Safety Requirements And Guidance For Analytical X-ray Equipment - Safety Code 32

Foreword

While the term analytical x-ray equipment generally refers to all types of x-ray diffraction and spectrographic systems designed primarily for performing
microscopic examinations or analyzing x-ray spectra of matter at the atomic or crystalline level, it is used in this Safety Code to mean those systems that contain an x-ray tube (or sealed demountable tower) as the source of ionizing radiation. X-ray diffraction systems disperse monochromatic radiation and are typically operated in the range of 20-60 kVp. Spectrographic systems disperse polychromatic radiation and are typically operated at potentials in the range of 25-100 kVp.

This Safety Code is prepared under authority of Treasury Board Standards⁽¹⁾ and may be used by facilities subject to Canada Labour Code Part IV.⁽²⁾ It provides information on regulatory requirements and guidance necessary to ensure that the risks from analytical x-ray equipment remain low (i.e., the same as the risks from unavoidable natural background radiation). This approach is in accordance with the 1990 International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) objectives⁽³⁾ to prevent the occurrence of deterministic effects (those for which the severity of a biological effect increases with dose) and to reduce the incidence of stochastic (random) effects (those for which the probability of occurrence increases with dose but the severity does not depend on the magnitude of the absorbed dose) to acceptable levels.

This publication is intended to minimize or avoid the radiation exposures potentially associated with analytical x-ray equipment. It provides information on regulatory requirements and safety procedures, and outlines specific responsibilities for the

• equipment owner, meaning a person, organization, or institution having title to or administrative control over one or more facilities having source(s) of ionizing radiation;
• equipment users;
• maintenance personnel, meaning specifically trained persons employed by the equipment manufacturer or its authorized agent(s) to undertake service functions; and
• radiation safety specialists (analysts and inspectors as defined in the Radiation Emitting Devices (RED) Act).⁽⁴⁾

This document supersedes Safety Code 19 - Recommended safety procedures for the selection, installation and use of x-ray diffraction equipment.⁽⁵⁾

This document may be adopted for use elsewhere. Facilities should consult their appropriate regulatory authority provided in Appendix III because of differences in provincial and territorial statutes and requirements.

This publication was prepared by H.P. Maharaj in accordance with the Radiation Protection Bureau internal and external review, and approval criteria. All agencies, organizations and individuals whose comments and suggestions helped in the preparation of this publication are gratefully acknowledged.

Interpretation or elaboration on any point in this Safety Code may be obtained from the X-Ray Section, Radiation Protection Bureau, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 1C1.