(a) Each licensee, applicant for a license, applicant for or holder of a standard design approval under subpart E of part 52 of this chapter, applicant for an early site permit under subpart A of part 52 of this chapter, and applicant for a standard design certification under subpart B of part 52 of this chapter shall afford to the Commission at all reasonable times opportunity to inspect materials, activities, facilities, premises, and records under the regulations in this chapter.

(b) During an inspection, Commission inspectors may consult privately with workers as specified in § 19.15. The licensee, regulated entity, or the licensee's or regulated entity's representative may accompany Commission inspectors during other phases of an inspection.

(c) If, at the time of inspection, an individual has been authorized by the workers to represent them during Commission inspections, the licensee or regulated entity shall notify the inspectors of such authorization and shall give the workers' representative an opportunity to accompany the inspectors during the inspection of physical working conditions.

(d) Each workers' representative shall be routinely engaged in NRC-licensed or regulated activities under control of the licensee or regulated entity, and shall have received instructions as specified in § 19.12.

(e) Different representatives of licensees or regulated entities, and workers may accompany the inspectors during different phases of an inspection if there is no resulting interference with the conduct of the inspection. However, only one workers' representative at a time may accompany the inspectors.

(f) With the approval of the licensee or regulated entity, and the workers' representative an individual who is not routinely engaged in licensed or regulated activities under control of the license or regulated entity (for example, a consultant to the licensee, the regulated entity, or the workers' representative), shall be afforded the opportunity to accompany Commission inspectors during the inspection of physical working conditions.

(g) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, Commission inspectors are authorized to refuse to permit accompaniment by any individual who deliberately interferes with a fair and orderly inspection. With regard to areas containing information classified by an agency of the U.S. Government in the interest of national security, an individual who accompanies an inspector may have access to such information only if authorized to do so. With regard to any area containing proprietary information, the workers' representative for that area shall be an individual previously authorized by the licensee or regulated entity to enter that area.