation control
methods can be requested from the licensee to the Commission. Regardless of what
control method is implemented, they must not prevent individuals from leaving a high
radiation area. Radioactive materials located in high radiation areas packaged for
transport according to the regulations of the Department of Transportation may not
require the previously mentioned control methods if: the packages do not remain in the
area longer than 3 days; and the dose rate at 1 meter from the package’s surface does not
exceed 0.01 rem (0.1 mSv) per hour. The final section of Subsection 20.1602 states these
controls are not required for hospital areas with patients containing radioactive material
as long as attending personnel are properly trained and ALARA operations are
maintained.
• 20.1602. For areas in which radiation levels could be 500 rads (5 Gray) or more in 1 hour
at 1 meter from radiation source or surface, additional measures should be instituted to
ensure an individual cannot gain unauthorized or inadvertent access.
o References:
1. Subpart G – Control of Exposure from External Sources in Restricted
Areas. U.S.NRC Website. https://www.https://www.nrc.gov/reading-
rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-1601.html. 2021. Accessed July
20, 2021
2. 20.1602 Control of access to very high radiation areas. U.S.NRC Website.
https://www.https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-
collections/cfr/part020/part020-1602.html. 2021. Accessed July 20, 2021.