NBR ARO Exam key terms

Radioactive material made radioactive in a nuclear reactor or produced in accelerator or isotope-separation processes, regulated under federal atomic energy law rather than state radiation-control statutes.

A state that has assumed federal regulatory authority over certain byproduct, source, and small-quantity special nuclear material within its borders through an approved compact with the federal government.

The state governmental body empowered by statute to license, inspect, and enforce radiation protection requirements for sources of radiation within its jurisdiction.

The required notification to the state that a radiation-producing device such as an X-ray unit is possessed and operated, distinct from a license to possess radioactive material.

A formal authorization issued by a regulatory agency permitting a named person or entity to acquire, possess, use, transfer, or dispose of specified quantities of radioactive material under stated conditions.

The person or organization named on a license who is legally responsible for complying with all license conditions and applicable regulations governing the authorized activities.

The maximum quantity of a specified radionuclide or total activity that a licensee is authorized to hold at any one time under the terms of its license.

A formal application to change the terms of an existing license, such as adding radionuclides, increasing possession limits, or modifying facilities or procedures.

The formal process of ending licensed activities, including decontamination, disposition of sources, and demonstration that residual radioactivity meets release criteria.

A named person with authority to ensure the licensee's radiation protection program is carried out in compliance with regulations and license conditions.

The individual designated to manage and oversee the licensee's radiation protection program, including training, audits, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

The written framework of policies, procedures, training, and oversight a licensee uses to keep occupational and public exposures as low as reasonably achievable and within regulatory limits.

The principle of keeping radiation doses and releases as low as reasonably achievable, taking into account economic and social factors, beyond merely meeting regulatory limits.

A prospective restriction on individual dose used in planning operations, set below the regulatory limit to provide a margin of safety and support ALARA practices.

The maximum permissible radiation dose to a radiation worker's whole body or specific organs over a defined period, established by regulation to prevent excessive exposure.

A device worn or carried by an individual to measure accumulated radiation dose, such as a film badge, thermoluminescent dosimeter, or optically stimulated luminescence badge.

The officially documented radiation dose assigned to an individual for a monitoring period, used for compliance determinations and reported to the individual and regulators.

Material such as lead, concrete, or water placed between a radiation source and people or sensitive areas to reduce exposure by absorbing or attenuating radiation.

A portable instrument used to measure radiation levels in an area or on surfaces, helping workers detect contamination, verify shielding adequacy, and confirm safe conditions.

A systematic measurement of radioactive material on surfaces, equipment, or personnel, performed with appropriate instruments and documented to verify that contamination is within acceptable limits.

Radioactive material that can be transferred from a surface by contact, such as wiping, and is measured by wipe tests to assess spread and cleanup effectiveness.

A method of checking for removable contamination by wiping a defined area with an absorbent material and counting the activity collected on the wipe.

Radioactive material permanently enclosed in a capsule or bonded to a surface strong enough to prevent leakage or escape under normal use conditions.

A periodic check of a sealed source, typically by wiping accessible surfaces and analyzing the wipe, to detect any release of radioactive material from the encapsulation.

A current, accurate record of all radioactive sources possessed by a licensee, including location, activity, and identity, used to prevent loss and support accountability.

The process of physically locating and counting all radioactive sources and comparing the results with records to confirm nothing is missing or unaccounted for.

A documented set of measures, including access controls and background checks, designed to prevent unauthorized access to or theft of radioactive material.

Physical and administrative measures such as locked storage, restricted areas, and key control that limit entry to radiation areas to authorized, trained individuals.

An area where access is limited for the purpose of protecting individuals against undue risks from exposure to radiation or radioactive materials.

Required signs and labels that warn of radiation levels or radioactive materials at entrances and boundaries, using specified wording, symbols, and dose-rate thresholds.

An official examination by a regulatory agency of a licensee's facilities, records, and practices to evaluate compliance with statutes, regulations, and license conditions.

A formal written communication from a regulator alleging one or more violations of requirements and specifying corrective action and response deadlines.

A monetary fine imposed by a regulatory agency for violations of radiation control requirements, often assessed according to a published enforcement policy.

Heightened regulatory action, such as orders, suspension, or license revocation, applied when violations are serious, repeated, or uncorrected after prior notice.

The requirement to keep specified records, such as surveys, dosimetry, and training documentation, for defined minimum periods and make them available to regulators.

An occurrence, such as a lost source, overexposure, or equipment failure, that must be reported to the regulatory agency within a specified timeframe.

A situation in which personal, financial, or other interests could improperly influence professional judgment, requiring disclosure or recusal to preserve integrity.

The standards of honesty, competence, confidentiality, and public safety responsibility expected of radiation protection professionals in their dealings with employers, clients, and regulators.