Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-7-710 - Radiation Safety Officer and Associate Radiation Safety Officer Training

A. A licensee shall require an individual fulfilling the responsibilities of the Radiation Safety Officer, described in R9-7-705, to be an individual who:

1. Is certified by a specialty board whose certification process includes all of the requirements in subsection (A)(2)(a) and (B) and whose certification has been recognized by the Department, the NRC, or an Agreement State. To have its certification process recognized, a specialty board shall require all candidates for certification to:

a. Meet the following minimum requirements:

i. Hold a bachelor's or graduate degree from an accredited college or university in physical science or engineering or bio-logical science with a minimum of 20 college credits in physical science;

ii. Have five or more years of professional experience in health physics (graduate training may be substituted for no more than two years of the required experience) including at least three years in applied health physics; and

iii. Pass an examination administered by diplomates of the specialty board, which evaluates knowledge and competence in radiation physics and instrumentation, radiation protection, mathematics pertaining to the use and measurement of radioactivity, radiation biology, and radiation dosimetry; or

b. Meet the following minimum requirements:

i. Hold a master's or doctor's degree in physics, medical physics, other physical science, engineering, or applied mathematics from an accredited college or university;

ii. Have two years of full-time practical training and/or supervised experience in medical physics;

(1) Under the supervision of a medical physicist who is certified in medical physics by a specialty board recognized by the Department, the NRC, or another Agreement State; or

(2) In clinical nuclear medicine facilities providing diagnostic and/or therapeutic services under the direction of physicians who meet the requirements for authorized users qualified under subsection (B), R9-7-721, or R9-7-723; and

iii. Pass an examination, administered by diplomates of the specialty board, that assesses knowledge and competence in clinical diagnostic radiological or nuclear medicine physics and in radiation safety;

2. Has:

a. Completed a structured educational program consisting of both:

i. 200 hours of didactic and laboratory training in the following areas:

(1) Radiation physics and instrumentation;

(2) Radiation protection;

(3) Mathematics pertaining to the use and measurement of radioactivity;

(4) Radiation biology; and

(5) Radiation dosimetry; and

ii. One year of full-time radiation safety experience under the supervision of the individual identified as the Radiation Safety Officer on a Department, a NRC, or an Agreement State license or permit issued by a NRC master material licensee that authorizes similar type(s) of use(s) of radioactive material involving the following:

(1) Shipping, receiving, and performing related radiation surveys;

(2) Using and performing checks for proper operation of instruments used to determine the activity of dosages, survey meters, and instruments used to measure radionuclides;

(3) Securing and controlling radioactive material;

(4) Using administrative controls to avoid mistakes in the administration of radioactive material;

(5) Using procedures to prevent or minimize radioactive contamination and using proper decontamination procedures;

(6) Using emergency procedures to control radioactive material; and

(7) Disposing of radioactive material; and

b. Obtained written certification, signed by a preceptor Radiation Safety Officer or Associate Radiation Safety Officer, that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in subsection (A)(2)(a) and has achieved a level of radiation safety knowledge sufficient to function independently as a Radiation Safety Officer or as an Associate Radiation Safety Officer for a medical use licensee;

3. Is:

a. A medical physicist who has been certified by a specialty board whose certification process has been recognized by the Department, the NRC, or another Agreement State under R9-7-711(A) or equivalent, has experience with radiation safety aspects of similar types of use of radioactive material for which the licensee seeks the approval of the individual as Radiation Safety Officer or an Associate Radiation Safety Officer, and meets the requirements in subsection (B); or

b. An authorized user, authorized medical physicist, or authorized nuclear pharmacist identified on the licensee's license and has experience with the radiation safety aspects of similar types of use of radioactive material for which the individual has Radiation Safety Officer responsibilities; or

4. Has experience with the radiation safety aspects of the types of use of radioactive material for which the individual is seeking simultaneous approval both as the Radiation Safety Officer and the authorized user on the same new medical license and meets the requirements in subsection (B).

B. A licensee shall require an individual fulfilling the responsibilities of the Radiation Safety Officer to have training in the radiation safety, regulatory issues, and emergency procedures for the types of use for which the licensee seeks approval. This training requirement may be satisfied by completing training that is supervised by a Radiation Safety Officer, an Associate Radiation Safety Officer, authorized medical physicist, authorized nuclear pharmacist, or authorized user, as appropriate, who is authorized for the type(s) of use for which the licensee is seeking approval.

C. Exceptions.

1. An individual identified as a Radiation Safety Officer or as an Associate Radiation Safety Officer on a Department, a NRC, or another Agreement State license or a permit issued by the NRC or an Agreement State broad scope licensee or master material license permittee or by a master material broad scope license permittee on or before January 14, 2019, need not comply with the training requirements in subsections (A)(1) through (4).

2. A physician, dentist, or podiatrist identified as an authorized user for the medical use of radioactive material on a license issued by the Department, the NRC, or an Agreement State, a permit issued by a NRC master material licensee, a permit issued by the Department, the NRC, or an Agreement State broad scope licensee, or a permit issued in accordance with a NRC master material broad scope license on or before October 24, 2005, need not comply with the training requirements in this Article.

D. The training and experience required in this Section shall be obtained within the seven years preceding the date of application or the individual shall have had related continuing education and experience since the required training and experience was completed.

E. Individuals who, under subsection (C), need not comply with training requirements described in this Section may serve as preceptors for, and supervisors of, applicants seeking authorization on Department licenses for the same uses for which these individuals are authorized.

F. Records Retention.

1. The licensee shall retain both a copy of the authority, duties, and responsibilities of the Radiation Safety Officer, as required by this Section, and a signed copy of each Radiation Safety Officer's agreement to be responsible for implementing the radiation safety program for the duration of the license. The records must include the signature of the Radiation Safety Officer and licensee management.

2. For each Associate Radiation Safety Officer appointed under this Section, the licensee shall retain, for five years after the Associate Radiation Safety Officer is removed from the license, a copy of the written document appointing the Associate Radiation Safety Officer, signed by the licensee's management.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-7-710

New Section R9-7-710 recodified from R12-1-710at A.A.R. 813, effective March 22, 2018 (Supp. 18-1). Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 24 A.A.R. 2151, effective July 12, 2018 (Supp. 18-3). Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 25 A.A.R. 3561, effective 12/3/2019. Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 3533, effective 11/2/2022.