Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices Regulations

8.1 A person may, without a licence to carry on that activity, possess, transfer, store, use or abandon a check source that contains a radioactive nuclear substance and that is designed to verify the response of an instrument when exposed to the radiation output of the check source, if

• (a) the check source contains

  • (i) not more than 370 kBq of a nuclear substance and the substance, or its short-lived radioactive progeny, does not emit alpha radiation, or

  • (ii) not more than 3.7 kBq of a nuclear substance if the atomic number of the substance is greater than 81 and the substance, or its short-lived radioactive progeny, emits alpha radiation;

• (b) the radiation dose rate does not exceed 1 µSv per hour at 0.1 m from any of the accessible surfaces of the check source;

• (c) the design and construction of the check source, under normal conditions of use, prevent persons from making direct contact with the nuclear substance that it contains;

• (d) all markings and labels on the check source or exterior packaging are legible;

• (e) the radioactive nuclear substance in the check source, when it is mounted in its holder, conforms to International Standard 2919, Radiation Protection — Sealed radioactive sources — General requirements and classification (1999), of the International Organization for Standardization; and

• (f) the check source, if it is a sealed source, meets the tests specified in ANSI/HPS N43.6-1997, Sealed Radioactive Sources — Classification, of the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society.