HomeMy WebLinkAboutLETTER Radiology Requirements 420 Steamer Dr 101 2019-11-12
November 12, 2019
Brigitte Foust, Imaging Director
Estes Park Medical Center
555 Prospect Lane
Estes Park, CO 80517
Brigitte,
Enclosed is my report on the shielding requirements for the radiographic room at Estes Park
Health, located at 420 Steamer Drive, Unit 101. This analysis has been conducted according to
the recommendations of the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP report #147). The
shielding has been designed to limit exposure to all personnel, both occupationally exposed and
non-occupationally exposed, to less than 2 millirems per week in all areas adjacent to the X-ray
room.
This analysis is based on information provided by Kelly Hammack of Carestream, Chuck Jordan
and by yourself. Partial plans of the facility are shown in the attached drawings. Wall sections
are indicated by reference letters in these drawings. The recommended shielding barriers for
these walls are shown in the attached tables.
The shielding has been designed for the specific equipment, workload, occupancy and
application described by the individual(s) requesting the analysis. Any change in the equipment,
workload, applications, or occupancy of adjacent areas may result in a change in the shielding
requirements. All such changes, now or in the future, should be reviewed by a qualified
physicist to determine the need for any adjustments in shielding. Shielding materials should not
be changed or substituted without a review of the adequacy of the substituted shielding materials.
Any questions concerning the recommendations in this report or the need for further analysis of
the shielding requirements should be addressed to me.
Sincerely,
Steven M. Jones, M.S., DABR
Consulting Radiological Physicist
CDPHE Qualified Expert #120013
attachments: Shielding Analysis Report
Reviewed by
SAFEbuilt
12/04/2019
LOCATION:Estes Park Health DATE:November 12, 2019
420 Steamer Drive, Unit 101 ROOM:X-ray Room
Estes Park, CO 80517 EQUIPMENT:Radiographic / DR
PHONE: WORKLOAD:160 patients/week
MINIMUM SHIELDING EXISTING REQUIRED
WALL SEGMENT PROTECTED AREA REQUIRED SHIELDING1 ADDITIONAL SHIELDING2 COMMENTS
Exam Room
(unrestricted; occupancy = 1)
Exam Room
(unrestricted; occupancy = 1)
Building Exterior
(unrestricted; occupancy = 0.05)
EVS Room
(unrestricted; occupancy = 1)
EVS Room
(unrestricted; occupancy = 1)
Control Area
(restricted; occupancy = 1)
Corridor
(unrestricted; occupancy = 0.2)
On Grade (no occupancy)
(unrestricted; occupancy = 0)
Apartment #7 (full occupancy)
(unrestricted; occupancy = 1)
1 existing shielding effectiveness:
Wall A'B': Primary beam "pre-shielding" from wall image receptor = 0.85 mm Pb
Wall DE Control wall will contain 0.79 mm of lead and also shields this wall section
Ceiling: Concrete thickness of 4"-5.5" in ceiling; 13 feet floor to floor distance
2 designation of thickness in pounds is in units of lb/ft2, if applicable
NOTES:
1. See attached Shielding Installation Notes for guidelines on installation of lead barriers.
2. Any changes to the type of equipment, occupancy of adjacent areas, or application of the equipment
may result in a change in the shielding requirements and should be reviewed by a qualified physicist.
PHYSICIST:__________________________________________
Steven M. Jones, M.S.
Certified, American Board of Radiology
Colorado Department of Health Qualified Expert #120013
0 mm Lead0.55 mm Lead
1.3 mm Lead
RADIATION SHIELDING ANALYSIS REPORT
Ceiling
None
0.26 mm Lead
0 mm Lead
0.79 mm Lead
1.91 mm Lead
0 mm Lead
None
CD
DE
DF
EA
0.39 mm Lead
0.29 mm Lead None
0.16 mm Lead
Floor
A'B'
AB
BC
0 mm Lead
0.85 mm Lead
0 mm Lead
0.55 mm Lead
Area 4 feet wide, centered to
image receptor holder
control wall also provides
shielding for this wall section
0.13 mm Lead
1/32" (2-pound) Lead
3/64" (3-pound) Lead
1/32" (2-pound) Lead
1/32" (2-pound) Lead
including view window and
window frame
including door and door frame
minimum concrete thickness of 4
inches in ceiling
1/32" (2-pound) Lead
1/32" (2-pound) Lead
None
None
Reviewed by
SAFEbuilt
12/04/2019
Exam Room
Corridor
Estes Park Health
X-ray Room
EVS
Room
Corridor
Building
Exterior
A
C
B
D E
A'
I
F
B'
Reviewed by
SAFEbuilt
12/04/2019
SHIELDING INSTALLATION NOTES
1. Lead barriers shall extend to a height of 7 feet above the finished floor unless otherwise
specified.
2. All joints between lead sheets should be constructed so that their surfaces are in contact and
have an overlap of at least 0.5" such that no gaps exist.
3. All penetrations of the lead shielding (electrical outlets, light fixtures, switches, pipes, ducts,
etc.) must be shielded by placing equivalent lead shielding behind the penetration with sufficient
overlap to prevent a direct "line-of-sight" from the radiation source. No additional shielding is
necessary for nail or screw holes used to secure the shielding, provided the nail or screw remains
in the hole as a part of the wall.
4. All doors shall be shielded with the same lead thickness as the adjacent wall unless otherwise
specified. Doors should extend as close to the floor as possible. When doors are exposed to
direct radiation, special designs may be necessary to prevent excess scatter of radiation under the
door. All doors that require lead should have lead lined lock sets and latches and the door frames
should be lead lined to overlap the lead in the door and adjacent walls.
5. All windows in the shielded room shall be leaded glass, equivalent to the adjacent wall unless
specified otherwise. All window frames shall be lead lined to overlap the adjacent wall.
6. Doors to toilets or dressing rooms opening into x-ray rooms should be provided with
one-way opening latches to be opened only from the x-ray room side, unless the toilet or
dressing room is accessible only from that x-ray room.
7. A permanent placard should be mounted by the contractor in the room specifying the amount
and type of shielding in each of the walls.
8. Any film storage areas around the x-ray installation may require additional shielding of the
storage bin to provide for extended storage of film without fogging.
9. The adequacy and proper installation of radiation barriers shall be verified by a qualified
expert conducting a radiation protection survey after the x-ray machine has been installed.
10. All rooms are designed for a specific application and for a specific location of equipment
and control functions. Any future modification or renovation of an existing x-ray facility, or
installation of a new x-ray machine in an existing x-ray facility, shall be reviewed by a qualified
expert for determination of shielding requirements.
Note: use of the word “shall” indicates a requirement based on current Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment regulations.
Reviewed by
SAFEbuilt
12/04/2019