Radiation FAQ’s

If you operate Troxler nuclear gauges in the United States or Canada, the answer is “yes.” In other countries, check with your national authority for the regulation of radioactive materials. In the United States, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulates radioactive materials contained in nuclear gauges or by the radiation control program office in Agreement States. Guidance on licensing is contained in Troxler’s Licensing Guide.

In addition to containing useful information about the radioactive material in your gauge, your gauge certificate is a record of receipt for your gauge (if you are the original owner). It also contains the initial leak test results at the time of shipment to you. You may be asked by your regulatory agency for documentation of both gauge receipt and initial leak test results. If you need a replacement copy of your gauge certificate, contact our Radiation Safety department at 1.877.TROXLER (outside the USA +1.919.549.8661) or send us an e-mail.

Troxler gauges contain sealed sources, which have been designed to meet the durability testing requirements of the International Energy Agency for certification as “special form” radioactive materials. Special form sources are tested to demonstrate that they are unlikely to release their radioactive contents even under extreme conditions. In order to transport gauges containing special form sources, the shipper is required to have, on file, current copies of the IAEA certificates of competent authority for each source. Please note that certificates of competent authority have expiration dates. Reference the Special Form Certificates page to download copies of these forms.

No. Placarding is required for vehicles that transport Yellow III quantities of radioactive material. Troxler gauges contain only White I or Yellow II quantities of radioactive material.

No. A CDL would only be required for greater than Yellow II quantities of radioactive material.

The US DOT regulations state that the gauge must be “securely blocked and braced to prevent shifting under conditions normally incident to transportation”. In addition, the gauge cannot be transported in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

In the US, gauge operator training is usually required as a provision of your radioactive materials license. In addition, US DOT regulations require initial and recurrent HAZMAT training for all employees involved in the transportation of hazardous goods, including packaging, preparing shipping papers, inspecting and transporting. HAZMAT training must cover regulatory requirements, recognition and identification of hazardous materials, emergency response information, hazard self-protection measures and accident prevention methods and procedures. See 49 CFR 172 subpart H for further details.

Troxler regularly conducts 1 day gauge operator training classes and 2 hour HAZMAT re-certification sessions at various locations around the country. Please visit the Training section of our web site for more details.

The Troxler Transportation Guide gives examples of bills of lading for transportation to temporary job sites, as well as transportation by common carrier.

A type ‘A’ package conforms to the testing requirements of US DOT for the transportation of certain quantities of radioactive material. US DOT requires that you maintain Type ‘A’ testing results on file for two years past the date of your latest shipment. Documentation of Type ‘A’ testing is contained in the Troxler Transportation Guide.

Special form radioactive sources have passed the testing criteria of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for durability under extreme conditions. Troxler uses radioactive sources that are encapsulated in stainless steel and have been certified to IAEA standards. US DOT requires that you maintain a current copy of the IAEA certificate of competent authority for the design of special form radioactive material for each source in your gauge.

Frequency of leak testing is specified in the conditions of your radioactive materials license. Most users are required to leak test their gauges every six months.

The emergency response document is required by US DOT to be attached to the shipping paper whenever you transport your gauge. It contains information for emergency responders about the characteristics of the hazardous material in case of an accident during transportation. Please reference the Troxler Transportation Guide for more information.

The transport index is the radiation dose rate expressed in millirem per hour at 1 meter from the surface of the package.

US regulations state that prior to shipment to another user, you must verify that they are licensed to receive the type, form and quantity of radioactive material that you plan to transfer. This may be verified by obtaining and reviewing a copy of their radioactive materials license. Alternatively, you may obtain a letter from them stating that they are properly licensed to receive the type, form and quantity of radioactive material contained in the gauge you wish to transfer. Such a letter should include the name of the issuing agency, the license number and the expiration date of the license.

Please reference the Special Form Certificates page of our web site.

Please reference your gauge Operator’s Manual for the answer to this question.

No. Troxler provides a MSDS disclaimer statement for your files.

The regulatory authority for portable nuclear gauges in many states is the US Nuclear Regulatory Agency. Other states which have entered into an agreement with the USNRC (and therefore are referred to as ‘agreement states’) have agencies which have regulatory authority for portable nuclear gauges in their state. So, how do you work in a state which is regulated by an agency other than your own?

Most states have a system of “reciprocity” for portable nuclear gauge licenses. This means that if you send them a request and any applicable fees, they will issue you a “letter of reciprocity” authorizing you to use your gauge in their state for some period (usually less than 180 days per year) as long as you adhere to their rules and regulations. How does this all work?

The requirements for reciprocity vary from agency to agency, so the first step is a call to the state regulatory agency where you wish to do work. They will direct you as to what they require for you to work in the state. A list of regulatory agencies and contact telephone numbers are available in the Troxler Transportation Guide.