I. General Radiation Safety Practices
II. Badging and Dosimetry Policy
A. Personnel Dosimeter Policy
B. Dosimeter Placement
C. Dose Reports
III. Radiation Safety Precautions for Staff who
Enter the High Radiation Area
IV. Interlock and Safety Systems
V. Monitoring System
VI. Radiation Detection Instrumentation
I. General Radiation Safety Practices:
all personnel working in the facility must have radiation safety training
prior to working and annually thereafter. Here follow some guidelines:
A. Wear a lab coat and disposable gloves when there is a possibility for external contamination.
B. Do not eat, drink, or smoke in areas where there is a possibility for airborne effluent.
C. Secure the facility at all the times against unauthorized entrance.
D. Keep a record of quarterly sealed source inventory.
E. Radioactive waste disposal and procedures1. Collect contaminated protective clothing and articles as radioactive waste in appropriate containers.
2. Identify the radionuclides that make up the waste.
3. Monitor the exposure rate from radioactive waste 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. It must have an exposure rate from the unshielded surface of the container no greater than background prior to disposal.
F. Use approved fume hoods or glove boxes to control possible airborne contamination.
G. Label the facility with proper radiation signs.
H. Wash hands thoroughly when working in a contaminated area.
I. Keep a daily operations log book. Record all operation parameters in this book.
J. Notify the Radiation Safety Office promptly in any of the following cases:1. Personnel contamination
2. Any accident resulting in direct exposure to personnel
3. Unexpected loss of Radioactive Material (RAM) to air or sewer
4. Loss of RAM
II. Badging and Dosimetry Policy
A. Personnel Dosimeter Policy: all personnel working at the facility are required to wear one of the following radiation monitoring devices provided by the Radiation Safety Office:1. A film Badge or TLD dosimeter to monitor doses to the whole body
2. A pocket dosimeter to indicate the accumulated exposure.
B. Dosimeter PlacementThe interpretation of the measured dose is dependent upon the placement of the dosimeter. It is important that all personnel wear their dosimeters correctly. All dosimeters must be worn on top of the lab coat close to collar.
C. Dose ReportsThe Radiation Safety Office sends dose summary reports on a monthly and an annual basis. Post these reports in a conspicuous location in the facility.
III. Radiation Safety Precautions for Staff who Enter the High Radiation
Area
A. Do not open the accelerator tank while it is operating.
B. Wear gloves and protective clothing if maintenance procedures require work inside the accelerator tank.
C. The individual who is responsible for maintenance must check the exposure reading before performing the maintenance.
D. Notify the Radiation Safety Office before opening the accelerator tank.
E. Carry an audible monitoring device to warn against the existence of a contaminated and high exposure area.
F. Check protective clothing and extremities for possible contamination after working inside the accelerator tank.
IV. Interlock and Safety Systems
A. The area monitoring device will prevent the operation of the accelerator if the exposure level is higher than the set trigger level.
B. This 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.
C. Check the operation of the safety interlock system quarterly and record the results in the operations log book.
D. Never bypass the interlock system without prior authorization from the Radiation Safety Office. Record all bypasses in the daily operational log book.
A. Perform and record a quarterly exposure survey.
B. Perform leak testing of sealed sources semi-annually.
VI. Radiation Detection Instrumentation
Calibrate all survey instruments annually or following a repair. Check all instruments for proper response to radiation before each use.