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Content Last Revised: 5/20/69
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CFR  

Code of Federal Regulations Pertaining to U.S. Department of Labor

Title 41  

Public Contracts and Property Management

 

Chapter 50  

Public Contracts, Department of Labor

 

 

Part 50-204  

Safety and Health Standards for Federal Supply Contracts

 

 

 

Subpart C  

Radiation Standards


41 CFR 50-204.20 - Radiation--definitions.

  • Section Number: 50-204.20
  • Section Name: Radiation--definitions.

    As used in this subpart:
    (a) Radiation includes alpha rays, beta rays, gamma rays, X-rays, 
neutrons, high-speed electrons, high-speed protons, and other atomic 
particles; but such term does not include sound or radio waves, or 
visible light, or infrared or ultraviolet light.
    (b) Radioactive material means any material which emits, by 
spontaneous nuclear disintegration, corpuscular or electromagnetic 
emanations.
    (c) Restricted area means any area access to which is controlled by 
the employer for purposes of protection of individuals from exposure to 
radiation or radioactive materials.
    (d) Unrestricted area means any area access to which is not 
controlled by the employer for purposes of protection of individuals 
from exposure to radiation or radioactive materials.
    (e) Dose means the quantity of ionizing radiation absorbed, per unit 
of mass, by the body or by any portion of the body. When the provisions 
in this subpart specify a dose during a period of time, the dose is the 
total quantity of radiation absorbed, per unit of mass, by the body or 
by any portion of the body during such period of time. Several different 
units of dose are in current use. Definitions of units used in this 
subpart are set forth in paragraphs (f) and (g) of this section.
    (f) Rad means a measure of the dose of any ionizing radiation to 
body tissues in terms of the energy absorbed per unit of mass of the 
tissue. One rad is the dose corresponding to the absorption of 100 ergs 
per gram of tissue (1 millirad (mrad)=0.001 rad).
    (g) Rem means a measure of the dose of any ionizing radiation to 
body tissue in terms of its estimated biological effect relative to a 
dose of 1 roentgen (r) of X-rays (1 millirem (mrem)=0.001 rem). The 
relation of the rem to other dose units depends upon the biological 
effect under consideration and upon the conditions for irradiation. Each 
of the following is considered to be equivalent to a dose of 1 rem:
    (1) A dose of 1 rad due to X- or gamma radiation;
    (2) A dose of 1 rad due to X-, gamma, or beta radiation;
    (3) A dose of 0.1 rad due to neutrons or high energy protons;
    (4) A dose of 0.05 rad due to particles heavier than protons and 
with sufficient energy to reach the lens of the eye;
    (5) If it is more convenient to measure the neutron flux, or 
equivalent, than to determine the neutron dose in rads, as provided in 
paragraph (g)(3) of this section, 1 rem of neutron radiation may, for 
purposes of the provisions in this subpart be assumed to be equivalent 
to 14 million neutrons per square centimeter incident upon the body; or, 
if there is sufficient information to estimate with reasonable accuracy 
the approximate distribution in energy of the neutrons, the incident 
number of neutrons per square centimeter equivalent to 1 rem may be 
estimated from the following table:



                      Neutron Flux Dose Equivalents
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Number of
                                       neutrons per     Average flux to
                                    square centimeter     deliver 100
 Neutron energy (million electron    equivalent to a     millirem in 40
           volts [Mev])               dose of 1 rem     hours (neutrons/
                                    (neutrons/cm  \2\  cm  \2\ per sec.)
                                             )
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thermal...........................      970 x 10  \6\                670
0.0001............................      720 x 10  \6\                500
0.005.............................      820 x 10  \6\                570
0.02..............................      400 x 10  \6\                280
0.1...............................      120 x 10  \6\                 80
0.5...............................       43 x 10  \6\                 30
1.0...............................       26 x 10  \6\                 18
2.5...............................       29 x 10  \6\                 20
5.0...............................       26 x 10  \6\                 18
7.5...............................       24 x 10  \6\                 17
10................................       24 x 10  \6\                 17
10 to 30..........................       14 x 10  \6\                 10
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (h) For determining exposures to X-or gamma rays up to 3 Mev., the 
dose limits specified in this part may be assumed to be equivalent to 
the ``air dose''. For the purpose of this subpart ``air dose'' means 
that the dose is measured by a properly calibrated appropriate 
instrument in air at or near the body surface in the region of the 
highest dosage rate.

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