In the event of an accident involving radioactive
material that occurs during regular office hours contact:
Radiation Safety
Officer
855-3230
Radiation Safety
Office
... 855-9928
IUCF Administrative
Office
..
.. 855-9365
If the accident
occurs after hours, contact:
IU Police
855-4111
If the accident
involves personal injury or fire, immediately call:
... 911
The Radiation
Safety Manual was prepared by the Radiation Safety Officer as the official
guide to the safe use of radioactive materials at
EMERGENCY
INFORMATION
.. i
PREFACE
.. ii
1.0 UNIVERSITY POLICY
. 1
2.0 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
. 1
3.0 ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION
... 2
3.1 Radiation
Safety Officer
... 2
3.2 Radiation
Safety Committee
2
3.3 Office
of Research Administration
.
..
..2
4.0 AUTHORIZATION PROCESS
.... 3
4.1 Application for Approval as a
Principal
Investigator
.. 3
4.2 Review and Approval of Initial
Application
. 3
4.3 Application to Amend Use
........ 3
4.4 Renewal of Project Authorizations
... 4
4.5 Application for Approval as an Individual
User
........ 4
5.0 TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
... 5
5.1 General
.. 5
5.2 Principal Investigators
5
5.3 Individual Users
... 5
5.4 Training Records
. 5
6.0 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR RESPONSIBILITIES
6
7.0 EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
. 6
8.0 PROCUREMENT OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
... 7
8.1 Ordering Radioactive Material
.. 7
8.2 Receipt of Radioactive Material
7
8.3 Opening Packages of Radioactive
Material
...... 8
8.4 Inventory and Use Records
......... 8
9.0 TRANSFER OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
. 9
9.1 On-Campus Transfers
. 9
9.2 Off-Campus Transfers
. 9
10.0 RADIOACTIVE WASTE HANDLING
.. 10
10.1 Laboratory Waste Procedures
......... 10
10.2 Waste Transfer Procedures
.. 11
10.3 Disposal Through Sanitary Sewer
11
11.0 PERSONNEL
EXPOSURES
12
11.1 Occupational
Dose Limits
.. 12
11.2 Dose Limits for an Embryo/Fetus
........ 14
11.3 Dose Limits for Members of the Public
...... 14
12.0 PERSONNEL MONITORING
... 15
12.1 Personnel Dosimeters
15
12.2 Bioassays
16
12.3 Personnel Exposure Records
..... 16
13.0 LABORATORY SAFETY
... 17
13.1 Facility Requirements
. 17
13.2 Equipment Requirements
.. 18
13.3 General Rules for the Safe Use of
Radioactive
Materials
........ 19
13.4 Contamination Survey Procedures
... 20
13.5 Survey Records
.. 20
13.6 Notification of Contamination
. 20
13.7 Decontamination Procedures
21
13.8 Laboratory Posting
........... 22
13.9 Security and Control of Radioactive
Material
. 22
13.10 Laboratory Audits
22
14.0 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
. 23
14.1 Minor Spills
.. 23
14.2 Major Spills or
Releases
......... 23
14.3 Accidents Involving Personal Injury...........
. 23
TABLES
1. Dose Equivalent Limits for Occupational
Exposures
13
2. Annual Limits on Intake for Ingestion
of Selected
Radionuclides
....... 13
3. Limits of Radioactive Contamination
within
Radionuclide Laboratories
. 21
APPENDIX
(STANDARD FORMS)
...... 24
(RS-1) Application for Approval as a Principal
Investigator in
the Use of Radioactive Material
(RS-2) Application for Individual Use of
Radioactive
Material
(RS-3) Radioactive Material Authorization Form
(RS-4) Radioactive Material Use Log
(RS-5) Radioactive Contamination Survey
1.0
UNIVERSITY POLICY
It is the policy
of
2.0 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
Concern over
health risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation led early in its
use to recommended exposure limits and, ultimately, to mandatory limits and
strict regulatory controls over the possession and use of all sources of
ionizing radiation.
Regulatory
jurisdiction over radioactive materials varies both with individual states and
with the types of materials involved.
Most types of radioactive materials in use at IUB are controlled under
Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Compliance with these regulations is enforced through the licensing and
inspection activities of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Activities
involving federally controlled radioactive materials at IUB are conducted under
the authority of the university's "broad scope" license with the
NRC. This type of license allows the
university considerable flexibility in its use of radioactive materials in
exchange for the establishment of an appropriate administrative structure for
ensuring regulatory compliance.
3.0 ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION
In fulfillment of
its commitment to personnel safety and regulatory compliance,
3.1 Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)
The Radiation
Safety Officer is a full‑time professional staff member who has the
responsibility for the administration and operation of the university's
radiation safety program. The Radiation
Safety Officer establishes and communicates the requirements for the safe use
of radioactive materials on campus, reviews and approves all projects involving
radioactive materials, and ensures that safety and regulatory requirements are
met during the course of such projects.
Essential components of the radiation safety program include continuous
accountability of radioactive material, radiation safety training, safety
audits of laboratories and other facilities, personnel monitoring, and
radioactive waste management.
3.2 Radiation Safety Committee (RSC)
A Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) has been established by the Vice
President for Research Administration to advise and assist the Radiation Safety
Officer in establishing policy and procedures related to radiation safety on
the
3.3 Office of Research Administration
At IUB, the
radiation safety program and its support staff are administratively contained
within the Office of Research Administration, which reports to the Vice
President for Research Administration. This office has the responsibility for
administering various university regulatory programs that pertain to the
research environment, including programs for the use of human subjects,
animals, select agents, and recombinant DNA.
Other safety-related regulatory programs, such as hazardous waste
management, environmental regulatory affairs, occupational safety, and general
sanitation are administered by the University Office of Environmental Health
and Safety Management, which reports to the Vice President for Administration.
All uses of
radioactive materials at
An individual who
wishes to use radioactive material may seek approval as either a
"Principal Investigator" or an "Individual User". The Principal Investigator directs and
supervises a project whereas an Individual User works under the supervision of
a Principal Investigator.
4.1 Application for Approval as a Principal
Investigator
The individual
seeking approval as a Principal Investigator begins the authorization process
by completing the appropriate application form (see Form RS‑1 in the
Appendix). This form requests
information on the purpose and scope of the project, the facilities and
equipment to be utilized, the safety procedures to be observed, the individuals
who will work on the project, and the training and experience of the applicant
(see Sections 5 and 13 of the Radiation Safety Manual for requirements in these
areas). Any supplemental information
needed to adequately describe the project should be attached to the application
form. Completed copies of Form RS‑2
detailing the training and experience of each Individual User on the project
must also be attached.
4.2 Review and Approval of Initial
Application
The completed
application must be submitted to the Radiation Safety Officer. As part of the application review, the RSO
meets at least once with the applicant to discuss various details of the
project. Based upon this review, the RSO
determines whether authorization is to be granted. If the application is approved, the RSO
completes and signs the authorization form (Form RS-3) and forwards it to the
Principal Investigator. Any possible
conditions under which authorization is granted are specified on the
authorization form.
Should approval
of a project not be granted, a written notification, which includes an
explanation for this decision, is forwarded to the applicant. This notification contains a description of
the possible modifications to the project that would be necessary for it to be
approved.
4.3 Application to Amend Use
Requests for
changes in a Principal Investigator's use of radioactive material, as
originally approved by the RSO, must be made in writing to the RSO. Requested changes will be subject to the same
review and approval process as was the original application. The Principal Investigator is notified of the
approval of a change through an amendment to his or her authorization form
(Form RS‑3).
4.4 Renewal of Project Authorizations
Each
authorization for use of radioactive materials is issued with a formal
expiration date. Prior to this date, the
Principal Investigator will receive from the RSO a renewal request form that
must be completed and submitted in order to reauthorize the project. Most projects involving radioactive material
must be renewed on an annual basis.
4.5 Application for Approval as an Individual
User
Any person who
wishes to be approved as an Individual User of radioactive material must
indicate that he or she has completed the required training (see Section 5) by
submitting a completed Form RS‑2 to the RSO. Note that this application must be approved
and signed by the Principal Investigator of the project on which the Individual
User wishes to work.
Form RS‑2
can be submitted for an Individual User at the time of the Principal
Investigator's initial application for project approval or at any time
thereafter. The Principal Investigator
will be notified of the approval of personnel additions to his or her project
through an amended authorization form.
State and federal
regulations require that individuals who work with radioactive material be
provided with sufficient training to enable them to conduct their work
safely. This training must include
information on the potential hazards associated with the use of radioactive
material; the means by which these hazards can be minimized; emergency
procedures; and institutional procedures for the procurement, use, and disposal
of radioactive material.
5.1 General
In order to meet
the current regulatory requirements for training, all individuals who wish to
use radioactive material at
1. Attend a
Radiation Safety Orientation by the Radiation Safety Officer (call 855-3230 for
information on the next scheduled session).
2. Complete the
on-line training on Radiation Safety Procedures.
3. Read the IU
Radiation Safety Manual and other written material provided.
4. Pass a written
examination.
5. Complete an
in-lab performance review of laboratory safety procedures.
5.2 Principal Investigators
In addition to
the general training requirements for radioactive material use, an individual
who wishes to be authorized as the Principal Investigator (PI) of a project
must give evidence that he or she has a total of 40 hours of training and
experience with radioactive material, including appropriate experience with the
specific types and quantities of radioactive material for which approval is requested. When in the judgment of the RSO an applicant
has insufficient experience to act as the PI of a project, the applicant may be
requested to work under the supervision of an approved PI until sufficient
experience is obtained.
5.3 Individual Users
In addition to
the general training requirements for radioactive material use, personnel who
wish to be authorized as Individual Users must be provided, by the Principal
Investigator, safety training appropriate to the particular techniques and
materials to be employed.
5.4 Training Records
All relevant
training and experience an individual has received prior to his or her
application for approval must be documented on the appropriate form (Form RS-1
for Principal Investigators, Form RS-2 for Individual Users). Documentation of training received after
approval has been granted is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator.
6.0 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR RESPONSIBILITIES
The individual
authorized by the Radiation Safety Officer as the Principal Investigator in the
use of radioactive material is responsible for all activities conducted under
the scope of that authorization. This
includes responsibility for ensuring that:
1. All Individual Users are appropriately
trained and supervised.
2. All Individual Users have been formally
approved by the RSO.
3. All uses of radioactive materials are as
represented in the Principal Investigator's application as approved by the RSO.
4. All rules, regulations, and procedures for
the safe use of radioactive materials are observed.
5. Accurate records are maintained of the use,
storage, and disposal of radioactive materials and of contamination surveys
conducted.
6. The RSO is notified, and has approved, any
changes in the storage or use of radioactive material prior to the
implementation of such changes.