Administrative Control Levels - doe-hdbk-1184-2004

DOE-HDBK-1184-2004

6.2.2

Administrative Control Levels

Facilities typically use a system of administrative control levels to limit individual

doses and to direct management attention toward those individuals, work groups,

and/or activities that result in the most significant doses. Management establishes

the value(s) of the administrative control level(s) on a yearly basis, such that line

management and workers are challenged to control, and find innovative ways to

reduce, their individual and workgroup doses. Greater levels of control are

achieved by establishing administrative control levels on a work group-specific

basis, reflecting management attention to specific workgroup activities and hazards.

As individual doses approach the established administrative control level,

successively higher levels of management approval are required to raise the level,

thereby bringing greater management attention to ALARA issues in the workplace.

Administrative control levels should be set at a level that is challenging, but

achievable in view of the planned activities and the radiological conditions in the

workplace. However, if it is never necessary to consider authorizing an individual to

exceed the previously established administrative control level (thus requiring active

management attention), then the level probably has been set too high. On the

other hand, if the administrative control level is set at an unnecessarily stringent

level, costly delays in planned activities may result, reflecting inattention to the

cost/benefit aspect of ALARA planning.

The presence of STCs in the workplace does not profoundly affect the

administrative control level program. In setting or extending administrative control

levels, consideration should be given to the levels of surface and airborne STC

contamination, the individual doses likely to result from that contamination,

uncertainties in relating workplace conditions to actual doses, and any delays in

determination of individual doses following exposure to STCs. The administrative

control level should be set in a manner that challenges individuals and

organizations to seek innovative means of reducing their doses, while avoiding

unnecessary interference with scheduled activities.

Chapter 2 of the RCS provides specific guidance for implementing a system of

administrative control levels.

6.2.3

Decontamination

When it is necessary to perform work in an STC-contaminated area or on STC-

contaminated equipment, consideration should be given to performing a thorough

decontamination of the area/equipment prior to performing the required work. This

assessment should be conducted in a manner consistent with the ALARA process.

A thorough decontamination effort may eliminate any significant STC contamination

levels, thus eliminating the need for STC controls for the remainder of the evolution.

This may in turn reduce collateral impacts, such as the need to launder STC-

contaminated protective clothing, maintain STC-contaminated respirators and

ventilation systems, and determine STC doses for all individuals involved in the

work. These benefits should be balanced against the costs of performing the

decontamination (including the collateral impacts discussed above), the likelihood

of success, the likelihood and possible impact of spreading STC contamination

during the decontamination operation. With either approach, consideration should