Chapter DHS 157

DHS 157.03(224) (224) “Natural thorium” means thorium with the naturally occurring distribution of thorium isotopes, which is essentially 100 weight percent thorium-232.

DHS 157.03(225) (225) “Natural uranium” means uranium with the naturally occurring distribution of uranium isotopes, which is approximately 0.711 weight percent uranium-235, and the remainder by weight essentially uranium-238.

DHS 157.03(226) (226) “Negative pressure respirator — tight fitting” means a respirator in which the air pressure inside the facepiece is negative during inhalation with respect to the ambient air pressure outside the respirator.

DHS 157.03(227) (227) “Neutron absorber” means a material that absorbs neutrons emitted from radioactive material.

DHS 157.03(228) (228) “Noble gas” means a chemically inert gas that does not combine with other elements.

DHS 157.03(228m) (228m) “No-later-than arrival time” means the date and time that the shipping licensee and receiving licensee have established as the time at which an investigation will be initiated if the shipment has not arrived at the receiving facility. The no-later-than arrival time may not be more than 6 hours after the estimated arrival time for shipments of category 2 quantities of radioactive material.

DHS 157.03(229) (229) “Nominal tomographic section thickness” means the full width at half-maximum of the sensitivity profile taken at the center of the cross-sectional volume over which x-ray transmission data are collected.

DHS 157.03(230) (230) “Nominal treatment distance” means:

DHS 157.03(230)(a) (a) For electron irradiation, the distance from the scattering foil, virtual source or exit window of the electron beam to the entrance surface of the irradiated object along the central axis of the useful beam.

DHS 157.03(230)(b) (b) For x-ray irradiation, the virtual source or target to isocenter distance along the central axis of the useful beam. For non-isocentric equipment, this distance shall be that specified by the manufacturer.

DHS 157.03(230m) (230m) “Non-fixed contamination” means contamination that can be removed from a surface during normal conditions of transport.

DHS 157.03(231) (231) “Nonstochastic effect” or “deterministic effect” means health effects, the severity of which varies with the dose and for which a threshold is believed to exist. Radiation-induced cataract formation is an example of a nonstochastic effect.

DHS 157.03(232) (232) “Normal form radioactive material” means radioactive material that has not been demonstrated to qualify as special form radioactive material.

DHS 157.03(233) (233) “Notice of violation” means a written notice provided in response to an alleged infraction of ss. 254.31 to 254.45, Stats., this chapter, the conditions of a license or an order issued by the department.

DHS 157.03(234) (234) “NRC” means the U.S. nuclear regulatory commission.

DHS 157.03(235) (235) “Nuclear waste” means a quantity of source, byproduct or special nuclear material required to be in NRC-approved specification packaging while transported to, through or across a state boundary to a disposal site, or to a collection point for transport to a disposal site.

DHS 157.03(235m) (235m) “Open-beam x-ray equipment” means an open-beam x-ray system in which the beam path could be entered by any part of the body at any time.

DHS 157.03(236) (236) “Optically stimulated luminescent dosimeter” or “OSL” means a dosimeter containing a crystalline solid for measuring radiation dose plus filters to help characterize the type of radiation encountered.

DHS 157.03 Note Note: When exposed to the appropriate energy of light, exposed optically stimulated luminescent crystals give off light proportional to the energy received from the radiation.

DHS 157.03(237) (237) “Occupational dose” means the dose received by an individual in the course of employment in which the individual’s assigned duties involve exposure to radiation, or to radioactive material from licensed and unlicensed sources of radiation, whether in the possession of the licensee, registrant or other person. Occupational dose does not include dose received from background radiation, from any medical administration the individual has received, from exposure to individuals administered radioactive material and released under s. DHS 157.62 (8), from voluntary participation in medical research programs or as a member of the public.

DHS 157.03(238) (238) “Offshore platform radiography” means industrial radiography conducted from a platform over a body of water.

DHS 157.03(239) (239) “Offsite response organization” means the non-licensee offsite organizations that may be needed to respond to an emergency, including local fire, police, ambulance and hospital services.

DHS 157.03(239m) (239m) “Ophthalmic physicist” means an individual who meets all of the following qualifications:

DHS 157.03(239m)(a) (a) Meets the requirements in ss. DHS 157.61 (11) and 157.65 (6m) (a) 2.

DHS 157.03(239m)(b) (b) Is identified as an ophthalmic physicist on a specific medical use license, or other equivalent permit or license issued by the department, the NRC or an agreement state, or broad scope medical use licensee.

DHS 157.03(240) (240) “Output” means the exposure rate, dose rate or a quantity related in a known manner to these rates from a brachytherapy source or a teletherapy, remote afterloader or gamma stereotactic radiosurgery unit for a specified set of exposure conditions.

DHS 157.03(241) (241) “Package” means the packaging together with its radioactive contents as presented for transport.

DHS 157.03(242) (242) “Packaging” means the assembly of components necessary to ensure compliance with the packaging requirements of 49 CFR Part 173, Subpart I. It may consist of one or more receptacles, absorbent materials, spacing structures, thermal insulation, radiation shielding and devices for cooling or absorbing mechanical shocks. The vehicle, tie-down system and auxiliary equipment may be designated as part of the packaging.

DHS 157.03(243) (243) “Panoramic dry-source-storage irradiator” means a device in which the irradiations occur in air in areas potentially accessible to personnel and in which the sources are stored in shields made of solid materials. The term includes beam-type dry-source-storage devices in which only a narrow beam of radiation is produced.

DHS 157.03(244) (244) “Panoramic irradiator” means a device in which the irradiations are performed in air in areas potentially accessible to personnel. The term includes beam-type devices.

DHS 157.03(245) (245) “Panoramic wet-source-storage irradiator” means a device in which the irradiations occur in air in areas potentially accessible to personnel and in which the sources are stored under water in a storage pool.

DHS 157.03(246) (246) “Pass box” means a box with openings on each side that is placed in a wall between an x-ray room and a darkroom allowing transfer of film holders between the 2 rooms.

DHS 157.03(247) (247) “Patient” means an individual or animal subjected to healing arts examination, diagnosis or treatment.

DHS 157.03(247m) (247m) “PACS” means picture archiving and communication system.

DHS 157.03(248) (248) “Periodic quality control check” means a procedure that is performed to ensure that a previous calibration continues to be valid.

DHS 157.03(249) (249) “Permanent radiographic installation” means an enclosed shielded room, cell or vault, not located at a temporary jobsite, in which radiography is performed.

DHS 157.03(250) (250) “Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, group, agency, political subdivision of this state, any other state or political subdivision or agency thereof and any legal successor, representative, agent or agency of the foregoing, but does not include federal government agencies or Indian tribes or bands.

DHS 157.03(251) (251) “Person in control” means the individual directly responsible for safe operation of the radiation installation.

DHS 157.03(252) (252) “Personal supervision” means guidance and instruction by the supervisor who is physically present at the jobsite and watching the performance of the operation in such proximity that contact may be maintained and immediate assistance given as required.

DHS 157.03(252g) (252g) “Personnel dosimeter”means a dosimeter assigned to an individual.

DHS 157.03(252r) (252r) “Personnel security screening system” means any x-ray equipment used on humans for security evaluation.

DHS 157.03(253) (253) “Phantom” means a volume of material behaving in a manner similar to tissue with respect to the attenuation and scattering of radiation.

DHS 157.03 Note Note: This requires that both the atomic number (Z) and the density of the material be similar to that of tissue.

DHS 157.03(254) (254) “Pharmacist” means an individual licensed under ch. 450, Stats., to practice pharmacy.

DHS 157.03(255) (255) “Physician” means a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy licensed under ch. 448, Stats., to prescribe drugs in the practice of medicine.

DHS 157.03(256) (256) “Picture element” means an elemental area of a tomogram.

DHS 157.03(257) (257) “Planned special exposure” means an infrequent exposure to radiation, separate from and in addition to the annual occupational dose limits, that requires a licensee or registrant to calculate the dose to be received by individuals prior to initiation of the planned task, as required under s. DHS 157.22 (6).

DHS 157.03(258) (258) “Pocket dosimeter” means a type of individual monitoring device that allows the user to view the accumulated radiation exposure received as recorded by the device.

DHS 157.03(259) (259) “Podiatrist” means an individual licensed under ch. 448, Stats., to practice podiatry.

DHS 157.03(260) (260) “Pool irradiator” means any irradiator where the sources are stored or used in a pool of water including panoramic wet-source-storage irradiators and underwater irradiators.

DHS 157.03(261) (261) “Portable x-ray equipment” means x-ray equipment designed to be hand-carried.

DHS 157.03(262) (262) “Position indicating device” or “PID” means a device on dental x-ray equipment used to indicate the beam position and to establish a definite source-surface distance from the skin.

DHS 157.03 Note Note: A position indicating device may or may not incorporate or serve as a beam-limiting device.

DHS 157.03(263) (263) “Positive beam limitation” or “PBL” means the automatic or semi-automatic adjustment of an x-ray beam to the size of the selected image receptor, whereby exposures cannot be made without such adjustment.

DHS 157.03(264) (264) “Positive pressure respirator” means a respirator in which the pressure inside the respiratory inlet covering exceeds the ambient air pressure outside the respirator.

DHS 157.03(264m) (264m) “Positron emission tomography/computed tomography” or “PET/CT” means a dual modality imaging assembly comprised of two distinct components, one using radioactive material for imaging and the other using an x-ray source.

DHS 157.03(264r) (264r) “Positron emission tomography radionuclide production facility” or “PET facility” means a facility operating a cyclotron or accelerator for the purpose of producing PET radionuclides within a consortium for noncommercial distribution among its associated members for medical use.

DHS 157.03(265) (265) “Powered air-purifying respirator” or “PAPR” means an air-purifying respirator that uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements to the inlet covering.

DHS 157.03(266) (266) “Practical examination” means a demonstration through application of the safety rules and principles in industrial radiography including use of all procedures and equipment to be used by radiographic personnel.

DHS 157.03(267) (267) “Preceptor” means an individual who provides, directs or verifies training and experience required for an individual to become an authorized user, an authorized medical physicist, an authorized nuclear pharmacist, a radiation safety officer for medical use, or an associate radiation safety officer.

DHS 157.03(268) (268) “Prescribed dosage” means the specified activity or a range of activities of a drug containing radioactive material as documented by any of the following means:

DHS 157.03(268)(a) (a) In a written directive or prescription.

DHS 157.03(268)(b) (b) Under directions of the authorized user for procedures not requiring a written directive.

DHS 157.03(269) (269) “Prescribed dose” means any of the following:

DHS 157.03(269)(a) (a) For gamma stereotactic radiosurgery, the total dose as documented in the written directive.

DHS 157.03(269)(b) (b) For teletherapy, the total dose and dose per fraction as documented in the written directive.

DHS 157.03(269)(c) (c) For brachytherapy, either the total source strength and exposure time or the total dose, as documented in the written directive.

DHS 157.03(269)(d) (d) For remote afterloaders, the total dose and dose per fraction as documented in the written directive.

DHS 157.03(270) (270) “Pressure demand respirator” means a positive pressure atmosphere-supplying respirator that admits breathing air to the facepiece when the positive pressure is reduced inside the facepiece by inhalation.

DHS 157.03(271) (271) “Primary dose monitoring system” means a system which will monitor the useful beam during irradiation and which will terminate irradiation when a pre-selected number of dose monitor units have been delivered.

DHS 157.03(272) (272) “Primary protective barrier” means the material, excluding filters, placed in the useful beam.

DHS 157.03(273) (273) “Principal activities” means activities authorized by the license that are essential to achieving the purpose for which the license was issued or amended. “Principal activities” do not include storage during which no licensed material is accessed for use or disposal and activities incidental to decontamination or decommissioning.

DHS 157.03(274) (274) “Product conveyor system” means a system for moving the product to be irradiated to, from and within the area where irradiation takes place.

DHS 157.03(275) (275) “Protective apron” means an apron made of radiation absorbing materials used to reduce radiation exposure to the wearer.

DHS 157.03(276) (276) “Protective barrier” means a primary or secondary protective barrier of radiation absorbing material or materials used to reduce radiation exposure.

DHS 157.03(277) (277) “Protective glove” means a glove made of radiation absorbing materials used to reduce radiation exposure and that surrounds the hand and fingers.

DHS 157.03(278) (278) “Public dose” means the dose received by a member of the public from exposure to sources of radiation released by a licensee or registrant or to any other source of radiation under the control of a licensee or registrant. It does not include occupational dose, dose received from background radiation, from any medical administration the individual has received, from exposure to individuals administered radioactive material and released under s. DHS 157.62 (8) or from voluntary participation in medical research programs.

DHS 157.03(279) (279) “Pulsed dose-rate remote afterloader” or “PDR” means a device that uses a single source capable of delivering dose rates in the high dose-rate range, but has both of the following characteristics:

DHS 157.03(279)(a) (a) Is approximately one-tenth of the activity of typical high dose-rate remote afterloader sources.

DHS 157.03(279)(b) (b) Is used to simulate the radiobiology of a low dose rate treatment by inserting the source for a given fraction of each hour.

DHS 157.03(279m) (279m) “Pulsed mode” means operation of the x-ray system such that the x-ray tube current is pulsed by the x-ray control to produce one or more exposure intervals of duration less than one-half second.

DHS 157.03(280) (280) “Pyrophoric liquid” means any liquid that ignites spontaneously in dry or moist air at or below 54.4° C (130° F). This includes spontaneously combustible and water-reactive materials.

DHS 157.03(281) (281) “Pyrophoric solid” means any solid material, other than an explosive material, which under normal conditions is liable to cause fires through friction, retained heat from manufacturing or processing, or which may be ignited readily and, when ignited, burns so vigorously and persistently as to create a serious transportation, handling or disposal hazard.

DHS 157.03(282) (282) “Qualitative fit test” or “QLFT” means a pass or fail fit test to assess the adequacy of respirator fit that relies on the individual’s response to the test agent.

DHS 157.03(283) (283) “Quality control” means an ongoing program to ensure continued reliable performance of the equipment designed to detect changes which may result in a clinically significant degradation in image quality or a significant increase in radiation exposure.

DHS 157.03(284) (284) “Quality factor” or “Q” means the modifying factor listed in tables 157.06A and 157.06B of s. DHS 157.06 (4) that is used to derive dose equivalent from absorbed dose.

DHS 157.03(285) (285) “Quantitative fit test” or “QNFT” means an assessment of the adequacy of respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator.

DHS 157.03(286) (286) “Rad” means the special unit of absorbed dose. One rad is equal to an absorbed dose of 100 erg per gram or 0.01 joule per kilogram (0.01 gray).

DHS 157.03(287) (287) “Radiation” means alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, x rays, neutrons, high-speed electrons, high-speed protons and other particles capable of producing ions. “Radiation” does not include non-ionizing radiation, such as radiowaves or microwaves, visible, infrared or ultraviolet light.