University of Pennsylvania
Radiation Safety Office

Cyclotron User's Guide

---

Outline

A. Personnel Dosimeter Policy
B. Dosimeter Placement
C. Dose Reports

A. Effluent Monitoring Procedure
B. Exposure Survey
C. Contamination Survey
D. Transport Line Survey

A. Survey instruments
B. Well counters

A. Wear lab coats or other protective clothing when handling radioactive material or working in an area designated as a Radioactive Material (RAM) work area.

B. Wear disposable gloves when handling RAM.

C. Do not eat, drink, smoke, store food, or mouth pipette in areas where RAM is used or stored.

D. Careful experimental planning, dry runs, shielding, distance, and monitoring are required for minimizing exposure.

E. Use, store, and transport RAM in appropriate containers.

F. Secure the facility at all the times against unauthorized entrance.

G. Keep inventory records for the following:

1. Receipt of radioactive materials

2. Shipment/transfer of radioactive materials

3. Sealed source inventory (must be performed quarterly)

H. Radioactive waste disposal and procedures:

1. Collect radioactive waste in appropriate containers.

2. Identify the radionuclides that make up the waste.

3. Monitor the exposure rate from radioactive wastes storage areas monthly or whenever new waste is added.

4. Store waste being stored for decay (T1/2 < 65 days) for a minimum of 10 half-lives and ensure that it has an exposure rate from the unshielded surface of the container no greater than background prior to disposal.

5. Keep records indicating that proper decay procedures or waste transfer procedures have been followed.

I. Use approved fume hoods or glove boxes to control possible airborne contamination.

J. Label the facility and RAM containers with proper radiation signs.

K. Wash hands thoroughly after working with RAM.

L. Air flow control

1. Take air flow measurements for RAM fume hoods semi-annually.

2. Maintain static pressures so that the cyclotron vault is negative to all surrounding areas and laboratory areas are negative to office areas.

M. Requirements for transporting radioactive material.

1. Obtain user authorization and verification prior to shipment.

2. Maintain records of shipments of radioactive materials.

3. Only individuals designated by the cyclotron facility director can hand-deliver a package containing radioactive materials. The transporter must be wearing the appropriate personnel monitoring device(s).

N All personnel working in the facility must complete radiation safety training prior to working with RAM and annually thereafter.

O. Keep a daily operations log book. Record all operation parameters in this book.

P. The RSO shall be notified promptly in the event of:

1. Personnel contamination

2. Any accident resulting in direct exposure to personnel

3. Unexpected loss of RAM to air or sewer

4. Loss of RAM

A. Personnel Dosimeter Policy

All personnel working at Cyclotron facility are required to wear the radiation monitoring devices provided by the RSO. These devices are:

1. Film Badge to monitor doses to the whole body

2. Ring TLD Dosimeter to monitor extremity doses

3. Pocket dosimeter to indicate the accumulated exposure at high radiation area (vault)

B. Dosimeter Placement

Interpretation of the measured dose is dependent upon the placement of the dosimeter. It is important that all personnel wear their dosimeters correctly.

1. Wear a film badge on top of the lab coat at a location close to collar.

2. Wear ring badges when handling RAM. Each individual is assigned two ring badges to monitor the dose to each hand.

3. Anyone entering the vault area shall wear an audible pocket dosimeter device over the lab coat. Record the accumulated exposure at the end of each day.

C. Dose Reports

The Radiation Safety Office sends dose summary reports on a monthly and an annual basis . Post these reports in a conspicuous location in the facility.

A. Each visitor should sign his or her name in the log book. The cyclotron staff will provide the visitor a digital dosimeter before entering the work area.

B.. Each visitor who enters the cyclotron facility must be escorted by a cyclotron staff upon entrance to the facility.

C. Enter a record of the cumulated dose in the log book upon departure from the facility.

A. Entrance to the vault area while the cyclotron is operating is prohibited.

B. Entrance to the vault area for the purpose of routine maintenance is prohibited for at least 24 hours after the cyclotron has been in operation.

C. Before leaving the vault, check the extremities with survey instrument for possible contamination.

A. The individual responsible for maintenance must check the exposure reading before entering vault area.

B. Entrance to the vault is allowed if the exposure is less than 100 mR/hr.

C. Before entering the vault, the individual should be wearing a disposable coverall, shoe covers, and gloves.

D. Carry an audible monitoring device into the vault to detect the existence of the contaminated and high exposure area.

E. Check protective clothing and extremities for possible contamination before leaving the vault.

A. The safety interlock must be fail-safe; that is, it must be designed so that a defect or component failure in the interlock system prevents operation of the accelerator.

B. Check the interlock system for cyclotron maze and interior vault area daily, or whenever the cyclotron is in operation. Record the daily check in the operations log book.

C. Check the interlock trip system to ensure that the cyclotron will resume operation only after manually resetting the controls at interlocks position and lastly at the main control console.

D. Check the functionality of scram buttons or other emergency power cutoff switches which are located in high radiation areas. The check must include the cutoff switch, manual reset, and the inability to restart the accelerator from the control console without resetting the cutoff switch.

E. Do not bypass the interlock switch without prior authorization from the Radiation Safety Office. Record the bypass in the daily operational log book with RSO signature.

F. Equip the vault area with video monitoring cameras. Monitor the vault area to ensure that the area is cleared of personnel prior to operation of the cyclotron.

G. Equip the area with devices that will automatically activate visible and audible alarms to alert personnel in the vault area to operation of the cyclotron. The system must allow sufficient time for an individual in the area to operate a clearly identified control device which must be present in the area and which can prevent the initiation of irradiation.

A. Effluent Monitoring Procedure

Monitor and record airborne effluent activity during cyclotron operation.

B. Exposure Survey

1. Check radiation exposures at the facility during the operation of cyclotron.

2. Laboratory areas and the cyclotron vault must have permanent exposure monitors that sound an alarm at specified trigger levels.

3. The Radiation Safety Office will perform exposure checks at the laboratory at the end of each working day.

C. Contamination Survey

1. Perform and record removable contamination surveys daily.

2. Take weekly wipes in the vault area as exposure levels permit.

3. Perform leak testing of sealed sources semi-annually.

D. Transport line Survey

Survey the transport line annually during a period when the cyclotron is in production and the transport line is pressurized.

A. Survey instruments

Calibrate all survey instruments annually or following a repair. Check all instruments for proper response to radiation before each use.

B. Well counters

Determine minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) and efficiency of well counters annually.