(1) General.

(a) Each licensee who possesses an aggregated quantity of radioactive material at or above the Category 2 threshold shall establish, implement, and maintain its access authorization program in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.

(b) An applicant for a new license and each licensee who would become newly subject to the requirements of this chapter, upon application for modification of its license, shall implement the requirements of this chapter, as appropriate, before taking possession of an aggregated Category 1 or Category 2 quantity of radioactive material.

(c) Any licensee who has not previously implemented the security orders or been subject to the provisions of this chapter shall implement the provisions of this chapter before aggregating radioactive material to a quantity that equals or exceeds the Category 2 threshold.

(2) General performance objective. The licensee's access authorization program must ensure that the individuals specified in subsection (3)(a)(i) and (ii) of this section are trustworthy and reliable.

(3) Applicability.

(a) Licensees shall subject the following individuals to an access authorization program:

(i) Any individual whose assigned duties require unescorted access to Category 1 or Category 2 quantities of radioactive material or to any device that contains the radioactive material; and

(ii) Reviewing officials.

(b) Licensees need not subject the categories of individuals listed in WAC 246-237-029(1) to the investigation elements of the access authorization program.

(c) Licensees shall approve for unescorted access to Category 1 or Category 2 quantities of radioactive material only those individuals with job duties which require unescorted access to Category 1 or Category 2 quantities of radioactive material.

(d) Licensees may include individuals needing access to safeguards information-modified handling under 10 C.F.R. Part 73 in the access authorization program under WAC 246-237-021 through 246-237-033.