ASTM C1238-97

Standard Guide for Installation of Walk-Through Metal Detectors

SCOPE
1.1 Some facilities require that personnel entering designated areas be screened for concealed weapons and other metallic materials. Also, personnel exiting designated areas are often screened for metallic shielding material and other types of metallic contraband. Walk-through metal detectors are widely used to implement these requirements. This guide describes various elements to be considered when planning to install walk-through metal detectors.
1.2 This guide is not intended to set performance levels, nor is it intended to limit or constrain operational technologies.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Dec-1997
• Technical Committee: C26 - Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM C1238-97(2003) - Standard Guide for Installation of Walk-Through Metal Detectors
• Effective Date: 10-Dec-1997
• Referred By: ASTM C1270-97(2021) - Standard Practice for Detection Sensitivity Mapping of In-Plant Walk-Through<brk /> Metal Detectors
• Effective Date: 10-Dec-1997

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: C 1238 – 97
Standard Guide for
Installation of Walk-Through Metal Detectors
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 1238; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope Justice (NILECJ) Standard:
0601.00 For Design, Performance, and Allowable Magnetic
1.1 Some facilities require that personnel entering desig-
Field Strength
nated areas be screened for concealed weapons and other
metallic materials. Also, personnel exiting designated areas are
3. Terminology
often screened for metallic shielding material and other types
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
of metallic contraband. Walk-through metal detectors are
3.1.1 continuous-wave-type metal detector—a system gen-
widely used to implement these requirements. This guide
erally employing one or more pairs of closely coupled coils.
describes various elements to be considered when planning to
One coil is electrically energized to establish an electromag-
install walk-through metal detectors.
netic field; the other detects disturbances in that field. In
1.2 This guide is not intended to set performance levels, nor
operation, the coils are configured so that the person or object
is it intended to limit or constrain operational technologies.
being screened passes through the field. When metal passes
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
through the field, the field is modified by the magnetic and
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
electrical properties of the metal. Any change in the field is
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
sensed by measuring one or more of many possible parameters,
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
including mutual inductance, power loss, phase shift, fre-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
quency shift, permeability, etc.
2. Referenced Documents 3.1.2 nuisance alarm—an alarm not caused by a weapon or
shielding material but by other causes such as outside interfer-
2.1 NRC Document:
ence or other operationally or environmentally induced stimu-
NUREG-1329 Entry/Exit Control At Fuel Fabrication Fa-
lus. In practice, these alarms are a nuisance because they are
cilities Using or Possessing Formula Quantities of Strate-
not obvious and must be investigated and the cause eliminated.
gic Special Nuclear Material
3.1.3 pulse-wave-type metal detectors—a system in which
2.2 U.S. Government Documents:
brief current pulses are generated in transmitter coils when they
DOE 5632.2A Physical Protection of Special Nuclear Ma-
are switched on. The electromagnetic field generated by these
terials and Vital Equipment, February 9, 1988
pulses induces eddy currents in metallic objects in the field.
DOE 5633.3 Control and Accountability of Nuclear Mate-
The eddy currents decay when the transmitter coils are shut off.
rials, February 3, 1988
The decay of the eddy currents produces secondary voltages in
2.3 National Fire Protection Associations (NPA) Life Safety
the receiver coils, which are switched on only when the
Code Handbook:
4 transmitter coils are switched off. The voltages induced in the
NFPA-101-1988, Chapter 28, Industrial Occupancy
receiver coils are processed and compared against a bias or
2.4 ANSI Standard:
background level.
Z41.1-PT-1983 Class 50 and 75—For Non-ferrous and
3.1.4 shielding—a metallic material configured as a credible
Ferrous Safety Footwear
gamma-radiation shield for special nuclear materials (SNM).
2.5 National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal
3.1.5 throughput—the actual rate at which a metal detector
and system can screen personnel for a given application.
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C-26 on Nuclear Fuel
3.1.6 walk-through metal detector—a free-standing screen-
Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.12 on Safeguard
ing device having an electromagnetic field within its portal
Applications.
Current edition approved Dec. 10, 1997. Published May 1998.
structure (aperture) for detecting metallic objects, including
Available from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
some nuclear shielding materials, carried by persons walking
20555.
through the aperture.
Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, P.O. Box 9101, 3.1.7 weapon—a device intended to do damage to personnel
Quincy, MA 02269–9101.
or equipment without intentionally harming the attacker, but
Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
requiring the attacker to physically activate or use the device.
Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
C 1238
4. Significance and Use 7.7 If all electronic equipment is not designed for outdoor
use, provide cover and protect the equipment from the ele-
4.1 This guide is intended for use by the designers, evalu-
ments, especially high temperature and high humidity. Ad-
ators, and users of walk-through metal detectors to be installed
equate ventilation should also be provided. Make sure the
to screen persons entering or leaving a controlled access area.
metal-detector system is stable over a wide range of environ-
This guide is not meant to constrain design liberty but is to be
mental factors (temperature, humidity, etc.). All metal detectors
used as a guide in the selection of location and installation of
are sensitive to changes in the surrounding electromagnetic
walk-through metal detectors.
environment, and that should be the only factor affecting stable
5. Safety Considerations
operation.
5.1 Warning signs should be posted if the metal detector’s
8. Layout of the Installation Site
electromagnetic field strength is of such a magnitude that
8.1 The site layout for walk-through metal-detector instal-
personal medical devices may be affected or damaged when
lation should be designed to minimize the guard force person-
they pass through the portal. See NILECJ Standard 0601.00.
nel required and to avoid processing delays. The site may be in
5.2 Local fire and safety codes should be reviewed concern-
a new area or building, or in an existing area modified to house
ing requirements for areas selected for metal detector installa-
security screening devices.
tion. Metal-detector installations needing exemption from the
8.2 It is good practice to channel people through separate
fire and safety requirements should be approved in advance.
entry and exit lanes. In areas where more extensive outbound
6. Throughput Consideration
screening is required, separate lanes and equipment are even
more desirable so that equipment can be optimized for detec-
6.1 The rate at which persons may be screened is generally
tion of the specified objects on entry or exit.
an important factor in security applications. Metal-detector
8.3 If alarms are remotely monitored, the response tactic
systems should be capable of dealing with large transient traffic
(guard’s action, intercept corridors, lockdown schemes, etc.) to
flow such as found during shift changes.
alarms must be considered early in the design process to ensure
6.1.1 Throughput varies from one metal detector model to
effective and efficient interdiction.
the next. Throughput also varies from one application to the
8.4 Installation of equipment should be arranged to mini-
next. Applications that require high-sensitivity settings will
mize nuisance alarms from outside interference. If nuisance
have lower throughput.
alarms are too numerous, the guard force will lose confidence
6.1.2 Once the application specific throughput for a detector
in the equipment, and security may be compromised.
model has been established, the number of detector lanes
8.5 Security equipment often must fit into a space-critical
required to achieve system throughput at peak times can be
site, but adequate space is the single greatest asset for a
calculated. See 9.2.
security screening area. Maintaining a well-defined screening
7. Other Considerations
area is essential so that when an alarm occurs, the security
7.1 Review applicable regulatory orders and policies of inspector can clearly identify and isolate the person that caused
appropriate regulatory agencies and facilities for information the alarm.
pertinent to metal detector installation and operation. 8.5.1 Layout of the area selected for installation of a
7.2 Examine the power capability of the building electrical walk-through metal detector should provide adequate space for
system to ensure that it is adequate to support the metal- calibration and maintenance of the metal detector.
detector system, especially current, voltage, and voltage sta- 8.5.2 Locate equipment in a manner to clear doors, duct
bility. work, piping, and other equipment.
7.3 Confirm that the available primary and emergency 8.5.3 The site layout should provide an alternate means to
power are free of noise and transients. If not, install a filtering screen personnel while the metal detector is out of service. See
or regulating system, or both. An uninterruptable power system Appendix X1.
can provide both filtering and emergency power. 8.5.4 The layout should also provide adequate ventilation
7.4 Establish where the metal-detector alarms are to be for the electronic equipment.
transmitted and who will be responsible for alarm assessment. 8.6 Since metal-detector portal width is typically less than
7.5 Provide a means for related functions such as space for the minimum doorway width required by the Life Safety
nearby door opening and closing, door latching, and additional Codes, bypass routes that meet the Life Safety Codes require-
audible or visual alarms, or both, as need
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