NBC users guide

University of Pennsylvania

Radiation Safety Users' Guide for the NBC Nuclear Medicine Department

Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS)

EHRS NOTIFICATION

EHRS must be notified promptly in the following events:

A. Personnel contamination

B. Deliberate misuse of radioactive materials

C. Unexpected loss of radioactive material

D. Contaminated or damaged radioactive material shipments

EHRS may be contacted by calling 215-898-7187 during the day or anytime by paging 215-980-0035 or contacting security.

SPILL PROCEDURES

A. Notify all persons in the area and limit access to the spill.

B. Prevent the spread of contamination by covering the spill with absorbent paper.

C. Clean up the spill using disposable gloves, lab coats, shoe covers and tongs (if appropriate).

D. Begin cleaning at the edge of the spill and work towards the center.

E. Survey the area around the spill using a survey meter and wipe tests.

F. Notify EHRS if contamination of personnel has occurred or if assistance is needed.

RADIATION WORKER TRAINING

All persons who work in or frequent areas where RAM (radioactive material) is used or stored are required to attend radiation safety training prior to beginning work with RAM. Please contact EHRS to schedule this initial training. EHRS also requires an annual renewal of this training, which is provided by EHRS personnel.

DOSIMETRY

Only individuals that are likely to receive more than 10% of the regulatory dose limit are required to wear dosimeters. Dosimeters are exchanged on a monthly or quarterly basis and results are available upon request from EHRS.

Dosimeters may be obtained via the EHRS webpage or by calling 215-898-7187.

If dosimeters are used:

A. Whole-body dosimeters must be worn between the waist and shoulders at all times in areas where RAM is used or stored.

B. Ring badges should be worn on the hand that is likely to receive the highest exposure.

C. Dosimeters should be stored in low background areas.

ALARA

The acronym ALARA, "As Low As Reasonably Achievable," means that persons using sources of ionizing radiation should make every reasonable effort to keep radiation exposures to individuals as low as practicable.

EHRS notifies individuals when personnel exposures exceed ALARA levels. An investigation will be performed. The current ALARA investigational level is 150 mrem/quarter.

WORKERS UNDER AGE 18

No one under the age of 18 will be permitted to work in areas where RAM is used or stored or where radiation is produced without prior approval from EHRS.

PREGNANT WORKERS

A. The NRC dose limit to thenbsp;

SEALED SOURCES

All sealed sources must be properly stored in a secure location. An inventory and leak test will be performed semi-annually by EHRS. Contact EHRS if a source is lost or damaged.

a. Survey the container in a low-level area.
b. Survey the surface of each container.

c. Remove or obliterate any radiation labels before disposal in normal waste.

After a horse is released, appropriately trained barn personnel should collect bedding in a labeled dumpster and place dumpster in the waste shed outside C-barn. Only RAM should be stored in this shed. Follow decay-in-storage procedures above.

SAFE USE OF RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS

Wear lab coat and disposable gloves when handling RAM.
Monitor hands, lab coat, and soles of shoes for contamination after each procedure or before leaving the area.
Use syringe shields for administration of RAM when possible.
Do not eat, drink or store food in any area where RAM is stored or used.
Dispose of RAM only in designated receptacles which are shielded and labeled.
Carry doses to the stall in a lead box.

NUCLEAR MEDICINE PROCEDURES

Horses must be housed in approved stalls only (listed on Dr. Ross's license).
Stalls must be labeled with "Caution, Radioactive Materials" signs.
Information such as isotope, time administered, scan time and release time must be posted on the stall.
Disposal gloves, shoe covers and a trash container labeled with a "Caution, Radioactive Materials" sign will be available outside the stall.
After release of horse, the technologist will notify barn personnel, who have received proper radiation safety training, and they will remove bedding for decay-in-storage in waste shed.
Drains in stalls must be sealed.
Doses may be injected in the stall or in the imaging room.
Special rubber boots will be applied to the horse's hooves prior to injection. The boots will be removed prior to exiting the stall.
Horses will be given a diuretic to promote urination in the stall before being removed for imaging.

RELEASE OF ANIMALS

Animals may be released to owers or caretakers provided the following conditions are met:

At least 24 hours have elapsed since administration of the Tc-99m
Radiation levels measured near (with 3 cm) the surface of the animal do not exceed 2 mR/hr
Animals contain less than 10 mCi of Tc-99m
Owner or caretaker of the animal has received written radiation safety instructions

RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS

The following are radiation safety instructions that must be given to owners or caretakers prior to release of an animal containing Tc-99m:

This animal has been given a radioactive drug for the purpose of performing diagnostic study. The material used for this purpose is radioactive for a relatively short period of time; therefore, most of the radioactivity is gone from the animal at the time of release. However, because a decreasing amount of radioactivity will be present in the animal for the next few days, we ask that you follow several simple precautions over the next 48 hours.
Wear gloves when handling the animal, its bedding or its excreta.
Children and pregnant women should avoid petting or caring for the animal. In particular, contact with the urine should be avoided.

If you have any questions regarding these instructions, please contact EHRS at 898-7187.